What if Lincoln hasn't been assassinated?

Question

What would have been different in post Civil War years if Lincoln hadn't been killed or Johnson had worked more closely with Congress to develop a plan that included ideas from the presidential side as well as the Congressional side? What do you think the cooperative Reconstruction Plan of the South would have looked like?

Answer 1

First of all, one of our greatest presidents would have governed for much longer. Because Lincoln was northern, unlike Johnson, Reconstruction would have gone much differently. It wouldn't have been such a slow process, and the South would not have gotten off so easily. The South probably would have healed better, and maybe even some opinions that still exist down here today would not exist (i.e. not as much racism, not as much "the South will rise again" crap). Lincoln would have encouraged better attitudes, and helped the South feel like it was really part of the Union again. Unfortunately, his life was cut short.

Answer 2

First of all, the public schools in Texas almost always look at this question form the Southern point-of-view, so this is where I'll start: Abraham Lincoln planned a much shorter period of Reconstruction than Congress had in mind, but Congress maneuvered U. S. Grant into a radical stance after Andrew Johnson's presidency, thus extending the period of Reconstruction.

During the 1930s, historians championed Johnson as the true heir to Lincoln's policies of reconciliation; however, during the 1960s, perhaps because of the Civil Rights Movement, Johnson's presidency was judged an absolute failure because of his condescending attitude toward the freed slaves.

Most of the men who served in the Confederacy didn't own slaves and served in the lower ranks. If Lincoln had lived, they would have perhaps been allowed the privileges of citizenship much sooner, and the middle classes could have more easily taken over a region formerly run by a small percentage of wealthy land owners. Many more middle-class Southerners would have also stayed back East and would have never Gone To Texas and from there to the Intermountain West.

Of course, Reconstruction in each state was supervised at the state-level, so Lincoln might not have had much more control over the peace than Grant did. An analogy is in order here: the Federal government had the best of intentions after Hurricane Katrina, but corrupt and greedy local politicians, along with some scoundrels that blew in from out-of-town, didn't help the South recover very quickly.

Answer 3

I have read that Lincoln's plan for reconstruction would have been much shorter and much less divisive, but I guess we'll never know. It's like asking if Vietnam would have happened if Kennedy had not been assassinated.

Johnston was a very weak man and since the House voted for impeachment and the Senate only failed to convict him by one vote I do not think there was ever much of a chance for him to work cooperatively with Congress.

You are also assuming that Reconstruction should only be viewed from the point of view of the North and the Congress; which is a mistake many northerners make, although I don't know if you are one or not. I grew up in the South and regardless of the plan; enmity ran long and deep and that would never have changed. In some places, it still hasn't.

Answer 4

The reconstruction plans submitted by President Lincoln and followed with some small adjustments by President Johnson required 10% of the voting population of a state to gather together and create a new constitution with certain guarantees in them, like mandatory approval of the 13th amendment.

The Congressional plan was that 50% of the population were required to get together and set up new constitutions that were acceptable to the Congress, like agreeing to the 13th and 14th amendments.

Had Lincoln not been shot, there would not have been as much hatred and vilification of the former traitors and the willingness to agree with more radical republicans who not only wanted political equality for blacks, but wanted to punish the south.

Had Lincoln not been shot, he would have had the Political clout(from winning the war) to ameliorate the more punishing aspects of reconstruction. However, no matter how persuasive Lincoln could be, in this instance, the Congress had the ultimate power as the USC clearly states in Article V:

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two-thirds, expel a Member.

Reconstruction was not as some people claim, a readmission of the states into the Union(for as secession was illegal, the states never left the Union, they had only ceased to be represented in the Federal Govt), it was about what states had to do to satisfy Congress so that the southern states could get their newly elected Representatives and Senators seated and have the ability to govern the nation.

whale

Answer 5

Its possible that things might have relapsed to pre-civil war behaviors, that reformation and the end of segrigation may not have come. Ulysses S. Grant may not have been our best president but he did well with helping to reshape the south into a less hostile environment for freed slaves. He actually opposed the KKK openly and left small groups of troops in the southern states to help combat open agression toward freed blacks. So perhaps its best not to wonder what might have happened if Lincoln had not died. He and President Andrew Johnson didnt do so well when it came to equal treatment of the blacks or in attempting to protect them.

Answer 6

Their are two sides to Lincoln. On the day of the Gettysburg address he signed a paper committing 10 Indian chiefs to death for pleading for their promised blankets and food. General Grant took their supplies for his troops and their people ( the Indians) were starving to death.
I am afraid of what else he planned to do. I had a professor in college who said he planned to deport the freed men back to their native lands. I don't know if the latter is true, I have read enough to know history happened they way it needed to.

Answer 7

it is using the civil conflict. Lincoln extremely did no longer care approximately liberating slaves, till it grew to become a weapon which may be used against the south. Initally, he grew to become into unwilling to do it because of fact then you extremely might could take care of the issue of a thank you to combine the freed slaves into something of the society. sales area shot him because of wreck brought about in the South and he had to get revenge for the South.

Answer 8

Lincoln was very eager to forgive the South and bring about a quick reconstruction. Because of his death, the South was made to pay dearly for the war. They were brought to their knees. Had that not happened, integration probably would have happened in a much gentler, kinder, quicker way.

Answer 9

then we could ask this questions to lincon himself