Week 4 Discussion 2: Reconstruction and the Compromise of 1877
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
- Textbook: Chapter 15, 16
- Lesson
- Minimum of 1 scholarly source (in addition to the textbook)
Initial Post Instructions
For the initial post, craft a response comparing the three (3) Reconstruction plans:
- Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction (10% Plan) – Lincoln
- Andrew Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan
- Congressional Reconstruction Plan (Congress)
Then, address one (1) of the following for your selections:
- Analyze if the South should have been treated as a defeated nation or as rebellious states.
- Explain how the American culture and society changed in the North versus the South during Reconstruction.
- Analyze the impact of the Compromise of 1877 that ended Reconstruction on African-Americans.
SOLUTION
Hello Professor and Class,
The process of reconstruction commenced in the year 1863. The proclamation for amnesty and Reconstruction introduced by president Abraham Lincoln focused on conciliating the confederate states back into the union. According to Flemming (2016), the proclamation addressed 3 main issues, with the first being offering pardon and supporting restoration of property for all participants of the rebellion other than for the main confederate and military leaders. Secondly, the proclamation paved way for formation of new state government once 10% of qualifying voters had pledged oath of allegiance to the United States (Corbett et al., 2016). Thirdly, the states admitted in such a manner were pushed to establish plans to cater to the formerly enslaved people without tampering with their freedom. It is safe to assume that despite the fact that liberation of slaves was hard for some Confederates, the Proclamation for Amnesty’s terms were generally acceptable by most Southerners. Some radical republicans felt that Lincoln’s plan was so lenient for the Southerners, while others accepted it due to the president’s status and leadership. PLEASE CLICK THE PURCHASE BUTTON TO ACCESS THE ENTIRE COPY AT $5