Recording-2025-09-03T13:01:19.806Z

Attendance, housekeeping, and course logistics

Sign the attendance sheet as it comes around; there are changes to the class list (second week, drops, swaps) that affect attendance records.
Census day on Friday: if you haven’t signed the sheet, the attendance record may flag you as absent; this can lead to the course drop and substantial loss of financial aid.
The instructor emphasizes signing in correctly (e.g., correct block) to avoid problems with financial aid and future enrollment.
Announcement about progress reminders may be posted while you’re on campus; it’s a nudge to stay on track with the semester.
Readings and assignments are tied to progress and to the exam schedule; don’t wait until the last minute to read multiple chapters.

Textbook readings and library updates

Reading responses: you should start looking for the relevant books in the list; there is a reading response page linked in the course announcements.
Korean War book availability issue: Paul M. Edwards’ book on the Korean War was removed from the library without notice; it is temporarily unavailable.
An alternative for Korean War readings exists: Stokesbury (physical copy only).
If you specifically want the Korean War topic, email the instructor or arrange to meet to discuss a third option that may be used (note about no written record of that option).
There is a potential copyright concern mentioned informally; students should not disclose this detail publicly.
For those who still want the Korean War topic, there is a note about potential alternatives and willingness to help via a private arrangement.

Short Analysis Paper 1: timing, scope, and purpose

The first short analysis paper is set for next week; prompt will be posted as part of the unit on reconstruction.
The prompt goes live Monday (date given as September in the transcript); you will have an entire week to complete the paper.
Dropbox closes on the 15th (the following Monday in the calendar).
Length guidance: the paper should be concise (generally about two pages, possibly up to two and a half; if you reach three and a half to four pages, you should reconsider conciseness).
The instructor typically reads about the first two pages; longer papers may not receive proportional attention unless the first two pages are exceptionally strong.
The main goal of the first paper is not solely your content but to get to know your writing style and provide extensive feedback.
Feedback will focus heavily on passive vs. active voice, with an expectation to use active voice (e.g., “The boy kicked the ball” vs. “The ball was kicked by the boy”).
The first paper is graded with leniency for structure and style, but content is still checked; the emphasis is on learning how you write and how to revise.
If you need help, there is a Grammarly link on D2L in the “reading response paper” module that demonstrates differences between passive and active voice (not an AI checker; just a tool to aid editing).
The instructor notes that passive voice is not inherently bad, but university-level writing should lean toward active voice to improve clarity and agency of the subject.
Office hours or appointments can be arranged for additional guidance on writing.

Writing guidance: passive vs. active voice (the core concept for the first paper)

Passive voice: subject often comes later in the sentence; action is done to by someone else; example provided: "The ball was kicked by the boy".
Active voice: subject performs the action; example provided: "The boy kicked the ball".
The goal is to practice active voice across the sentence to improve clarity and engagement.
The instructor reassures students that passive voice isn’t evil; it’s a common part of speech, but mastering the distinction will benefit writing across courses for the next four years.
A practical tip: if you struggle with passive voice, use Grammarly or similar tools to identify passive constructions and rewrite in active voice.

Recap of the last class: reconstruction and the early policy landscape

The last class covered the full scope of Reconstruction with a focus on the 10% Plan; a note about Davis’ later proposals and a pocket veto.
Lincoln’s 10% Plan was implemented in Tennessee and other small areas; radical Republicans in Congress by 1864–1865 found it too lenient and sought harsher terms.
The Wade-Davis Bill proposed harsher measures: increase threshold to 50% of voters; former Confederates could not vote or hold office; additional punitive aspects.
The Thirteenth Amendment and other requirements were to be conditioned upon states’ readmission rules.
Congress aimed to reclaim expansion of power over readmission decisions, reducing presidential authority in Reconstruction.
The Wade-Davis Bill passed Congress but did not become law due to a presidential veto (pocket veto context to be explained in detail next).

The pocket veto and its implications for Reconstruction

Lincoln’s era attempt: the Wade-Davis Bill was subjected to a pocket veto by Lincoln, who withheld signature while Congress adjourned; the bill effectively died when Congress was not in session to override.
This left Reconstruction policy without a comprehensive federal plan beyond what Lincoln had begun, creating a political vacuum as the war wound down.

The assassination of Lincoln and its consequences for Reconstruction

Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865 at Ford’s Theatre; John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, carried out the assassination.
The broader conspiracy targeted multiple members of the Lincoln administration, but Booth was the only one who succeeded in his attempt.
Lincoln’s death removed the possibility of preserving his lenient Reconstruction policy, elevating the risk of a harsher approach from Congress.
The North mourned Lincoln; his assassination removed a potential champion for a lenient, swift reunification policy, increasing pressure toward more punitive approaches.

Andrew Johnson: the accidental president and his background

Andrew Johnson, a Tennessee-born, self-made man from humble origins, remained loyal to the Union and despised the Confederacy.
In 1864 he ran with Lincoln as Vice President to facilitate Unionist efforts; he was technically a Democrat at that time, highlighting the era’s unusual party dynamics.
Johnson becomes president after Lincoln’s assassination; there was no clear, agreed-upon successor plan available in the immediate aftermath; the Senate/House process and succession rules were less formalized than in later years.
Johnson’s ascent is described as “accidental” because no one anticipated him becoming president; his southern origins significantly influenced his Reconstruction approach.

Johnson Restoration: policy framework and practical mechanisms

Johnson initially admires much of the Wade-Davis framework and keeps its core provisions (e.g., 50% threshold for voters).
He introduces changes that drastically shift power toward the presidency and away from Congress in the readmission of Southern states.
Key pivot: the governor in each Southern state would now be appointed by the President, making the governor beholden to the President rather than Congress.
The 50% threshold is retained for the legislature, but the governor’s appointment concentrates executive power in Washington, enabling Johnson to influence who governs reintegrating states.
Johnson’s additions include:
- Provisional governments must be established in the Southern states that are seeking readmission.
- States must abolish secession and slavery as part of the readmission process.
- The Thirteenth Amendment must be ratified as a condition for readmission.
- A property threshold is introduced to restrict many former Confederate elites from holding offices; specifically, a person with property valued at more than $20,000 is barred from office unless they obtain a presidential pardon.
Pardon mechanism: to regain rights and office, elites could visit Washington, submit to an audience with the President, and seek a pardon; the president’s pardon would restore civil rights, effectively letting them re-enter political life.
Johnson’s approach is framed as punitive toward the planter aristocracy and the social elite; it also tends to undermine the status of former enslaved people by not prioritizing their civil rights beyond formal abolition.