Radical Reconstruction

1. Radical Reconstruction  Jesse Bongionrno  Ethan Smith

2. Motives Of Radical Republicans • The Radical Republicans wanted to give recently freed slaves equal opportunities and a better quality of life. • Planned to take 40 acres and $100 and give it to freed slaves. • Wanted to make the Confederate leaders pay for national debt by dividing their property.  • Led by Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner. • Stevens wanted South to have no representation in the Constitution.  • Radical Republicans opposed Lincoln's plan to just let Southern states back in the Union. • They wanted to keep Republican party in power. Thaddeus Stevens

3. 1867, Approved Far-reaching  Fourteenth Amendment giving South a choice to accept "Black enfranchisement" or loose congressional representation  • Divide Tennessee into five districts ruled by these Northern generals; John Schofield, Daniel Sickles, John Pope, Edward Ord, and Philip Sheridan • Keep Republicans in control in the government • Force Andrew Johnson to call congress and make new rules for he south against Lincoln's plan Plans for the Radical Republicans:

4. Within the first two years Southern state rewrote their Constitutions.  • New southern states made restrictive "black codes" causing an uproar within the Northern freed Blacks • Andrew Johnson was the next president and was democratic which the radical republicans were not happy with. • Andrew Johnson also refused to call Congress.  Result of Plans

5. By 1877, all former confederate states acknowledged 13t, 14th, and 15th amendment and pledged loyalty to U.S. government • Johnson believed heavily in states rights, allowing for all Southern land taken by Northern troops, be  returned to original owners • Andrew Johnson becomes first president to be impeached on February 24th 1868 Out comes:

6. Yes the Radical Reconstruction should be used. • Southern states should be punished for their part in the war by being treated as a conquered foreign nations instead of part of the USA because they choose to try and succeed.  • The South chose slavery over being part of the US, so they should be forced to give up the 40 acres of land and 100 Us dollars to every freed persons mistreated and enslaved as well as accept and follow the 14th amendment.  • Because of Southern rebellion the North deserves to control and have a say in military and state affairs, such as dividing Southern land up and leaving it in the hands of Northern generals, as well as forcing them to rewrite their constitutions.  Should Radical Reconstruction be considered as a way to rebuild the nation?

7. Some people would argue that the South should be treated as part of the US after the war, but they chose to rebel against their own country to protect immoral standards.  • Another argument would be that freed persons have no legal right to Southern land and were not educated enough to own their own property, but they had years of real life experience working the land as well as radical reconstruction offering more educational opportunities. • A third argument is that the South was capable of governing themselves and should not be treated as conquered land, but they could not trusted with complete independence so the Northern Military felt it necessary to stay after the war had ended Counter Arguments