U.S. History Study Notes - Reconstruction Begins

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Reconstruction Begins1.What, according to the textbook, is the meaning of the war?-the Civil War was a vindication of the northern political economy based on free labor-the victory of the Union strengthened the advocates of a stronger, more centralized national government-there was unprecedented control of the economySecond Inaugural Address-God's divine judgment --> sinful institution of slavery-the Almighty has His own purposes - Lincoln is appealing to a very Calvinist idea of a vengeful God --> judges people in their behavior and will smite them (offense of slavery) - now He moves to remove through the Civil War-does not blame the South, does not want to judge them-does not want animosity, wants to unite and restore the Union as peacefully and amicably as possible2.Contrast Lincoln's Ten-Percent Plan with Congress's Wade-Davis bill.

Ten-Percent Plan-promised full pardons and the restoration of civil rights to all those who swore their loyalty to the Union-only stipulation was that they recognize the abolition of slavery-ten percent of the white men had to support it (thought that majority would take too long - Wade-Davis Bill disagreed)Wade-Davis Bill - Lincoln vetoed it (pocket veto)-radicals complained that Lincoln's Ten-Percent Plan was took kind to former Confederates and that the Banks Plan was too harsh on former slaves-Congressmen Benjamin F.

Wade and Henry Winter Davis proposed a different plan for reconstructing the southern states-reconstruction could not begin until a majority of a states' white men swore an oath of allegiance to the Union-guaranteed full legal and civil rights to African Americans, but not the right to vote (Lincoln believed this was going too far)3. What was the Freedmen's Bureau?-Andrew Johnson took the oath of office in April 1865-was a farmer from Tennessee --> was illiterate until his wife taught him-shares the prejudice of any white Tennessean had against...