Reconstruction Video

Between 1865 - 1877 was a very important time when talking about Civil rights. During the time people witnessed a lot an article that I read states"Reconstruction witnessed far-reaching changes in America’s political life. At the national level, new laws and constitutional amendments permanently altered the federal system and the definition of American citizenship." The Reconstruction happened after the American Civil War, where the Union army conquest over the confederate army.

In december 1863 President Abraham Lincoln put out the first comprehensive program for Reconstruction, the Ten Percent Plan. This all new to me so I had to do some research and found out the Ten Percent Plan was where a southern state could be readmitted into the Union once ten percent of its voters only if the swore an oath.

In April 1865 President Lincoln was assassinated and Andrew Johnson was elected as president. President Johnson sided towards the southerners of the war, by offering general amnesty to southern white people who pledged a future loyalty to the U.S. government.

When President Lincoln was president an site that I've read said that "Some Republicans were already convinced that equal rights for the former slaves had to accompany the South’s readmission to the Union." But as soon as President Johnson was elected republicans "Republicans hoped to work with Johnson while modifying his program." It feels as if that when Lincoln was president maybe it was a bit too much that's why they considered maybe Johnson would downsize it. I always wonder what went through the republicans brains while all this happened.

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