Which plan for reconstruction do you feel was superior: Lincoln's 10% plan or The Wade Davis Bill?
Make sure to give your reasons.
This is due on Thursday, January 9th 2014
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| President Abe Lincoln |
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| Senator Ben Wade (OH) & Representative Henry Davis (MD) |
hi how are you
ReplyDeletegood how are you? -kenzie
DeleteAfter the decisive victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg, there was no doubt that the North was going to win the war. The United States government had two plans for the reconstruction of the nation. Some Republicans, headed by Lincoln, supported a 10% plan. That is, once 10% of the registered voters took oath to support the Constitution and abandon slavery, the people could rule themselves. Of course, the new states would have to abolish slavery. Radical Republicans, however, proposed that 50% of white men should take oath in order to establish a state government in the South. Moreover, according to this plan, the South would have to pay all its war debt by itself. Personally, I believe Lincoln’s plan is better for the resuscitation of the nation.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Lincoln’s plan shows more leniency towards the South. Since the plans were announced in 1863 and 1864, before the Civil War ended, the more lenient plan of Lincoln’s urged the South to surrender. The Wade-Davis plan, on the other hand, left the South little hope of regaining its self-government, thus encouraging it to fight on in the war.
Furthermore, the 10% plan indicates that the federal government treats the South as an equal part of the North instead of a subordinate of the North. The Civil War, especially the Sherman’s March, led to great hatred towards the North in the South. A suppressive plan towards the South, such as the Wade-Davis plan, could only deepen the South’s conviction that the Northerners were cruel and bestial. Lincoln’s plan, however, respected the South’s right as part of the United States. Except for war criminals, most Southerners would enjoy the same right as they had before the war. Clearly, such lenient plan would encourage the South to cooperate with the federal government in reconstruction.
The worst part of the Wade-Davis plan was to ask the South to assume all its war debt. The Southern economy was devastated during the war due to the anaconda plan that stopped most of its trade with foreign countries. Without slavery, the cotton industry could not thrive as before, and interstate slave transaction was patently illegal. Without these two major sources of income, the South could not recover quickly financially from the war. It was almost impossible for the South to pay back its war debt when itself was stricken by poverty. Therefore, this request was implausible.
Last but not least, Lincoln’s plan, though lenient, fully respected the purpose of the Civil War. The Thirteenth Amendment (1865) abolished slavery and involuntary servitude and the ensuing Fourteenth Amendment (1868) enfranchised all male adult citizens. In order to become a state, the territory must agree to abolish slavery and swear loyalty to the Constitution. Thus Lincoln’s plan ensured that the Civil War was not fought in vain, and the legal status of African Americans was greatly ameliorated.
Lincoln’s plan urged the South to end the war quickly, encouraged the South to cooperate with the federal government, protected the Southern economy and addressed the cause of the war. Therefore, it is a better plan for the North and the South to become “united” again and reconstruct as a nation.
President Abraham Lincoln and the congress started discussions on to how to reconstruct a divided nation in the late 1863. 11 months after declaring the emancipation proclamation, President Lincoln proposed a reconstruction plan that would allow Confederate states to create new state governments if 10% of the male population was willing to take loyalty oaths to the United States and recognized the freedom of slaves.
ReplyDeleteRadical Republicans, who were in no hurry to invite Democrats back in the republican-majority congress, felt that the 10% plan was too lenient. Senator Wade and Representative Davis proposed the Wade-Davis Bill, which required 50% of the state’s white males to take the ironclad oath to be readmitted to the union. States also had to give blacks the right to vote, and the south’s war debts would not be paid by the United States government.
After the Battle of Gettsyberg and Vickysburg, the tide of war turns against the South. After having fought through the bloody battle of Antietam, Shiloh and other battles, Lincoln had seen enough death and injuries on both sides. Lincoln proposed the 10% plan, a very lenient plan considering that the North had the upper hand. Lincoln never gave up his ideology that the Confederates had never successfully seceded from the Union, and it was time to reunite the country that had been bitterly divided over the issue of slavery. Although Lincoln had the best intentions to seek peace and reconstruct the United States as soon as possible, his terms displeased many radical republicans. Analogous to Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points, Lincoln’s terms were far to lenient for those who wanted to punish the South dearly for the tragedy they have caused. Northerners, who were at a disadvantage at the beginning of the war, had to see friends and family members dear to them ruthlessly killed or injured by Southern soldiers.
The Wade Davis Bill was a much harsher bill compared to the 10% plan. The radical republicans wanted to punish the South for all the deaths and damages caused during the civil war. Republicans also feared that under Lincoln’s 10% plan, democrats would once again enter congress, forcing republicans to compromise with the democrats they hated so dearly. Radical republicans knew that democrats would never agree to the harsh terms imposed in the Wade-Davis bills. They hoped to prolong the war so that radical republicans would continue to control the congress. The republicans tried to halt reconstruction due to their own political agenda.
The Southern’s economy was also greatly crippled due to the civil war. With no slaves, no immediate source of income and infrastructures to repair, the South could not afford to pay for the reparations. Similar to how Germany felt after World War I, the South would later direct its hatred towards the slaves, leading to the formation of the K.K.K. Such treacherous groups not only undermined the efforts to reconstruct the nation, but also spread fear and terror to an already divided nation.
In my opinion, Lincoln’s 10% plan was a bit too idealistic. However, Lincoln had the right intention to do what was best for the country. Unlike the radical republicans who passed the Wade-Davis Bill, Lincoln did not pursue a personal political agenda. The radical republicans failed to realize that the North was also partly responsible for the violence in the war, such as Sherman’s March and the treatment of captured confederate soldiers. Thus, I believe that Lincoln’s 10% plan was superior for the reconstruction of United States.
William Pang
After the end of the revolutionary war the focus of the union was shifted. The main focus was on reuniting the southern states with the northern states under one government against slavery. After the Battle of Gettysburg and Vicksburg President Lincoln proposed a plan in which he believed would suit the southern states agenda. The 10% plan, Lincoln’s plan, stated that when ten percent of the population of a southern state took an oath of allegiance to the United States of America and its newly formed regulations regarding former slaves then such a state would be reunited with the northern states. This would allow that state to have representation in government once again.
ReplyDeleteCome the end of the war, the radical republicans were highly against Lincoln’s 10%. They believed that it was too lenient and the amount of damage done by the south would not be fully repaid if this plan was put into action. With the help of their fellow republicans they came up with their own solution. The Republican Party wanted to hold the power in the government and if the southern states were emitted so easily then their power would be weekend and the south may think they still had the right to own slaves and go on the way they left off. With slaves becoming civilians the amount of representatives each southern state would have the republicans would be losing even more seats than they had to begin with. Senator Wade and Representative Davis proposed a much harsher plan of action. The Wade-Davis Bill stated that fifty percent of a southern states’ citizens would have to take the oath to the government and to its new laws in order to become part of the union again. Also the south would have to pay back their war debts and every new constitution in the southern states would have to recognize that freedom of blacks.
After considering the advantages and disadvantages of each plan I believe that the Wade-Davis Bill makes more sense. In order to reconstruct the United States while ensuring that the new laws would be obeyed, strict punishments would have to be put on the south. While the 10% plan would reunite the stats much quicker, I feel that the south would not learn from their mistakes and would put the government in controversy over slavery once again. The south had nowhere to go; out of money, out of people, out of control, they had no control over the north. The Union could do nothing and the south would only be hurting worse. So if the south wanted to survive and gain control again they would do everything and anything possible to get back into the union; they would eventually have no choice but to take the oath and move forward with the new laws. The Wade-Davis Bill, although painful to the south, would bring the union back together and would put it in a better place, while the 10% plan would put the government back into the same hole they just dug themselves out of.
Credits:
Mr. Gulotta’s Slides
William Pang‘s response
By Dan Ives
The end of the Civil War brought upon a unique concept to the United States government, the concept of forgiving the South for its crimes. After the Union had defeated the Confederates in the Civil War, the South was at the complete mercy of the North. It was totally up to the victors in the United States Government on how to procede with the punishment and reconstruction of the South. This basically gave the North two options for how to deal with the South. They could either punish the South and its leaders so severely that it would never be able to re-create such a rebellion, or they could forgive the Southerners and work with its citizens to make it so the South would never want to have another Civil War. I personally believe that for the Union to truly be together and united, the latter would be the best option for the future of the United States. Therefore, I believe Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation of Amnesty and Re-Construction was superior to the Draconian ideals of the Wade-Davis plan.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I believe Lincoln's idea of amnesty for the South is one of the most important factors of this bill. The United States is a single nation, and by prosecuting Southerners for war crimes against the United States, it would be implying that they were not only Un-American, but that the South as a whole was no longer a part of the United States and this would defeat the entire process for fighting and winning the Civil War (Preserving the Union). Also, if the South thought they wouldn't stand a chance under governmental legal proceedings, they would be much more likely to rebel again and make another attempt at secession. Therefore, this proclamation of amnesty was clearly something that would benefit the nation as a whole in the long run.
