During Reconstruction, American culture and society in the North and the South differed in a variety of ways. Slavery remained an issue during the times of the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction (10% Plan).
During Reconstruction, American culture and society in the North and the South differed in a
variety of ways. Slavery remained an issue during the times of the Proclamation of Amnesty and
Reconstruction (10% Plan). President Lincolns plan consist of 10 percent of the people who had
voted in the 1860 election took the oath of allegiance which 1 out of every 10 Southern voters
had to participate, then these newly loyal "Americans" could form a new state government,
without slavery (McNeese,2013). The plan was known to be simple, straightforward, kind,
understanding, and charity based. Lincoln had created the plan with the belief that the future of
the United States would profit more from restoring millions of Americans back into the country,
rather than punishing them for their political extremism (McNeese, 2013). The North became
urbanized and industrialized as the south became more agricultural. In the South cultural change
was evident being thousands of people left homeless by the war and blacks newly freed—
scoured the countryside for a place to sleep and for food to eat. Plumes of smoke rose from
homes, barns, and even whole towns set afire. The Confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia, was
destroyed and suffered economic devastation as they relied on slave labor. The slaves had been
freed and the Union had been preserved. Our week 4 modules explains that Radical Republicans
insisted, however, that the Confederate states pay for their crimes and supported Sherman's plan
to confiscate Confederate land and give it to the slaves (Chamberlain,2024). Andrew Johnson's
Reconstruction Plan resulted in a shift on Southern states where Johnson had allowed the
establishment of governments, the most irresponsible class of leadership and the least willing to
compromise, believed they had a free hand to establish a caste system to replace slavery. The
social goal of these governments was to keep the freedmen as a subservient labor pool while
denying them legal, political, and social advancement. Blacks to freely make their own contracts,
to move about, to be able to use the courts to protect their rights, to vote, or to get an education
was unexpected (Carlisle,2021). Discrimination and violence continued, and radicals never
understood that Johnson was not a supporter of the emerging business culture in the North, and
that he was willing to give the planter class power if they personally appealed to him for
clemency. Nor did the radicals understand the degree to which Johnson shared the prevailing
white view in the South that the African American was completely incapable of citizenship. The
intention of changing the social-political power structure in the seceded states, had failed on
behalf of Andrew Johnsons Reconstruction plan.
The congressional Reconstruction Plan aimed to restructure the South ensuring civil rights for
African Americans. Military districts were formed to maintain order while protecting the rights
of African Americans with the initiation of the 14th and 15th amendments. Southern states, except
for Tennessee, resolved they would not ratify the amendment. President Johnson spoke against it.
Reference
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