Reconstruction Era: Presidential Reconstruction, Johnson, and the Amendments

Government aid for newly freed Black people (freedmen and freedwomen).
Provided education, food, clothing, medicine.
Addressed their dire post-emancipation conditions (no housing, money, property, safety net).
Signaled federal intervention in Black American lives during Reconstruction.

Promise to Black families: 40 acres of land and two mules for economic independence.
Mostly unfulfilled; became a symbol for land reform and Black economic opportunity debates.

Lincoln's view: Southern states never legally left the Union, just took a 'time out'.
Plan (10% Plan): A state could rejoin if 10% of its 1860 voters swore allegiance to the U.S. and accepted emancipation.
Criticism: Many (especially Radical Republicans) found 10% too lenient given the war's toll.
Lincoln's Stance: A Republican supporting fast readmission, but faced opposition.

Republican counter-proposal: Required 50% of voters to swear allegiance for readmission (much stricter than Lincoln's 10%).
Lincoln's action: Used a pocket veto to prevent it from becoming law.
Result: Different approaches to Reconstruction continued.

Lincoln's VP and successor. A self-made Democrat from the South, championed poor whites.
Beliefs: Strong proponent of states' rights, opposed federal enforcement of civil rights/Reconstruction measures. Distrusted Northern elites.
Presidency: Often seen as tactless and ineffective in handling Reconstruction policies, despite populist aims.
Inherited a nation in crisis, opposed by Republicans wanting stronger federal action for freedpeople's rights.

Lincoln: Republican (1860s).
Johnson: Democrat.
Historical context: 19th-century Democrats often linked to states' rights/slavery; Republicans to federal power/ending slavery. A major party realignment occurred later in the 20th century, reversing many of these positions.

13th Amendment: Abolished slavery.
14th Amendment: Granted birthright citizenship, equal protection, and due process for all.
15th Amendment: Prohibited denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous servitude (for men).
Note: Women gained suffrage with the 19th Amendment (1920).
Johnson resisted federal efforts to enforce these rights.

Moderates: Favored gradual readmission and a more lenient approach (e.g., Lincoln's 10% plan).
Radicals: Pushed for broader rights for freedpeople and stronger federal enforcement (e.g., Wade-Davis Bill, 14th/15th Amendments, Civil Rights Acts).

Presidential Reconstruction (Lincoln, then Johnson): Aimed for quick, lenient reunification.
Radical Reconstruction (Radical Republicans in Congress): Sought extensive civil rights protections and federal enforcement (e.g., 14th/15th Amendments, Civil Rights Acts).

Johnson was impeached (first U.S. president) and narrowly avoided removal from office.
Quote: "a Reconstruction policy devised by angels might well have failed in his tactless hands" reflects his poor execution.

Laws passed in Southern states (1865-1866) to control newly freed Black people and restrict their rights, echoing pre-war slavery laws.
Purpose: Ensure a stable, subservient labor force (penalties for 'jumping' contracts, forced labor) and restore pre-emancipation race relations.
Restrictions: Forbade Black people from serving on juries, voting, and sometimes renting land (though recognizing rights like marriage).
Impact: Mocked freedom, led to virtual peonage (sharecropping), and angered the North, fueling criticism of Johnson's policies.

Key Themes: Tension between federal vs. state power. Emancipation as a political condition. Early federal social welfare (Freedmen's Bureau) and land reform debates (40 acres). Political party shifts. Ethical questions about federal duty.
Numbers/Dates: Lincoln's 10% plan: $10\% \times N<em>{\text{state voters}}$ , Wade-Davis: $50\% \times N</em>{\text{state voters}}$ . Notable: 1863 (Lincoln's plan); 1865 (Lincoln's assassination, Johnson's rise); 1865-1868 (13th, 14th, 15th Amendments); 19th Amendment for women's suffrage (1920).
Exam Prep: Understand Lincoln's 10% vs. Wade-Davis. Johnson's stances/impeachment. Moderates vs. Radicals. Presidential vs. Radical Reconstruction. Freedmen's Bureau & 40 acres. Black Codes.

1863: Lincoln's 10% plan proposed.
1863-1865: Lincoln's presidency; Wade-Davis debate.
1865: Lincoln assassinated; Andrew Johnson becomes President; Reconstruction conflicts escalate.
1865-1866: Johnson faces Radical Republican opposition; Black Codes emerge.
1865-1868: 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments passed.
1860s-1870s: Shift from Presidential to Radical Reconstruction.