Another idea that shows Lincoln's plan to be superior to the Wade-Davis plan is the concept of the South earning its way back into the good graces of the United States government. The only thing Lincoln requested of the South was for its citizens to take a solemn oath to support the Constitution of the United States. Once ten percent of the people in a Southern state took this oath, the state would again be recognized by the United States government and be allowed to let its people rule themselves. The only caveat Lincoln provided was that in order to be recognized by the U.S. government, the state also had to abolish slavery. I believe this idea was superior to the Wade-Davis bill because it was more realistic and more open to forgiveness. The Wade-Davis plan made Southerners sign an Ironclad oath where they had to swear they never worked for the Confederacy and a new Constitution would have to be drawn up for each Southern state. First of all it would be difficult to find a Southern man who had not in some way assisted the Confederacy, secondly the humiliation and harshness of a new Constitution would likely draw huge resistance from the South and would likely increase the time period for North and South reconciliation exponentially. Lincoln's program would take faster effect and would decrease the chance for conflict with the South. If the North showed goodwill to the South as Lincoln suggested, then it would be likely the South would be much more open to re-unionize the nation which was the goal of the government all along.
Lincoln's ideas of forgiveness and re-conciliation ultimately would have benefitted the nation more than the severe punishments the radical Republicans promised. By forgiving the South and making it easier for them to gain the support of the North again, Lincoln decreased the amount of time it would take for the North and South to begin operating as one nation again, and he also would decrease the chances of the U.S. falling into another Civil War. This leads me to the conclusion that Lincoln's ideas of re-construction were ultimately better for the United States and would cause for a smoother, more peaceful future.
Vaughan Kavanaugh
The US government came up with two ideas for the reconstruction of the country. The first was the Wade-Davis Bill. This proposal was harsh towards the south. It stated that 50% of the south must take an oath to the United States. It also included that the south had to pay all their war debts themselves. This punishment would not make the southern states feel welcomed back to the country. Instead, it may provoke the South to revoke again. The 2nd proposal was a better solution to reconstruction. The south was destroyed, the country was not united, and we needed a leader to mend the country. Abe Lincoln was that leader. He came up with the 10% plan to reconstruct the county. He realized that the most important thing at this point for the United States was forming the unity between the north and south. The 10% plan would allow the south to rejoin the union if 10% of the state would take an oath of allegiance to the US, and promise to accept new regulations regarding slavery. If southerners did this they would be issued full pardon. This plan and Lincoln served as a symbol of hope that the country could once again be united.
ReplyDeleteSpencer Cookson
Credits
DeleteSlidshow Christine Qi
Spencer Cookson
The ten percent plan was and document put across by the by then president of the united states Lincoln. It was a plan for the reconstruction of the half broken America. He announced this document during the American Civil War in December 1863. Ten-Percent Plan was more of a political maneuver than a plan for Reconstruction. Lincoln wanted to end the war quickly. He feared that a protracted war would lose public support and that the North and South would never be reunited if the fighting did not stop quickly. Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan was thus lenient—an attempt to entice the South to surrender. The ten percent plan stated that a southern state could be readmitted into the Union once 10 percent of its voters (from the voter rolls for the election of 1860) swore an oath of allegiance to the Union.
ReplyDeleteIn the summer of 1864, the Radical Republicans passed the Wade-Davis Bill to counter Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan. The bill stated that a southern state could rejoin the Union only if 50 percent of its registered voters swore an “ironclad oath” of allegiance to the United States. The bill also established safeguards for black civil liberties but did not give blacks the right to vote. President Lincoln feared that asking 50 percent of voters to take a loyalty oath would ruin any chance of ending the war swiftly.
Although both the Ten Percent Plan and the Wade Davis plan were aimed to reconstruct the divided nation (United States). President Lincolns ten percent was a better plan because it didn’t punish the south for succeeding the union but instead welcomed them back into the union without any sort of punishment. The ten percent plan was more lenient and this probably would have helped bring the divided nation together On the other hand the Wade Davis bill was harsh on the south and punishing the south for trying to succeed the Union would only increase the tension that existed between the north republicans and the southern democrats.
Another Kushaina
Sources: Mr.
By 1863, the need for reconstruction was evident. President Lincoln and the Congress had begun to deliberate different ways to unite the North and South. Lincoln proposed what was called the 10% Plan. This plan would potentially reunite the previously divided Nation by allowing the confederate states to rejoin the Union if 10% of a states eligible voters took an oath of allegiance to the United States and recognized the freedom of slaves.
ReplyDeleteThis Plan was significantly more lenient than the Wade - Davis Bill, which needed 50% of a State's eligible voters to take the Ironclad oath if they were to be readmitted to the Union. In addition to the Ironclad oath, every state would also have to give black people the right to vote and finally, the government would not pay the South's war debts.
I believe that the 10% plan was superior to the Wade - Davis Bill. There was still considerable hostility between the North and South, the Wade - Davis Bill would not help to diffuse the situation. The Wade Davis Bill was considerably more difficult for Southerners to act on because of the content in the Iron clad oath, as well as the other demands and conditions of the bill. The Wade - Davis Bill would also take a very long time to come to fruition because of the 50% statistic. It would be almost impossible for 50% of the eligible voters from a Southern Confederate state to declare that they:
"have never voluntarily borne arms against the United States since I have been a citizen thereof; that I have voluntarily given no aid, countenance, counsel, or encouragement to persons engaged in armed hostility thereto;"
because any eligible voter was almost certainly involved in the Civil War where they did indeed "voluntarily bare arms against the United States".
The Wade - Davis Bill was a passive aggressive approach to Reconstruction. It was a Reconstruction Plan did not actually allow for the reconstruction of the North and the South due to the terms of the Iron Clad Oath. The 10 % plan made much more sense. If the real goal of Reconstruction was to reunite the nation there would have been a much better chance of this happening with Lincoln's plan. The requirements were remarkably more realistic in relation to the situation in the South at the time. I believe that Lincoln's 10% plan was created out of a genuine desire to reconstruct the nation. It would encourage the South to resolve the war as quickly as possible as well as preserve the economy in the South. The 10% plan proposed by Lincoln was far superior to the Wade Davis Bill.
Sources:
Class Notes
Christine Qi
By Katie Soper
Lincoln proposed a plan to allow the south come back and be part of the United States again after the crucial confederate defeats at Vicksburg and Gettysburg in the Civil War. On December 8, 1863 Lincoln released his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction two years before the war ended in 1865 as a way to show the southerners that surrendering would not be all that bad. Lincoln stated that the southern people wouldn’t be harshly punished and most people would be given a full pardon from any punishment as long as they agreed to take an oath to support the United States Constitution and promise to accept new regulations regarding former slaves. The Proclamation was also called the 10% plan or the one-tenth plan because once 10% of registered voters in a state took the oath then Lincoln would once again recognize the state’s government and the state would be free to rule itself. This plan made it very easy for states to have their own government again and allowed little punishment on the south. It was a simple way to bring things back to the way they were before the war. Many Republicans supported Lincolns plan but the Radical Republicans had formed a plan with much harsher punishment for south. Their Wade-Davis Bill proposed that the majority of a states registered voters (50%) would have to take the oath and accept the new former slave regulations in order for the state to establish its own government and be recognized by the federal government. The Wade-Davis Bill also argued that the south would have to repay all of it war debts without any aid. I believe that the more lenient 10% plan was superior to the Wade-Davis Bill in terms of reconstructing the nation.
ReplyDeleteThe 10% plan was one of the reasons that the south surrendered. Lincoln actually released his plan 2 years before the war ended in 1865. So throughout the last two years of the war when the confederate army was on its demise General Robert E. Lee had the option to surrender and know that the south would not be harshly punished. He finally did so at Appomattox Court house on April 9, 1865.
Because the 10% was so forgiving of the south, the plan allowed the south to have their own government’s and once again become a part of the United States. The north and south would easily again become equal with one nation. This would allow the hatred that built up between the years of fighting to quickly diminish which would lead to cooperation between the two sides in congress. The harsh punishment of the Wade-Davis Bill would only increase the animosity of the south towards the north and could lead to future conflict, which somewhat defeats the purpose of the plan. Also because the Wade-Davis Bill made it more difficult to have the southern states join the United States again the north would have some power over the south which would further anger the south and disrupt the balance in congress.
The biggest problem with the Wade-Davis Bill was that wanted to make the south pay for all of its war debts. The many of the battles took place in the south and were costly. Another event that took place that really devastated the south was Sherman’s march to the sea, which devastated 300 miles of land. The blockade on the south also crushed the economy and almost destroyed the cotton industry, which was vital to the south. The Wade-Davis bill asking for the south for war debt was ridiculous, it would simply only make the south weaker and make equality between the north and south harder.
Because Lincolns plan was much more lenient it allowed the south to regain power and encouraged equality. It allowed most southerners to go back to living their normal lives without any punishment. This showed that Lincoln wanted the south to be normal again. However, Lincoln’s idea to force the south to take an oath and accept new slave regulations was the most important part of the 10% plan. The south was forced to cooperate and accept that they were once again part of one nation and not separate.
Jimmy McKee
SOURCES: Christine Qi, Text Book, Slides
When the Civil War ended on April 9, 1865 many of the problems at hand prior to the war were still present. For example, the racial issues continued to split the country as it had before. Political groups such as the Radical Republicans, mainly from the Northern States, had very strong opinions on how the South should be treated. They wished the South would suffer for what they had done to slaves. But despite the North’s Victory, they would still have to work with the South because clearly division was not the answer to building a unified country, as Thomas Jefferson said, “Compromise, Compromise, Compromise” was again the solution to the problem at hand. Throughout the war many cities and towns were destroyed leaving areas of the country needing to be reconstructed. How the United States would choose to reconstruct was what needed to be fixed.
