HIS271Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Sharecropping, Reconstruction Era, Edwin Stanton
Document Summary
The impact of the civil war: total losses of life stands at approx. 620,000 people (could be higher: north won the war more to show. Slaves have no financial means to now start free lives. Restore national unity through a program of speedy and forgiving political reconstruction. Lincoln issues a blueprint for what reconstruction should look like when war ends. Offered full pardon to any rebel willing to accept slavery and renounce succession. 10% of population who could vote in 1860 had to swear an oath of loyalty to the union to readmit them as a state. No plans of long term: congress"s plan. Some thought his plan was too forgiving: wade-davis bill. Congress creates a counter plan to lincoln. 50% of population had to swear allegiance (lincoln wanted 10%) Equality of freed men in the eyes of the law. Times it out, letting the bill pass time limit and die.
