After the Civil War's devastation, the nation faced the daunting task of Reconstruction. Two key figures, Abraham Lincoln and his successor Andrew Johnson, offered drastically different approaches. Lincoln's plan, often called the "10% Plan," aimed for swift reunification. It stipulated that once 10% of a Confederate state's 1860 voters pledged allegiance to the Union, the state could form a new government and be readmitted. It emphasized forgiveness and national unity.
Johnson, however, implemented a more lenient plan focused on states' rights. While he required Confederate states to nullify secession ordinances and abolish slavery, he offered broad amnesty to most white Southerners, including wealthy landowners. This allowed former Confederate leaders to regain power, much to the dismay of Radical Republicans in Congress who favored greater protection for freedmen and stricter penalties for the South. The contrast highlights a fundamental disagreement: Lincoln prioritized healing the nation quickly, while Johnson prioritized white Southern autonomy, ultimately setting the stage for the tumultuous Reconstruction era that followed.