ReplyDeleteLincoln believed in total restoration of the southern states back into the Union even before the war itself ended. Lincoln just wanted the southern states back, he believed in unity and wanted people returned to the Union. The two major steps for his plan were, Full Pardon, which was given to all southerners who take an oath of allegiance to the United States and promised to accept new regulations regarding former slaves and the second step allowed states to re-enter the union based on specific conditions. The conditions said, 10% of the number that equals the total number of eligible voters in the state must take the oath and each person taking the oath must have been a qualified voter before the state seceded. The Radical Republicans did not support Lincoln’s idea, because they believed it to be lenient and too speedy, they did not trust the former Confederates. In opposition to the 10% Plan was the Wade Davis Bill, which was proposed by the Radical Republicans. The bill said that 50% of voters should take the oath, the South must pay the war debts not the United States government, and new state constitutions have to recognize the freedom of blacks.
Whereas in my opinion, the only way to build a unified country which is what the United States has always needed, was to follow Lincoln’s 10% plan. Making the south angry and making them pay for war debts would just divide the country even more, giving the no purpose to the fighting of the civil war in the first place. In my opinion, the Civil War was fought in hope by the north to unify the country. Therefore after winning, they should take control and bring everybody together.
By Reilly Kennedy
At the end of the war all the soldiers on both the Union and Confederate sides were relieved the drawn out bloodshed come to an end. The battle was far from over, now it was in the hands of the government to rebuild and reunite the destroyed country.
ReplyDeleteLincoln had his eyes looking to the future and had discussed a plan for reconstruction in 1863, where as the Civil War ended in 1965. Lincoln’s proposed the 10% plan, which stated that if 10% of voting population in a state takes an oath of allegiance to the U.S and recognize the slaves a free men. If these demands were met the state may re enter into governmental affairs. Lincoln drafted the 10% plan during the war with the hopes that if South would agree with the incredibly generous offer and ultimately end the war. This is and was seen by Lincoln’s fellow politicians as an incredibly lenient plan and some disagreed with his views.
The Radical Republicans opposed the 10% plan; they thought that Lincoln was letting the get away with what they had done. In response to this plan, Senator Wade Davis created the Wade Davis Bill. The Wade Davis Bill proposed that 50% of the voting population would have to pledge an “ironclad oath,” taking this oath meant that one would be loyal to the U.S and that one had never taken part in assisting the war effort against the Union during the war. Confederate states would also have to recognize blacks as free and give them the right to vote, and the government would not help the South pay off their war debts.
The Radical Republicans wanted the South to pay for their crimes against the country and the Wade Davis Bill would hurt the South more that help them. The ironclad oath made it practically impossible for any state to rejoin the U.S, because the chances are that almost every household had something to do with assisting the Confederacy in some way. Due to the Civil War the South’s economy was in shambles, with the slaves declared free from the emancipation proclamation the South had lost it’s only work force and source of income. In this state the Wade Davis bill wanted to make the South pay for it’s war debts, this would be impossible. The 10% plan was a much more lenient plan, but it would let the South get back on it’s feet and fix it’s economy. The 10% plan called for almost nothing compared to the Wade Davis bill, and because of the plans leniency it would be a more successful way of reuniting the North and the South with the least amount of problems.
Hayden Graham
Sources: William Pang, Text Book, Slides
After the American Civil War the government was due for big changes to reunite the states. The north won the war under Lincoln and was now in charge of reconstructing the states. Two plans that emerged were the Wade-Davis Bill and Lincolns 10% plan. The Wade-Davis Bill was built and supported by radical republicans that wanted the south to be punished for betraying the union. It required 50% of eligible voters from each state to take the oath of allegiance to the US as opposed to Lincolns plan where only 10% was needed. Under the Wade-Davis Bill, the south would have to pay off the war debt themselves with no support from the US government. Also, each state would have to accept the freedom of blacks. The Wade-Davis Bill was extremely harsh to the point where it was unrealistic and would not be productive in reuniting the states.
ReplyDeleteLincoln’s plan, however, was lenient enough so southerners could come to terms and cooperate. He needed less people to take the allegiance as long as everyone promised to accept blacks as free. The plan would completely pardon the south of the war as long as they cooperated. This plan is superior to the Wade-Davis Bill because its leniency also makes it more realistic. This makes it more productive because if it works as planned the south will cooperate under the same laws as the north. There would no longer be a distinction between the north and south; instead it would all be the union.
Andre Bogdanovics
Following the end of the American Civil War when the Confederate army led by General Lee surrendered at the Appomattox Court House, plans were made to reconstruct and re-admit the South back into the Union. Two plans were made for the reconstruction for the South, which was demolished during the war, especially during Sherman's March to the Sea. Lincoln proposed a lenient plan for re-admitting the South back into the Union using his 10% Plan where it was shot down by Congress, mostly the Radical Republicans. The Radical Republicans proposed a much harsher plan for the South to rejoin the Union. I think to rebuild a strong Union, Lincoln's plan would best be suited for reconstructing the South.
ReplyDeleteLincoln's 10% Plan consisted of two steps that would allow the South to be reconstructed and join the Union. The first step to Lincoln's plan was to pardon or forgive, all southerners who would take an oath of allegiance to the United States and promise to accept the new rules and regulations regarding former slaves. Lincoln did not go too easy on the South because the were many that could not take the oath of allegiance to the United States. Among those who couldn't take the automatic pardon were former members of the Confederate government, men who left the federal government to join the Confederate government, Confederate army generals, and any confederate who mistreated blacks or whites during the war. I think that this step to Lincoln's plan is crucial because during the war his main goal was to preserve the Union and by making people take an oath to do so shows he achieved his goal. The next step to Lincoln's plan was to allow the start of states re-entering the Union by acquiring 10% of the eligible voters in that states oath of allegiance. Lincoln added some difficulty when each person taking the oath must have been an eligible voter prior to the states secession.
I think Lincoln's plan for the South is superior to the Radical Republican's Wade-Davis Bill which made it very difficult for Southern states to be re-admitted to the Union. The Wade-Davis Bill also treated the South like war criminals making only the Southern states pay for the war debt that they had built up. With the South's economy in ruin and the amount of time it would take for them to get back on the path they were on, it would take forever. Lincoln's plan was also superior because it showed that Lincoln was trying to help the South because after all, they were going to be back in the Union at some point.
Overall, Lincoln's plan for leniency and speed to help the South was superior to the Wade-Davis Bill because it would ultimately help the United States in all. If the South were to be treated well right after they were beaten in a war, it would be less likely for them to try to secede again. Lincoln hoped to keep the United States united and with this plan he could have done so.
Brooks Kiley
Cite: Mr. Gulotta's Slides, Vaughn Kavanaugh
After the American Civil War, the south was destroyed. Buildings, factories, and homes were in ruins and no comprehensive or functioning state government existed. For the Unites States to rebuild and become the strong and unified nation that it had been before the war, a plan was necessary for how to move foreword. In the weeks after the Battle of Gettysburg, the confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered at the Appomattox Court House, and the war was officially over, too plans came into view.
ReplyDeleteThe first of these plans came together by means of Thaddeus Stevens, a strong representative from Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives, and Charles Sumner, a representative from Massachusetts in the Senate. Both of these representatives were radical republicans and had a deep hatred towards the south. Out of this party, spearheaded by these two representatives, came the Wade-Davis Plan. This plan for the confederate states to be allowed back into the union as states had three main parts. The first of these requirements was that a majority of voters had to take an oath, saying that they would not secede form the union. The second was that the South had to pay their war debts and that the US government would not pay them. And lastly, the plan made the southern states recognize that blacks were free. This plan was extremely strict and unforgiving. It was not in anyway appealing to the south and instilled hatred on both sides.
The other plan for the reconstruction of the south was drawn up by President Lincoln and favored a very different method of reconstruction. Lincoln’s 10% plan was for the total rebuilding of the south and to have the southern states come back into the government. The plan was on the basis that the CSA states had never seceded from the Union. In order for a state to come back into the Union, 10 % of the number of voters that were able to vote in 1860 had to take an oath saying that they would not secede from the union again. Lincolns plan was much more favorable by the south because it did not punish them as much as the Wade-Davis Plan. Lincoln’s 10% plan was the superior of the two plans because it took a more calm and forgiving approach to the reconstruction of the south, which was needed at the time. In order to have the southern states functioning well once they were admitted back into the union, there could not be a great deal of dislike and hatred between the north and south. This plan allowed for reconstruction without these negative feelings. This friendly plan would have made the future of the United States better by improving relationships between the sides and removing the hatred that had come as a result of the war.
Sources:
Mr. Gulotta
Katie Soper
By John Leasure
Liza Jane Branch
ReplyDeleteWhen the Civil War ended, the South and the North had both been put through some really difficult times. Many men were lost on each side, causing morals in both civilizations to be relatively low. The reconstruction of the Union was the largest issue on Lincoln’s mind, and rightfully so. After a long and destruction war, the country needed to be put back together again. To do this, Lincoln devised the 10% Plan. With this new plan came the concept of bringing the Southern states back into the Union to create one people again. Lincoln believed that these states hadn’t successfully seceded, and therefore wouldn’t be too difficult to mend the relationship between the north and the south.
