The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
The success of the North over the Southern states has become more prominent during the years after the Civil War. However, Abraham Lincoln was not into activities that tend to make the Southern states suffer. But instead, he wanted to treat the Southern States like a lost and prodigal brother that is being welcomed to go home. (Donald, 1996)[1]
In December 8. 1863, Abraham Lincoln has announced his plans for Reconstruction through his Amnesty and Reconstruction Proclamation that is based on his intentions to reunite the states. Lincoln believed that the South had never legally pulled out from the union, and hence he was ready to grant forgiveness and pardon. Based on his 10% plan, a Southern State can be readmitted to the union at once when at least 10% of its voting population has swore an oath of allegiance towards the Union of States. (Donald, 1996)
In the following year, the proposal for amendment of the constitution was brought up in the congress, yet did not succeeded. It takes another year, when the amendment was finally passed in Congress. Despite this, radicals still sees Lincoln’s policies to be too lenient to the Southeners. Hence they had proposed the Wade-Davis Bill. The bill asked for 50% of the male White voter of each state to swore its oath of allegiance before the Union before re-establishing civil government to the state. Amnesty will not be given to Confederate civil officers that were above the ministerial rank and even to military officers that are ranking colonel or above. In 1864, the bill was able to pass the Senate. However, Abraham Lincoln vetoed against the bill hence it was never enacted as a law. Davis and Wade were furious on this step taken by the president and published a Wade-Davis manifesto and referred to Lincoln’s decision as a step taken “at the dictation of his personal ambition”. (Jackson)[2]
The clash between Lincoln and the Republican radicals is evidence on the differences on their ideals. The radicals wanted to take the opportunity to punish the Southern States, but Lincoln sees it as an opportunity to bring the Southern state closer to the Union through offering forgiveness. In this battle, Lincoln can be seen to be taking control of the radicals and winning the battle and the debate. (Jackson)
In January of 1865, the second attempt for constitutional amendment has become successful and finally passed the Congress. On March 3, 1865, the Freedman’s Bureau was founded. The Bureau was founded to assist the freed Black slaves and the poor whites that has been greatly affected by the recently ended Civil war through providing food, medical aid, housing and legal counsel. (Donald, 1996)
It was on the same year that President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Ford Theatre. Justice was swift and on July, execution for the convicts was done. Before the year ends, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed. The death of Abraham Lincoln was in the midst of his showdown to the Congress who wanted to control reconstruction. (Donald, 1996)
Andrew Johnson rose as president of United States. He was the vice president from Tennessee and was seen to lack competency compared to Abraham Lincoln. He was not able to project the same control and power displayed by Lincoln, and hence, he was easily swept by the Congress especially by the radical republicans who had taken control of the reconstruction. Johnson was a Southerner and the congress hated him even before he has been a president. He proposed plans for reconstruction that is very much similar to Lincoln’s plan which, of course, is strongly disliked by the Congress. (Jackson)
Shortly after Lincoln’s assassination, in 1866, Congress passed the Wade-Davis Bill. This is seen as the Draconian bill for reconstruction. On April 9, 1866, the Civil Rights of 1866 was passed. This law had defined US citizenship and had provided equal civil rights to African Americans who were defined by the
law to be US citizens that needs to gain equal protection from the state. Andrew Johnson had vetoed against this, yet, the Congress was able to still vote for its enactment as a law. (Jackson)[3]
On March 2, 1867, the Reconstruction Act was passed. Despite Johnson’s objection, the Radical Republicans had been in strongly controlling the Congress already and passed the Military Reconstruction Acts of 1867 that had divided the Southern states into five military districts. The military districts were supervised by military leaders and voting was only participated by voters that are approved by the Congress –which are mostly composed of former slaves (Lerone, 1962). The following year, Johnson was impeached, however, he was not removed from office. The 14th amendment regardless of Johnson’s veto against it was again immediately passed. (Jackson)
In 1869 to 1870, the Ku Klux Klan has begun terrorizing Southern African Americans. Violent attacks had met the passing of the Reconstruction Act and the 14th amendment. Rampage killing and physical abuse was tallied during a small period of time. The violent actions of the group was ended by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1870 that enforces the first passage of the 15th amendment which strongly revolves on the right of the US citizen to vote regardless of his race or color. (Worth & Schwarz, 2006)
As seen, the death of Abraham Lincoln had put a much weaker president in the office, making Congress filled with radical Republicans into control during the reconstruction era. However, it was rather unsure as to what the ending of the Reconstruction era would be if he has been kept in the office.
Word Count: 916
Bibliography Donald, D. H. (1996). Lincoln. Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone Ed edition.
Jackson, B. (n.d.). How did the assassination of Abraham Lincoln affect Reconstruction? Retrieved January 23, 2015, from Social Studies Help Center: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_36_notes.htm
Lerone. (1962). Black Power in Dixie: egro Voters Elect Judges, Representatives, Senators During Reconstruction in the South. Ebony , 84-90.
Worth, R., & Schwarz, P. (2006). African Americans During Reconstruction. USA: Infobase Publishing.
[1] Donald, D. H. (1996). Lincoln. Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone Ed edition.
[2] Jackson, B. (n.d.). How did the assassination of Abraham Lincoln affect Reconstruction? Retrieved January 23, 2015, from Social Studies Help Center: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_36_notes.htm
1Donald, D. H. (1996). Lincoln. Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone Ed edition.
2 Jackson, B. (n.d.). How did the assassination of Abraham Lincoln affect Reconstruction? Retrieved January 23, 2015, from Social Studies Help Center: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_36_notes.htm
3Worth, R., & Schwarz, P. (2006). African Americans During Reconstruction. USA: Infobase Publishing.
