The Reconstruction of many Southern states from the year 1865 to 1877 is a failure, although reconstruction plans are set up, African Americans still face the same poor treatment they are given prior to the Civil War. The harsh aftermath of the Civil War leaves many southerners feeling devastated by the destruction of their homes, farms, towns, and the loss of their slaves. Their president, Abraham Lincoln, comes up with a reconstruction plan to help rebuild the South without slavery. He calls his plan the Ten Percent Plan. Although Lincoln’s plan is fair, shortly after his plan is imposed, Lincoln is assassinated, and his Vice President, Andrew Johnson comes into office. Johnson too has a reconstruction plan, which …show more content…
His plan states that a state could be readmitted once ten percent of its voters swore an oath of allegiance to the Union. He also wanted the state to ban slavery. Lincoln offers amnesty to all southerners, except for high-ranking Confederate army officers and government officials. Also, Lincoln agrees to protect people’s private property, excluding slaves. Many moderate Republicans support Lincoln because they want a quick end to the war. Lincoln favors a quick reconstruction, he is eager to have the United States exist as it did before the war. However, his plans for reconstruction were cut short when he was assassinated in 1865. Lincoln's reconstruction plans are completely disregarded by his replacement, Andrew …show more content…
His plan states that any southerners who took a loyalty oath could elect delegates to a convention to revise their state constitutions. The voters then elected new state officials and representatives to the U.S. Congress. Johnson had also made southerners refuse to pay confederate debts, and declared secession illegal. Although Johnson had faith in the Southern states, many others did not, and would not allow ex-Southern military leaders to take part in Congress. During Johnson's presidency, Black Codes are created, which greatly limited the freedom of African Americans. Every Southern state had passed them. Things in the South had not changed, and Johnson did not do anything about it, he felt as if whites were superior to the African Americans. The Black Codes had created a legal form of segregation. All through Andrew Johnson’s presidency, he completely favored the whites of the Southern states, and even helped fuel the racism toward African Americans. His treatment towards them is why the reconstruction of Southern states without slavery ceased to exist at the