Lincoln made moves to create a “full pardon” in hopes of easily winning back the South. He offered this pardon to anyone who would take an oath of allegiance to the United States and then promise to accept new regulations regarding former slaves. This was a fair trade. Lincoln could offer the people in the South, who had done so much harm to the Union and obviously were at fault for creating slavery in the US, a second chance, per se, at being a part of the union and having equal rights. This offer was pretty generous.
Of course there were conditions that needed to be met by these states in order to have full rights of being citizens of the country again. Ten percent of eligible voters in the state, hence the name of the plan, must take the oath. In addition, these voters also were required to have been eligible before the state seceded in order to ensure that these people were educated on the history of the state.
These conditions were completely rational and reasonable. Lincoln was on point with these and had a valid reason to make sure these states were going to join the US again knowing their duties. Lincoln took precautions by putting these conditions into effect. They helped ensure the union that these states truly wanted to be reintroduced to the rights of citizenship and were serious about being a part of the United States again instead of rebelling against the North again.
Lincoln’s intentions were solid with this new plan. His biggest concern was piecing the union back together. This plan would help this new request be put into action.
Once it became apparent that the Union would win the Civil War after the Union victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln proposed a plan of reconstruction for the US called the Ten-Percent Plan. Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan was very lenient on the southern rebels to make surrender look like a good option for the South. His plan stated that once ten percent of a states voting population takes an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and that state recognizes slaves as free men then that state would be allowed back into the union. Lincoln’s plan however did not allow anyone to take the oath of allegiance including confederate government officials and high ranking military officers, because he felt that they needed to be punished.
ReplyDeleteThe radical republicans in congress had a different, much harsher, plan to reconstruct the union called the Wade-Davis Bill created by Senator Wade and Representative Davis. This bill demanded fifty percent as apposed to ten to take the oath of loyalty, and no one who had helped the confederates in the war could take the “ironclad Oath,” which would be nearly impossible for any state to fulfill until an entire new generation of voters came of age. The Wade-Davis Bill also made the southern states recognize slaves as free citizens. One of the harshest changes to the bill was that the national government would refuse to pay for any help in rebuilding the south, which had been destroyed in the war.
Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan was much better than the Wade-Davis Bill, because it would connect the north and south whereas the Wade-Davis Bill would divide the country even further. The Wade-Davis Bill would lead to resentment in the south which could possibly lead to a second civil war.
Will MacClarence
Sources: Hayden Graham,Vaughan Kavanaugh, and Mr. Gulotta
At the end of the civil war the south was in shambles. Their two major industries: the slave trade, and the production of cotton, was shattered after the thirteenth amended was passed. The end of slavery caused an economic collapse. To compound this problem Sherman’s March and other destructive battles left the south with millions of dollars in repair.
ReplyDeleteI think that Lincoln’s ten percent plan would be better then Wade Davis Bill for reconstruction, because it would rebuild the south faster. If the north shows forgiveness and sympathy then the south would be less likely to revolt and would corporate better. The Wade Davis bill would cause tremendous resistance by the south and would hurt their economy even further. If the southern states don’t receive aid from the federal government they would further fall into tremendous debt. The wade Davis bill and the radical republicans want to destroy the south for the terror of the civil war. The radical republicans forgot that the reason that they fought the war was to unite the country, and instead of accomplishing that they tried to destroy the south for the atrocities that the war brought.
Lincoln’s ten percent plan gave aid from the federal government and also allowed pardons to confederate solders. This was important because trying the confederate army for treason and war crimes would eliminate the youth of the south and hurt its economy even further. Ultimately war itself is a crime and any further retribution to the losing side is unnecessary an irresponsible. In conclusion I think treating south kinder as Lincoln proposed is the better way to handle the reconstruction.
Colin Fuss
From my point of view the plan for reconstruction that was superior is President Lincoln’s 10% Plan, simply because the plan symbolizes the word “reconstruction”. Reconstruction, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, means to form again, to rebuild; that was the main goal after the catastrophic civil war in the divided United States. On the one hand, the goal was not at all to punish the Southern States. People in the South had already lost more than they could have expected. Thousands of lives were lost, railroads were destroyed, and cities and agricultural fields were devastated. Enough punishments were done for the South. There was no point to continue making them pay for something that both northern and southern, partook in. Therefore, the Wave-Davis Plan (one of the plans for reconstruction), by the mostly radical republican Congress of the United States, could not be the superior plan to bring back together the Union. For they had clearly declared that the Southern States were responsible to restore their economy under the Congress conditions. On the other hand, Abraham Lincoln since the beginning stated that the Confederate States had never successfully seceded from the Union. They were always part of it, even though their way of thinking was different from the North. Abraham Lincoln’s plan was based on trusting the Southern Sates. Cleverly, Abe Lincoln announced his plan of restoration in 1863, although the war ended in 1865. With this action, he showed the Confederate States pardon if they surrendered, and that would lead him to gain their confidence and rebuild the Union. Certainly, Lincoln’s 10% Plan was not completely merciful, it had its exceptions, i.e., people who were automatically excluded from pardon: members of the Confederate government, Confederate army generals, Confederate navy officers, and any confederate who had mistreated blacks and white prisoners of the war. With this, Lincoln’s Ten-percent Plan not only would help to reconstruct the Union, but also recognized black humans as free people in the United States. As well, his plan gave back the rights and privileges to the Southern States when the following conditions were met: 1. 10% of the number that equals the total number of eligible voters in the states in 1860 must take the oath, and 2. Each person taking the oath must have been a qualified voter before its state seceded. Because of all of his reasonable conditions and resolutions, Lincoln’s 10% Plan is the superior plan of reconstruction for the USA after the civil war.
ReplyDeleteClementina Davila
Credits to Mr. Gulotta.
When the Civil War ended and Robert E. Lee surrendered, the United States as a country was still in turmoil. The south especially was devastated and needed to be restored. The time immediately after the conclusion of the Civil War was used to find an ideal plan to restore, rebuild, and reconstruct the United States of America.
ReplyDeleteThe ever- wise President Abraham Lincoln’s main goal from the moment the South seceded was to preserve the Union; he never actually believed the South had successfully seceded from the Union in the first place. Long before the war had ended President Lincoln had proposed a Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction. The war ended on April 9, 1865, yet Lincoln had proposed his plan on December 8, 1863. Lincoln’s reason for doing this was simple. He wanted the South to understand that if they come back to the Union, they would be forgiven and welcomed back to the Union. He wanted to move on after the war. Lincoln knew that punishing the South would not help anybody move forward. The President’s Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction became known after the conclusion of the war as Lincoln’s 10% Plan. His plan was to successfully restore the southern states back into the Union. The steps of his plan included pardoning almost all southerners, asking them simply to take a solemn oath to support the United States Constitution. Furthermore, only ten percent of the voters who participated in the 1860 Presidential election had to take the oath in order for their state to be readmitted to the Union. Lincoln’s Plan was forgiving and generous, angering some bitter northerners, particularly the Radical Republicans who believed Lincoln’s plan was way too lenient.
The Radical Republicans proposed the Wade-Davis Plan, a much harsher way to readmit a southern state to the Union, with its main goals aiming to punish the southern states for seceding and causing the Civil War. Under the Wade-Davis Plan a southern state could not be recognized until at least fifty percent of its voters had taken the oath of allegiance to the United States, the war debts incurred by the South would not be paid by the United States government and finally new state constitutions would be forced to recognized the freedom of blacks. No southern state would agree to Wade-Davis Plan’s harsh conditions, and it would be nearly impossible for the majority of a southern state’s voters to take the oath. The south would be giving up everything that caused the war in the first place. President Lincoln refused to sign the Wade-Davis Plan even after in had passed through the Radical-Republican dominated Congress.
In my opinion, the President had the right mindset and solution for reconstruction. Moving forward is the best option. Attempting to punish the south too severely does nothing but derail the progress of coming together as one country after war. Lincoln’s 10% Plan was forgiving and lenient, but was better for reconstruction as a whole. The Union would be preserved with Lincoln’s plan. The Wade-Davis Plan would just keep the country divided. Considering that the most important goal was to bring the country back together, Lincoln’s 10% plan achieves the goal while the Wade-Davis plan continues the fight.
Aly Hall
Cite: textbook, Mr. Gulotta’s power point slides
In 1863, Lincoln proposed his 10% plan, in which he would pardon almost all Southerners if 10% of the voters took an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, and of course according to the plan, slavery must be abolished. Since the Radical Republicans weren’t satisfied by Lincoln’s plan, they came up with their own plan called the Wade-Davis bill. This bill demanded that 50% of the voters take an oath and the South must pay its own war debts. In my opinion, Lincoln’s 10% plan is a better plan for the reconstruction of the United States.
ReplyDeleteUnder Lincoln’s plan, the Southern states only needed 10% of the voters to take an oath and receive full pardon from the United States. However, the Wade-Davis Bill required 50% of the voters. This means that under the 10% plan, the South would be more likely to remain loyal to the Union and stopped fighting the war since the plan was proposed before the Civil War ended in 1865. It was difficult to get 50% of the voters to take an oath so under the Wade-Davis Bill, the Southern states wouldn’t want to give up in the war because it took too much effort to rejoin the Union.
