Reconstruction Plan under President Andrew Johnson
Lincoln's Assassination and Johnson's Ascension
On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth, a Southern sympathizer, shot President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater.
Booth's initial plan was to kidnap Lincoln and members of his cabinet.
Lincoln died on April 15, 1865, and Vice President Andrew Johnson was sworn into office.
Andrew Johnson's Background
Born into a poor family in North Carolina.
Apprenticed as a tailor and later opened his own business.
Served as governor of Tennessee and as a U.S. Senator.
The only senator from a Confederate state to remain loyal to the Union.
Chosen as Republican Lincoln's running mate in 1864 to unify the ticket and appeal to border states.
Johnson's Reconstruction Plan
Initially appeared similar to Lincoln's "Ten Percent Plan".
Offered presidential pardons to wealthy Southerners and former Confederate officials.
By 1866, Johnson had pardoned over 7,000 people, including Southern political and military leaders.
Other Southern citizens had to take an oath of allegiance to the U.S. for a blanket pardon and citizenship.
States were to set up new governments by:
Appointing a temporary governor.
Rewriting their constitutions to forbid slavery.
Electing new state and federal representatives.
Required Actions by Southern States
Pass a resolution declaring secession illegal.
Ratify the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery.
Refuse to pay Confederate debts.
Johnson acted independently while Congress was not in session.
Initial Readmission of Confederate States
By the fall of 1865, all former Confederate states except Texas had seemingly met the requirements.
Johnson declared the United States restored and readmitted them to the Union.
Congressional Resistance
Newly elected Southern senators and congressmen, many of whom were former Confederate leaders (e.g., Alexander Stephens, Vice President of the Confederacy), were refused seating in Congress.
Congress refused to fully readmit the states.
Black Codes and Racial Segregation
New state governments passed laws known as Black Codes.
These laws restricted the freedom of freed slaves and established racial segregation.
Example: South Carolina's Black Codes designated African Americans as "servants" and whites as "masters" in contracts; resembling slavery under a new name.
Johnson's Conflicts with Congress
Johnson vetoed the bill establishing the Freedmen's Bureau because it allowed military courts to try those accused of violating African Americans' rights.
Congress overrode Johnson's veto on April 9, 1866.
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 granted African Americans the same rights as whites, including owning land, making contracts, and engaging in law.
Johnson opposed the Fourteenth Amendment, objecting to equal rights for African Americans.
Johnson's Perspective vs. Radical Republicans
Johnson believed the past should be forgiven and the country should move forward.
He was willing to allow states to elect former Confederate leaders.
Radical Republicans in Congress disagreed with Johnson and they would clash throughout his presidency.
Contextual Details
John Wilkes Booth was present when Lincoln spoke about African American voting rights and was infuriated by Lincoln's words.
Before becoming president, Johnson claimed to support African American rights, even freeing his own slaves in 1863.
Johnson stated, "a loyal Negro is more worthy than a disloyal white man."
However, as president, Johnson vetoed civil rights legislation.