The Victorious Lincoln

 

Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Abraham Lincoln made his views perfectly clear on how to handle an opponent who was knocked down. When Lincoln entered Richmond (the capital of the Confederacy) in the first week of April, 1865, he had a conversation with the Union general in charge of the city. Lincoln did not give orders on how to treat the people of Richmond, but he simply said, "If it were me, I'd let 'em up, let 'em up easy."

Scenario: Based on the above quote, which of the three victor's choices from the last section did Lincoln support?
Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Walk Away TRY AGAIN	Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Helping Hand Correct! Lincoln wanted to treat the South leniently and help them back up.	Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Kick "Em While Down TRY AGAIN

Ten Percent Plan

Lincoln's plan to readmit states into the Union is often referred to as the "Ten Percent Plan." This plan tried to treat the South fairly and bring the Union back together quickly.Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Click here to read the four points of the plan.

1. Ten percent of those eligible to vote, based on the Census from 1860, must swear an oath of allegiance to the United States.
2. After the oaths were taken, the states could form a convention to write a new state constitution that had to outlaw slavery. It could then elect a new state government and apply to the President to be readmitted into full Union with the country.
3. All Confederates would receive a full pardon except for high ranking government officials and military officers.
4. No private property would be taken by the government, but there would be no compensation for the freed slaves.

Lincoln had the opportunity to implement his lenient plan in a few states before he was assassinated. By the time John Wilkes Booth shot him while attending a play in Ford's Theater, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Arkansas had been reinstated to full union with the United States.

Presidential Reconstruction

This period of Reconstruction is known as Presidential Reconstruction because these policies were dictated by the president using his commander-in-chief powers. Upon Lincoln's death, Vice President Andrew Johnson, a former Senator from Tennessee who remained loyal to the Union, continued Lincoln's policies with two major changes:

• Instead of 10%, fifty percent of those eligible to vote had to swear an oath of allegiance to the United States.
• The states had to ratify the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, outlawing slavery.

Encouraging Resistance?

The stricter conditions reflected the anger of the North after the assassination of Lincoln. However, it was not nearly as tough as many people wanted. Johnson was not interested in punishing the South, but he was also not interested in protecting the civil rights of African Americans outside of ending slavery. Many former slaveowners would take advantage of Johnson's leniency.