Whereas the 10% plan gave full pardon to almost all Southerners, even if they fought against the Union, the Wade-Davis Bill not only made it hard for the Southern states to join the Union but also harshly punished them by forcing all Confederate states to pay their own war debts. As a result of the bloody Civil War, the South’s transportation system and plantations were devastated. Hundred thousands of people died, leaving families behind with no ability to financially support themselves, let alone helping the state pay the war debt. The whole infrastructure of the South was destroyed, thus preventing its states from making any profit. In other words, the Wade-Davis Bill was too harsh for Southern states, and it provoked them to keep fighting the war that would eventually cause huge impacts to both sides.
As illustrated above, I think that the 10% plan is a better plan since it gives the South a way out of the bloody war and its aftermaths whereas the Wade-Davis Bill not only punished the South but also prevented the whole nation from uniting.
- Son Nguyen -
After the American Civil War, the northerner’s main goal was to reunite the country. Two plans were created for this purpose. The president, Abraham Lincoln, issued the 10% plan. In his plan he would fully pardon all citizens of the confederate states (except for those people who held office in the confederacy, who were generals in the confederate troops, or anyone who had mistreated union prisoners of war) if they took an oath, saying that they were once again allies with the US, and that they would agree with the new regulations regarding former slaves. The southern states would rejoin the Union with all rights and privileges they had before they seceded, if 10% of the citizens of each state, who were qualified voters in 1860, took the oath described above.
ReplyDeleteThe second plan was called the Wade-Davis bill. It was created by radical republicans who were not as kind as Lincoln was. In their bill, they suggested that 50% of the population of a state must take the oath, in order for that state to join the Union again. Furthermore the south would have to pay its own war debt. Additionally the new state would get a new constitution, including freedom of the former slaves. However only those southerners who took the “ironclad oath” could partake in writing the new constitution. The ironclad oath was a promise that in the past the individual never held office or fought in the army of the Confederacy. Additionally the individual had to promise future loyalty. But by the end of the civil war, almost no southerner could take this oath while being honest.
In my opinion, one of these plans was too generous, while the other was too strict. The 10% plan, would not punish the southerners enough, so perhaps they would not follow the new regulations. On the other hand, the Wade-Davis Bill would be too strict, possibly resulting in another southern revolt. In general I think that the faster the country were to be united again, the better it would be. I think that the plan of reconstruction under the Wade-Davis Bill would take a long time, because it would take a while for 50% of the southerners to give an oath. Additionally, the kind treatment of the 10% plan would make the southerners feel more welcomed in their own country. If they were to be punished like the radical republicans had intended, southerners would have felt foreign and unhappy in their own country. The chances of another revolt were much lower, when the southerners were to be treated with generosity and respect, instead of hatred. Furthermore, the southerners were already punished enough, having a lot of their soil being destroyed, not only due to the general warfare, but also due to Sherman’s march to the sea, in which the north destroyed millions of acres of southern land. And the country itself would be better off, if the southern economy would start up fast and do well, instead of the south having to struggle in reconstructing its economy. In conclusion, I think that the 10% plan would be better than the Wade-Davis Bill, because the country would be reunited faster and the southern economy would do better.
Credits:
Mr. Gulotta’s slideshows, A History of the United States, Vaughan Kavenaugh
Christopher Kreke
After the civil war, the United States of America desperately needed a way to reinstitute the southern states into the union. The country had to come up with a plan for reconstruction, and two separate plans emerged. The first plan was proposed by president Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln called this plan the ten percent plan due to the fact that it required 10% of qualified voters in every confederate state to take an oath of allegiance to the United States government. It also required each of the southern states to abolish slavery. To counter this proposal, some more radical republicans proposed the Wade-Davis Bill. This plan said that instead of 10%, 50% of eligible voters had to take oath. It also said that the national government would not pay the South’s war debts, and that it’s states’ new constitutions would have to recognize the freedom of blacks. I believe that Lincoln’s plan for reconstruction was better. Lincoln’s plan allowed for the southern states to regain entry into the union more quickly. This was essential as the nation needed to reconstruct as quickly as possible. The 10% of voters to take oath would occur much more quickly than the 50%. Lincoln’s plan would also entice the south to stop fighting. The plans were announced before the civil war ended, and Lincoln’s plan wasn’t as harsh on the south as was the Wade-Davis bill. If the 10% plan had passed, the war could have ended earlier as the south would have known they would have gotten off easily if they surrendered. The Wade-Davis bill also said that the south would have to pay off it’s own war debts. However, this would continue to divide the country in half, and lead to future conflicts. If the National Government paid off the South’s war debts, the country would feel more unified, and the reconstruction process would go much quicker. The only advantage that the Wade-Davis bill had was that it required the new southern states’ constitutions to include that blacks were free. This would have avoided future issues with some Southern states trying to discriminate against blacks. However for the most part, having southern states simply abolish slavery did the job. Overall Lincoln’s 10% plan was better than the Wade-Davis bill due to the fact that it would effectively reincorporate the south into the union.
ReplyDeleteSources: Mr. Gulotta's slides, Christine Qi
By Chris Bower
DeleteThe Civil War was undoubtedly coming to a close when the dominance of the North over the South was evident. This power was distinguishable after the North’s victories at Vicksburg (May 18-July 4 1863) and Gettysburg (July 1-July 3 1863). Although the war was presumed to virtually be over, the country was still divided over the issue of slavery. With Lincoln as President, he wanted to focus on the future rather than dwell on the past; thus, his primary focus was reuniting the country by bringing the southern states into the union, under one government that was against slavery. The only way for him to do so was to compromise with the south; therefore, with his forgiving spirit and support of other republicans, he devised his 10% plan, which issued that all southerners would be pardoned if they had fought against the union and once 10% of the registered voters take oath to support the Constitution, the people could rule themselves. This plan also came with the agreement that the south must abolish slavery. This lenient plan was far superior to the Radical Republican’s Wade-Davis plan, which projected that 50% of the white male population takes oath in order to establish a state government in the South, the South would single handedly pay all its war debts, and State Constitutions would have to recognize the freedom of blacks.
ReplyDeleteLincoln’s 10% plan was far more plausible because of its leniency. Since the plan was devised before the war came to a close, it urged the South to surrender the war in which their power was dwindling away. Only 10% of the registered voters had to take this oath rather than the 50% of the white male population in the Wade-Davis plan; thus, Lincoln’s plan would be far more appealing to the South. Additionally, the Wade-Davis plan would go against what Lincoln was striving to do, create equality. Only white males could take the oath, which was directly discriminating against the black civilians that populated the South.
Furthermore, with the South drowning in war debts, the Wade-Davis bill was too demanding in the aspect that they could have any governmental help with paying the debts off. There were very little areas in which the South could issue the money they owed. With no slaves, the Southern cotton industry could not thrive; thus, destroying their economy. If the Wade-Davis plan were to go into effect, this would counter Lincoln’s plan of gracefully uniting the country. Instead, it would deepen the hatred the South had against the North, which could lead to another Civil War. Lincoln’s 10% plan had a sense of mercy that was further pleasing to the South.
In order to reconstruct the divided country, Lincoln’s 10% plan would graciously do so. The South was in a state of despair and this plan would allow them back into the union with very little at stake. It would potentially lead recognition of blacks as equal, which would satisfy Lincoln’s goals of one unified country with equality.
Molly Crabtree
Sources: Mr. Gulotta's slides, Christine Qi
After the Civil War, Americans were going through a hard time of becoming one nation again. It was difficult for both Southerners and Northerners to accept that the people they were fighting against were not their enemies. President Lincoln had a resolution: Ten Percent Plan, which was going to lead the country out of the crisis. It was based on his firm belief that the South has never actually seceded from the Union. Unlike the Wade-Davis Bill, it was not going to treat the South like a conquered province, but was going to lead America to a true union of the South and the North through understanding and forgiveness. Lincoln’s plan was to admit the Southern states back into the union as soon as ten percent of the eligible voters of each state would swore an oath of allegiance to the Union. It would also mean that the Southerners could eventually govern themselves and not have their property taken away from them. This plan was essentially a much farsighted one, as Lincoln was wise enough to clearly understand that if the North uses its victory as a reason for a spiteful triumph, it would divide the country even more, not only making it weaker, but eventually resulting into the much deeper disjunction between the North and the South.
ReplyDeleteSources: Mr. Gulotta's U.S. History class
Anna Kravtsova
The Civil War's end was without a doubt beneficial to the entire country. However, it put both the North and the South in their own difficult positions. Both sides suffered terrible losses at the hands of one another, yet it was obvious that the country needed to become unified again. But should the North forgive the South for their crimes? The South’s fate was entirely at the hands of the North, and the people of the North had different ideas as to how to handle the situation. Two ideas emerged, the Wade-Davis Bill and Lincolns 10% Plan.
ReplyDeleteLincolns 10% Plan was devised by Lincoln himself, as a method of total restoration of the Southern states back into the Union. Lincoln based this plan off of the theory that the South had never successfully seceded from the Union. His plan had two major parts. The first part was of the plan full pardon to all Southerners who would take an oath of allegiance to the US and promise to accept new regulations regarding former slaves. The second part was that Southern states could rejoin the Union only once 10% of their eligible voters took the oath of allegiance. Lincoln wanted the South to rejoin the Union just as they had been a part of it before. However, another group thought that the 10% Plan was not harsh enough on the South.