4Lerone. (1962). Black Power in Dixie: egro Voters Elect Judges, Representatives, Senators During Reconstruction in the South. Ebony , 84-90.
In December 8. 1863, Abraham Lincoln has announced his plans for Reconstruction through his Amnesty and Reconstruction Proclamation that is based on his intentions to reunite the states. Lincoln believed that the South had never legally pulled out from the union, and hence he was ready to grant forgiveness and pardon. Based on his 10% plan, a Southern State can be readmitted to the union at once when at least 10% of its voting population has swore an oath of allegiance towards the Union of States. (Donald, 1996)
In the following year, the proposal for amendment of the constitution was brought up in the congress, yet did not succeeded. It takes another year, when the amendment was finally passed in Congress. Despite this, radicals still sees Lincoln’s policies to be too lenient to the Southeners. Hence they had proposed the Wade-Davis Bill. The bill asked for 50% of the male White voter of each state to swore its oath of allegiance before the Union before re-establishing civil government to the state. Amnesty will not be given to Confederate civil officers that were above the ministerial rank and even to military officers that are ranking colonel or above. In 1864, the bill was able to pass the Senate. However, Abraham Lincoln vetoed against the bill hence it was never enacted as a law. Davis and Wade were furious on this step taken by the president and published a Wade-Davis manifesto and referred to Lincoln’s decision as a step taken “at the dictation of his personal ambition”. (Jackson)[2]
The clash between Lincoln and the Republican radicals is evidence on the differences on their ideals. The radicals wanted to take the opportunity to punish the Southern States, but Lincoln sees it as an opportunity to bring the Southern state closer to the Union through offering forgiveness. In this battle, Lincoln can be seen to be taking control of the radicals and winning the battle and the debate. (Jackson)
In January of 1865, the second attempt for constitutional amendment has become successful and finally passed the Congress. On March 3, 1865, the Freedman’s Bureau was founded. The Bureau was founded to assist the freed Black slaves and the poor whites that has been greatly affected by the recently ended Civil war through providing food, medical aid, housing and legal counsel. (Donald, 1996)
It was on the same year that President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Ford Theatre. Justice was swift and on July, execution for the convicts was done. Before the year ends, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed. The death of Abraham Lincoln was in the midst of his showdown to the Congress who wanted to control reconstruction. (Donald, 1996)
Andrew Johnson rose as president of United States. He was the vice president from Tennessee and was seen to lack competency compared to Abraham Lincoln. He was not able to project the same control and power displayed by Lincoln, and hence, he was easily swept by the Congress especially by the radical republicans who had taken control of the reconstruction. Johnson was a Southerner and the congress hated him even before he has been a president. He proposed plans for reconstruction that is very much similar to Lincoln’s plan which, of course, is strongly disliked by the Congress. (Jackson)
Shortly after Lincoln’s assassination, in 1866, Congress passed the Wade-Davis Bill. This is seen as the Draconian bill for reconstruction. On April 9, 1866, the Civil Rights of 1866 was passed. This law had defined US citizenship and had provided equal civil rights to African Americans who were defined by the
law to be US citizens that needs to gain equal protection from the state. Andrew Johnson had vetoed against this, yet, the Congress was able to still vote for its enactment as a law. (Jackson)[3]
On March 2, 1867, the Reconstruction Act was passed. Despite Johnson’s objection, the Radical Republicans had been in strongly controlling the Congress already and passed the Military Reconstruction Acts of 1867 that had divided the Southern states into five military districts. The military districts were supervised by military leaders and voting was only participated by voters that are approved by the Congress –which are mostly composed of former slaves (Lerone, 1962). The following year, Johnson was impeached, however, he was not removed from office. The 14th amendment regardless of Johnson’s veto against it was again immediately passed. (Jackson)
In 1869 to 1870, the Ku Klux Klan has begun terrorizing Southern African Americans. Violent attacks had met the passing of the Reconstruction Act and the 14th amendment. Rampage killing and physical abuse was tallied during a small period of time. The violent actions of the group was ended by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1870 that enforces the first passage of the 15th amendment which strongly revolves on the right of the US citizen to vote regardless of his race or color. (Worth & Schwarz, 2006)
As seen, the death of Abraham Lincoln had put a much weaker president in the office, making Congress filled with radical Republicans into control during the reconstruction era. However, it was rather unsure as to what the ending of the Reconstruction era would be if he has been kept in the office.
Word Count: 916
Bibliography Donald, D. H. (1996). Lincoln. Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone Ed edition.
Jackson, B. (n.d.). How did the assassination of Abraham Lincoln affect Reconstruction? Retrieved January 23, 2015, from Social Studies Help Center: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_36_notes.htm
Lerone. (1962). Black Power in Dixie: egro Voters Elect Judges, Representatives, Senators During Reconstruction in the South. Ebony , 84-90.
Worth, R., & Schwarz, P. (2006). African Americans During Reconstruction. USA: Infobase Publishing.
[1] Donald, D. H. (1996). Lincoln. Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone Ed edition.
[2] Jackson, B. (n.d.). How did the assassination of Abraham Lincoln affect Reconstruction? Retrieved January 23, 2015, from Social Studies Help Center: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_36_notes.htm
1Donald, D. H. (1996). Lincoln. Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone Ed edition.
2 Jackson, B. (n.d.). How did the assassination of Abraham Lincoln affect Reconstruction? Retrieved January 23, 2015, from Social Studies Help Center: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_36_notes.htm
3Worth, R., & Schwarz, P. (2006). African Americans During Reconstruction. USA: Infobase Publishing.
4Lerone. (1962). Black Power in Dixie: egro Voters Elect Judges, Representatives, Senators During Reconstruction in the South. Ebony , 84-90.