Reconstruction?

Question

What is the difference between presidential reconstruction and congressional reconstruction? Please help! Test tomorrow. Thanks!

Answer 1

Typical summary -- Presidential was lenient and "forgiving", willing to restore the Confederate states quickly with very few strings attached. The Congressional plan (1867-77) is said to have much "harsher", wanting to "punish" the South.

But that can be a bit misleading.

Yes, Presidential reconstruction was much more lenient. For instance, Lincoln, who began the whole thing, suggested that a new state government could be formed in a former Conf. state when just 10% of eligible voters swore a oath to be loyal to the Union. He also made it clear that he expected the freedom of former slaves to be acknowledged (and, shortly before his death, began talking about at least some of them being allowed to VOTE).

But the MAIN thing called "Presidential Reconstruction" was Andrew Johnson's adaptation of Lincoln's approach after the latter's assassination. He was even MORE lenient, freely issuing pardons to former Confederate leaders who asked AND, though requiring the states to accept the new 13th amendment (which Lincoln had fought hard to see passed), allowing these states to pass very restrictive "black codes" that very much limited their freedoms, and doing nothing much about anti-black riots (neither of which Lincoln would have tolerated) The pardons led the Southern states to boldly elect and send to Congress former secessionist leaders (pre-War and in the Confederacy).

All of this caused a backlash in Congress -- more of the "Radical" Republicans were elected in 1866, and moderates joined them to oppose Johnson's plan and put their own into place.

The Radical Republican plan is often said to be much "harsher" on the South. It was in that it restricted the rights of the highest leaders of the Old South (that is, their ability to hold office) and broke the states into MILITARY districts, with armies sent mainly to PROTECT the rights of the blacks, and to preserve the governments of the states from being easily taken over by the former leaders.

Now there WAS some feeling that Confederate leaders deserved some punishment (at least the most important ones... instigators). But more central to their plan was preserving the freedoms and rights of the newly freed slaves. This SEEMED harsh to many Southerners, because it elevated the former slaves amongst them to be their "equals".

Answer 2

Johnson and Lincoln wanted to reconcile with the South, by granting them pardons. Although they wanted different percentages of the voters in the 1860 election to be granted them before the states could begin drafting their new constitutions.

Congress wanted to punish the South. The Radical Republicans were in favor of using troops to keep the South from rising up again. They, also, wanted the Republican Party to be powerful in the South.

They did both want rights for African Americans and to get them involved in politics. I guess they figured African Americans would vote for them.