The Radical Republicans of the North believed in the equal treatment of Blacks and Whites. Thus, they believed that the South deserved a harsher punishment for their immoral actions. The Radical Republicans came up with the Wade-Davis Bill, a much less forgiving plan than Lincolns 10% Plan. The Wade-Davis Bill required 50% of voters from each state to take the oath of allegiance, and also required the South to pay off their own war debts, a feat that would be very difficult for them because of their poor economy. The bill also required each Southern state to create a new constitution in which they acknowledge the freedom of Blacks. The Wade-Davis Bill, in comparison to the 10% Plan, was much harsher on the South, as a method of punishing the South for their immoral crimes.
While the South did deserve punishment for their crimes, the most important task was the reconstruction of the Union. Therefore, Lincolns 10% plan was superior to the Wade-Davis Bill, as it focused on rebuilding. It also was not too lenient on the South, as it forced them to take an oath and live under the laws placed upon them by the North. Lincolns 10% plan did not dwell on the past, but instead looked forward to the future
Citations – Slideshow, Textbook
Evan Liddy
After the Civil War, from 1865 through 1877 tension still held strong between the North and the South. Lincoln’s 10% Plan was proposed for total restoration of the Southern States back into the Union. Lincoln knew that in order to create good terms between the South, the agreements would have to be very linnet in order to prevent another war from happening between the North and the South. Because most of the South was still bitter about joining the union and the recent steps towards abolishing slavery, to require 50% of the eligible voters from the South to take the oath would have been too much of a stretch for the restoration. 10% would be more practical than 50% and would carry more weight being Lincoln’s idea. He stood as a symbol of the abolition movement. Abraham Lincoln believed the Confederate States had never successfully seceded from the union, standing also as a symbol of hope for the unity of America. His plan showed that those who agreed to his terms of the oath and new regulations in regarding former slaves, would be given full pardon. With more lenience it would be easier to return to normalcy. Efforts towards change would have to be done with compromise and gradual change in order to successfully unify the nation.
ReplyDeleteSource: Mr. Gulotta's US History Class Presentation
Alyssa Cass
Within Lincolns 10% plan, he attempts to admit the Southern States back into the Union. Although the South committed illegal acts by supporting the rebellion, Lincoln was willing to be grateful to these people. The only two things President Lincoln required of the Southern States were 1) Swear an oath of alliance to the US by 10% of the population and 2) agree to the new laws that stated slavery was illegal.
ReplyDeleteThe Wade-Davis Bill was not as forgiving as Lincolns 10% plan. Two radical republicans, Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens, purposed the bill. It stated that the South had to have 50% of the population take the oath, instead of 10%. Next, the US government would not pay the war debt that the South had accumulated. Finally, the new State Constitutions would have to recognize the freedom of blacks.
Even during Lincoln’s presidency he is very forgiving and compassionate. He is able to compromise even if it hurts his political status. He exemplifies that a president should be more concerned with running the country and not worried about politics. The 10% plan is a great example of compromise and forgiveness. If they were to be harsh on the South, it would only create a bigger divide in the country. Lincoln’s plan would make the South realize their mistake, while being brought back into the Union in a civilized manner.
Henry Manley
Sources: Slide Show, Jimmy McKee
To me both plans were flawed but the 10% plan was the most effective. Even though the Confederate leaders and soldiers who had committed war crimes deserved punishment, had they been punished it would have been very challenging for the United States to move on from the Civil War. America was very unstable after the Civil War and southerners were hesitant of returning to the Union. Lincoln thought that in order for the southerners to feel wanted in the Union he was going to give the south a full pardon. I feel that this is too extreme, confederate leaders, military and political, should have been punished. Lincoln wanted the south to be let off easy so they would not feel unwanted or not accepted. I do feel that requiring only 10% of one of the 10 southern states to pledge allegiance to the United States so they is acceptable. This would allow the southern states to be quickly reinstated yet also show that the state is loyal to the union. The Wade Davis Bill makes sense as a northern veteran but politically it does not. Obviously veterans from the Union Army would love to get some retribution for their lost friends by having southern leaders tried for treason and war crimes. That being said Lincoln wanted the Union to be unified and that could cause even more tension with the south. Had Lincoln not been murdered he would have been able to compromise with the authors of the Wade Davis Bill and the country would have been restored and there may have been no need for a civil rights movement.
ReplyDeleteLuke Amero
Source: Mr. Gulotta's Slides
After a victory over the southern rebels, the United States Union was faced with a decision of what to do with their defeated opponent. Both sides were devastated both economically and morally from the war and the decision of how to handle the aftermath would be a complex one. The two main plans dealing with how to resolve the issue, both originating from the Republican-Dominated government, were the Wade-Davis bill and Lincoln’s 10% Plan. Both offered solutions to the same problem while approaching it from very different angles, one from a lenient and forgiving perspective, hoping to reunite the country and continue life in peace, and one hoping to punish the south for what it had done to the country.
ReplyDeleteLincoln’s 10% plan is the more lenient of the two options. It outlines a solution in which every citizen of the south could be fully pardoned of all crimes that would normally befall a traitor or a revolutionary in a country. The citizens would only have to take an oath to abide by the new slave regulations and to swear allegiance to the United States government; only a few key southern leaders were excluded from this pardon. To be permitted back in the Union, southern states would have to have ten percent, hence the name, of their original voting population before the war take the oath. This plan is incredibly lenient towards the south because there is no real consequence to them trying to succeed, as it bases off of the idea that the states never actually did or could. The leniency could also be attributed towards Lincoln’s early announcement, attempting to convince the south to surrender. Many radical republicans believed that this plan, being too lenient, would not teach the south a lesson, and thus created the Wade-Davis plan.
The Wade-Davis plan was a harsher version of Lincoln’s ten percent plan. It required not ten but fifty percent of the voting population to take an oath, and excluded anyone who fought against he union. This would make it incredibly difficult for states to come back to the union and vastly limit southern state power for a very long time. The Wade-Davis plan also refused to help the south pay their war debts, which would have crippled the south economy as it was already weakened by the anaconda plan and many of the union’s efforts to cripple infrastructure. New constitutions would also have to be written in state governments with no inhabitants, as all the confederate politicians would have to be removed.
Largely, a mixture of both plans might have been best; a compromise that could have come about if it was not for Booth’s actions. Lincoln’s plan, although it seems to be a good, lenient solution to draw the country back together, may have been too lenient in an effort to end the war. If the north does not demonstrate any control over the south the cfc supporters could easally be tempted to revolt again, or at least keep the country divided against itself. On the other hand, the Wade-Davis bill was incredibly harsh, and would definitely cripple the south both economically and politically as well as create further division and hatred towards the north. The south would likely have to wait a generation before fully recovering. Overall I believe that Lincoln’s plan, even though faulted, would probably have worked better in the long term as it would allow greater reconstruction and a more likely lead to a more unified united states more quickly.
By Jake Diamond
The Confederate South was destroyed at the end of the American Civil War; people were killed; plantations were idle; cities and towns were burned. The United States now had to devise a plan to repair the Union and bring the states back into working order. President Lincoln proposed the “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction” (or the 10% Plan) on December 8th, 1863. His plan was very lenient. He offered a full pardon to Southerners (except for a select few) who would take an oath of Allegiance to the United States and promise to accept the new regulations regarding former slaves. Furthermore, if 10% of a State’s eligible voters for 1860 took the oath, then that State would re-enter the Union with all their rights and privileges. The Congress, however, believed that Lincoln’s plan made it too easy for the South to re-enter the Union. At the war’s end, Republicans, including many Radical Republicans, dominated Congress. The South was Democratic, and if the Southern States re-entered the Union, Democrats would begin to take seats in Congress. The Republicans would lose their power. If the Republicans could somehow slow down the South’s process of re-entering the Union, the Republicans would keep a hold of their power for longer. The Congress passed the Wade Davis Bill, which made the requirements for re-entering the Union much harder to obtain. The bill requested that 50% of voters take the oath, denied the responsibility of each state’s war debts, and demanded that New State Constitutions recognize the freedom of blacks. Each proposed plan solved their issue, but one was still better than the other.
ReplyDeleteLincoln’s 10% Plan was superior to the Wade Davis Bill. The reason for the plan’s lenience was key to fixing the United States and that was first fixing the Union. Lincoln hoped that by demanding little from the South, they would be thankful and it would improve their relationship. The Wade Davis Bill, however, guarded the South from swiftly joining the Union while the Republicans held power in Congress. The South’s grudge would have only grown as a result of the bill; the South would not survived without financial help from the North, and there is no doubt that their anger for being forced to follow strict guidelines, after losing infrastructure, jobs, and family, would be taken out on the newly freedmen. The Klu Klux Klan, for example, formed during the enactment of the Military Reconstruction Plan later on. This shows that “extreme laws result in extreme reactions”. The Wade Davis Bill was extreme compared to Lincoln’s 10% Plan. It was unfair; it was payback, and it was created to maintain power. Lincoln’s 10% Plan, on the other hand, offered forgiveness to the South. Forgiveness is hard to give, especially after a war as bloody as the Civil War, but it is the fastest way to ending the bitterness. Only after the United States abandoned their hate would they be able to successfully move on.
Sarah Kinney
Citation: Mr. Gulotta, Mr. Gulotta’s slideshows, the textbook
At the end of the Civil War, there were two ideas on the Reconstruction of the United States becoming whole again. Abraham Lincoln created the first idea. His plan to reconstruct the US and bring the South back into the Union was called the 10% Plan. Benjamin Wade and Henry Davis created the second/opposing plan, and that was called the Wade-Davis Bill
ReplyDeleteThe 10% Plan was Lincolns idea of reinstatement for the South. During the American Civil War in December 1863, Abraham Lincoln offered a model of return of the Southern States called the 10 percent plan. It decreed that a state could re reintegrated into the Union when 10% of the white male citizens in each state would have to take an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and pledge to abide by emancipation. It also stated that everyone except for high-ranking Confederate army officers and government officials would be granted a full pardon. Lincolns plan however, was different from the Wade-Davis Bill.
The Wade-David Bill was Henry Davis and Benjamin Wade’s idea of reinstatement for the South. Both of these men believed that Lincoln’s 10% Plan was too lenient. Instead of ten percent of the American white male citizens in each state taking the oath, fifty percent of the men had to take it. It also said that the Southern State’s war debts were not to be paid by the US government. The last things it said was that New State Constitutions would have to recognize freedom of blacks.
Of these two plans, I believe that the 10% Plan was a better plan for the United States. The reason for this is because, yes it was lenient, it had better intentions for the citizens. Unlike Wade and Davis, Lincoln did not pressure or pursue political agenda. They failed to realize that it was not only the South’s fault, but also the North’s. Another difference that made Lincolns plan better for the re-construction for the South was that, it was one easier to reinstate the Southern States, making the country more forgiving for the people in the South. This decreased the amount of time that it would take the United States to become and operate as a whole Union again. Because of these things, Lincolns 10% Plan would have been way for effective, and better for the country as a whole, opposed to the Wade-Davis Bill.
- Haleigh
Cite:
- William P.
- Vaughn K.
- Mr.Gulotta
Even after the Civil War had ended, there was still a prevailing separation between the North and South. The 1860’s began an era of reconstruction for these two opposing sides, in hopes of unifying peacefully. Two plans were established to facilitate this reconstruction. The first plan was created by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, and was titled the Ten-Percent Plan. The second was titled the Wade Davis Bill, and was written by Benjamin Wade and Henry Davis.
ReplyDeleteThe Wade Davis Bill had the ultimate goal of reuniting the North and South. Although that accomplishment would be the most ideal, the Wade-Davis Bill had a few strategic concerns that questioned whether unification would be successful or not. In order for a Southern state to become part of the Union, 50% of the white-male voters in a given state would have to take oath to support the Constitution. The 10% Plan only needed 10% of voters to take oath, however, there were issues finding enough voters to prolong Lincoln’s plan. If Lincoln had difficulty acquiring the necessary votes for only 10%, imagine the struggle of convincing 50% of the white-male population to vote in favor of obeying the Constitution. This high percentage needed would, therefore, likely result in failure.
In addition, the Civil War caused a lot of damage to the South, from the large amounts of money spent on war utilities, along with physical destruction. As part of the Wade Davis bill, the United States government would not be paying the Southern war debts. If the government did not pay for this debt, it would strongly anger the South. The Civil War corrupted the Southern government to the point that they would not be able to pay off their debt for centuries, implementing a strenuous future for the South. However, Lincoln’s 10% Plan was far less complicated, and would prepare for a much more prosperous future in the United States.
Rather than dwelling on the past, Lincoln was determined to pave a successful future for his country. In order to accomplish this, he created his 10% plan, where he was hopeful and open-minded to forgiveness. Lincoln allowed any seceded Southern state to rejoin the Union, if only 10% of the white-male citizens in a given state promised to abide under the laws of the constitution. This would allow the North and South to more easily start over as one, without having to go through a long, complicated process that could possibly lead to more chaos.
Not only was this plan forgiving, but I believe it was also very generous. Most any president would likely create a plan that would be nearly impossible to accomplish; a complicated plan that would take more time than necessary, and possibly lead to more turmoil between the North and South, doing the exact opposite of the initial goal. Because the 10% Plan was so lenient, it allowed America to move on from the horrors of the Civil War. With a united North and South, instead, delegates would be able to draw their focus to other reconstructing matters such as fixing the physical damage done to the Southern states, or continuing to ameliorate civil rights.
Amy Rowland
Sources:
“A History of the United States” Textbook
Mr. Gulotta’s Slideshow Presentation
Very good
DeleteThe horrific civil war was finally over and now the south was destroyed. The fights ruined Cities, towns and homes; bridges and roads needed rebuilding and most of all the people. The people of the south had almost nothing now that the war was over. They didn’t have a large national government backing them; they were working to get back into a country that would support them. There were two plans that were created to get the south to become apart of the Union once again. President Lincoln devised the first; this was called the 10% plan and was a much easier way for getting the south back together. The other plan was the Wade-Davis bill the plan was made my two radical republicans; they wanted the south to be punish so there terms were mush harsher.
ReplyDeleteThe plan that would have been superior to the other was Lincoln's 10% plan, this plan was made to totally revise the southern states and ensure they were loyal to the U.S. The first half of Lincoln's plan was to make the southerners take an oath of allegiance to the US and then for them to accept the new facts on free slaves. This part of the plan did exclude some people, mostly people who were the leading charge against the Union. Then the second part that only 10% of the people that are voters from one state needed to take the oath to have there state back into the Union. Lincoln's plan was designed to get the south back together and have the US working as one again.
The radical republicans believed that the south was to be punished harsher, so there plan was that 50% of voters have to take the oath. This would make it much more difficult to get the southern states to the Union. Then they decided that the U.S. government should not pay the southerners war debt. Then finally new state constitutions had to be made recognizing freedom of the slaves. The plan was made to punish the south and would not be as effective as Lincolns.
The superior plan in this situation was Lincoln's 10% plan. Lincoln's plan would have made it much easier to get the U.S. back together as one the Wade-Davis bill. The south was destroyed and had lost thousands of people to the war, so Lincoln's plan of only 10% of the voting population needed was the best idea for rebuilding the country.
Dan Driscoll
Sources:
Textbook
Slides(Gulotta)
I believe that Lincolns 10% plan was more superior to the wade Davis bill. Lincolns plan called for total restoration of the southern states back into the union. His plan had two parts. The first was full patron to all southerners who took and oath of allegiance to the union and promised to accept the new regulations regarding former slaves. The second part to Lincolns plan was to re-enter all states into the union with full privileges and rights. In order for a state to enter the union, 10% of the total number of eligible voters must take the oath. In addition, each person voting must have been a qualified voter before its state seceded. Lincolns plan was lenient and not harsh for the south.
ReplyDeleteThe Wade Davis bill was much harsher on the south because they believed the south had to be punished for what they had done. It called for 50% of voters to take the oath, the south’s war debts would be paid by them and not the national government, and new state constitutions would have to recognize free blacks. This bill was made and supported by the radical republicans in congress.
It is not that I don’t think the south should pay for what they have done I just don’t think the Wade Davis plan is the best plan for reconstruction. It would be very hard to get 50% of voters to take an oath, leaving many states still out of the union. Lincolns plan would be easy to get all the states to return to the union. The south also didn’t have any money to pay for the reconstruction, so telling them they had to pay was unrealistic. They would soon become devastated and hurt America as a whole. Lincolns plan was superior to the Wade Davis Bill because it was trying to get the union united again. The Wade Davis Bill was trying to teach the south a lesson and make them pay. Lincolns plan was also lenient because he wanted the south to surrender. He announced his plan in 1863, before the war was over. He did this to show the south that it wouldn’t be so bad if they gave up fighting and returned to the union. Lincolns plan was better because it called for peace, not more struggle.
mackenzie lancaster
sources:
Clementinas response
slides from class
After the confederate states were defeated in the civil war, America needed to be unified. The question was, what would be the most effective way to reunite the Union? President Lincoln proposed his 10% plan which was developed upon the idea that the south needed to be treated leniently. However, members of the congress known as radical republicans had a completely different view upon how America should be unified. They strongly opposed Lincolns lenient plan and thought the south should be treated more harshly. Their plan was called the Wade-Davis bill.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Lincolns 10% plan was superior to the Wade-Davis bill. Although the Confederate states did terrible things, the only way to truly unite the country was to gain their trust. While many people in the south were against joining the Union officially, Lincolns forgiving plan could have gained more southerners. The harsh components of the Wade-Davis bill would have pushed away some southerners that Lincolns plan could have gained. Additionally, recognizing the south's poor economic situation, they needed help; and Lincolns plan gave it to them. The Wade-Davis bill proposed that the south's war debt was not to be paid by the US government. With the south having to re-pay the Union with the little money they have, it would only put the south in a worse situation.
Lincolns plan was clearly superior because it recognized that everyone was truly American, and the proper way to rebuild the nation was to come together.
By: PJ Webb
Citations: slide show from class
During the American Civil War, towns and rural lands were destroyed by battles fought between the Union and the Confederates. There was a major division between the south and the north. Their economies, beliefs, and even people were very different. To fuse and strengthen the United States of America, there needed to be a blueprint for how it would be done. At the time, Abraham Lincoln was in office and he proposed the 10% plan to rebuild the separated United States. Abe's plan was lenient. The plan was based upon the idea that everyone needed to move on and unify the nation.
ReplyDeleteIn congress, there were many men who opposed Lincoln's sympathetic plan. These congressmen were the radical republicans. They believed that the south needed to be punished heavily for their actions during the war. They proposed a different plan or bill called the Wade-Davis bill. The Wade-Davis bill required more voters to preach alligiance to the Union, making it hard to become a citizen. Additionally, the bill stated that the United States government wasn't responsible for paying post-war debts.
President Lincoln's 10% plan was superior to the Wade-Davis bill because it would have been the easiest way to unite America. The south was enduring drastic economic problems due to the losses of their major income sources. Therefore, they couldn't have paid the debts without it causing and even bigger problem.
By: Max Way
Citations: PJ Webb and slide show
Following the end of the Civil War, the United States, especially the South, was in a time of despair. The US needed to rebuild economically and culturally. Fixing the economy would be a great challenge as both the slave trade and cotton trade had fallen apart following the war, and the literal cost of war is very high especially when a country is fighting itself. More of a challenge than fixing the economy, the cultural differences between southern states and northern states seemed as though they could not be repaired. At the time, US politicians Benjamin Wade, Henry Davis, and Abraham Lincoln were creating plans to help rebuild the United States of America. Wade and Davis worked together to create the Wade-Davis Bill. The bill sated that the South’s war debts would not be paid by the US Government, the new state constitution’s would have to recognize the freedom of blacks, and 50% of all registered voters in a southern state would have to take an oath of allegiance to the US in order for the state to re-enter the union. Abraham Lincoln created what he called the 10% Plan. The plan called for a full pardon of the people of the South who took the oath of allegiance to the US and 10% of registered voters in a southern state must take the oath for re-entry.
ReplyDeleteLincoln’s 10% Plan was superior to the Wade-Davis bill. The Wade-Davis bill would not have helped to rebuild the US economically or culturally. By not paying the South’s war debts, the economy would not heal quickly, if at all, and culturally, the tensions between the North and South would rise because of the new state constitutions as well as the difficulty of having their state re-enter the union. Lincoln’s plan was more lenient economically, which would allow the Southern economy to heal faster and created less resentment from the South towards the North. It still required 10% of registered voters to take the oath as to make sure the states were loyal to the Union, while pardoning those who took the oath which also created less resentment towards the North. Lincoln’s plan overall was more peaceful, which was much needed in a time of such despair.
Sam Mogul
Cite:class slide show
When the Civil war came to an end because the South had lost all hope to become an independent State. After the Civil War, two different ideas were suggested in order to unite the north and south as a true Nation. The 10% plan, proposed by Lincoln, was a far more superior strategy than the Wade-Davis plan, proposed by Radical Republicans.
ReplyDeleteThe South was in a time of despair, with no army, it was incapable to withstand the Northern authority. Lincoln’s plan forgave the South and with the votes of 10% of a state’s population, the state would re-join the USA. Even though tension between both sides had not faded, by forgiving the south, a feeling of unity and forgiveness was portrayed. And if the southern states were to recognize the 10% plan as an opportunity for them to revolt, their inferior military force was far too weak to pose a great enough threat to the North. In the other hand, the Wade-Davis plan would merely create more hatred and tension between both sides; it would divide the State even more, which would defeat the purpose of the plan. The Wade-Davis plan forced the Southern states to rejoin the nation in a much more lenient way than the 10% percent plan. Instead of giving the South a chance to flourish along with the North, it would send the southern states to their ultimate demise: bombarded by debt.
The United States needed hope at a moment of despondency. The 10% plan gave the State hope. The Wade-Davis plan, was proposed to establish freedom and equality for the whole nation; yet, it treated the South punitively and unequally. In the other hand, the 10% plan gave hope for unity in a peaceful way. All in all, the 10% plan would be more effective than the Wade-Davis plan: it would unite the nation without punishing the south and making the situation worse than it already was.
Cite: Textbook
While I believe that neither plan would have been the best solution for Reconstruction, Lincoln’s 10% plan was the superior option. The 10% plan consisted of: pardoning a large majority of Southerners, except for people who had held high office or command, it required that 10% of white Southern males take an oath swearing loyalty to the Union, and that the state must agree to abolishing slavery in order to be allowed back into the Union. The Wade-Davis plan consisted of: requiring 50% of white Southern males to swear allegiance to the Union, in order for a person to hold office they must take an iron-clad oath, abolishing slavery, forcing the states’ to pay its own debt, and to keep rule of the old Confederate states in hands of Northern generals until they were once again allowed to be readmitted to the Union. The Wade-Davis plan was supported amongst Radical Republicans who desired vengeance against the South. Lincoln’s 10% plan was far more lenient towards the South than the harsh Wade-Davis plan.
ReplyDeleteLincoln’s 10% plan was the superior plan because it was more lenient and gave the South a chance to rebuild. When these plans were announced, the Civil War was still raging on. Offering a lenient plan of Reconstruction allowed the Confederacy to surrender earlier, because they were aware of the fact that they would be treated with mercy. Also, in the Wade-David plan it was required that each Southern State pay its wartime debt on its own. This would have been impossible for the Southern States because its two major industries, the cotton and slave trading industries, had been destroyed during the war. Having the Southern states repay their wartime debt would not have given them the chance to rebuild; any profit the state would take in would have to be used to repay the debt instead of being used to repair the obliterated infrastructure. Overall, Lincoln’s 10% plan was superior to the Wade-Davis plan in terms of making Reconstruction as effective as possible.
Morgan Handwerker
Cite: Textbook
After The end of the American Civil War in 1865, The Union still had a couple problems to deal with even though they had just subdued their southern counterpart in war. One of the main problems that they had to deal with was reuniting the southern states with the Union. Abraham Lincoln, being the intelligent leader that he was, proposed the 10% Plan. The 10% plan stated that when ten percent of the population of a southern state took an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and its newly formed regulations regarding former slaves then such a state would be reunited with the union. This allowed that southern state to have representation in government once again. Although this seemed like a good plan to many people, it wasn’t seen as successful in the eyes of the radical republicans. The radical republicans didn’t see this as a success because the plan was too lenient, and if the southern states followed the 10% plan, then they would be reunited with the Union and would have representation in the government again. The radical republicans did not want the southern states to have it so easy. This is why the Wade-Davis Bill was later drawn up. Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio and Representative Henry Davis of Maryland proposed a much more strict plan. The Wade-Davis Bill stated that fifty percent of southern states’ citizens would have to take the oath to the government and to its new laws in order to become part of the Union again. In my Opinion, The Wade-Davis Bill was a better plan of action for the Union to follow. The Southern states were the ones who seceded from the Union and caused years of trauma for the U.S. The 10%, if passed, would have allowed the South to easily reunite with the Union and possibly have life back to its original status before the war and this would not be beneficial for the Union. The 10% was a good plan because it would have allowed the southern states to reunite with the Union at a much faster rate, but the Wade-Davis bill was much more strict and that is just what the Union needed. The Wade-Davis Bill would allow the Southern states to learn from their wrongdoings. The South was also economically crushed after the war. At some point or another, the south would have to give in and accept the outlines of the Wade-Davis Bill so they could start to rebuild their states. It’s very noticeable that both plans had their ups and downs but the Wade-Davis Bill to me, was a much smarter way of going about the Union’s problems after the war. The 10% plan would have allowed for a quick “recovery” after the war but it was too lenient. On the other hand, the Wade-Davis Bill was much more strict but would allow the Union to have the upper hand and in time, the southern states would have to accept the terms of the Bill and reunite with the Union. Thus, I believe that the Wade-Davis Bill was much more beneficial in the reconstruction of the United States after the end of the war.
ReplyDelete-Patrick Frey
Credits: Mr. Gulotta’s class slides
Dan Ives
After the Civil War, the United States still had an ongoing tension between the North and South. The North was victorious over the South but was still unsatisfied with the fact that the Confederacy was not a part of the Union even after the long war. The two sides were opposed to each other politically, socially and religiously. And one thing that hadn’t changed at all was the fight to abolish slavery. Slavery was probably the main issue dividing these two sides. President Lincoln had a plan for reunion called the 10% Plan. This reconstruction plan would allow states to re-join the Union if 10% of the number of eligible (male of 21 years or older) voters in the state as of 1860 were willing to take oaths of allegiance to the United States and promise to accept the new regulations on former slaves. At the time, Republicans had the majority in government. The Radical Republicans wanted the white southerners to suffer for everything they had done. These Radicals believed that Lincoln’s was too lenient towards the southerners. Since these Radical Republicans were the most powerful voices in the Reconstruction Congress, this plan did not get passed.
ReplyDeleteSince that plan did not roll over too well with the Radical Republicans, The Wade-Davis Bill was created. This plan was to get 50% of the number of eligible voters of a state to take loyalty oaths to the Unites states to re-enter the union. State constitutions would also have to recognize freedom of blacks, and the South’s war debts would not be paid by the US government. I think this bill was much harder and less likely to get the country unified. I think that Lincoln’s 10% Plan was superior to the Wade-Davis Bill because like Morgan importantly noted, it gives the south some time to rebuild itself. The Radical Republicans thought this plan would give the south what they deserved. Having 50% of the eligible voters in a state having to pledge allegiance to the US, the goal seemed unrealistic. Also, the southern states would have no way of paying back their war debts from the Civil War. With the slavery demolished, which was the South’s main industry, the whites had no source of constant income and could not pay these dues. Even though Lincoln’s 10% Plan was not passed by Congress and the Wade-Davis Bill was vetoed by Lincoln, the most effective way would’ve been the 10% Plan. This idea would’ve more effectively given the US more hope for a better, unified, single nation.
By: Justin Donawa
Credits: Powerpoints, Morgan Handwerker, William Pang, Textbook.