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Lincoln’s Reconstruction Plan

Definition

This was President Abraham Lincoln's plan to reunify the country after the Civil War, offering a lenient way for Southern states to rejoin the Union. It included pardoning Southerners who swore allegiance to the Union and allowing a state to form its own government after 10% of its voters pledged loyalty to the U.S.

Analogy

Think of this as a teacher giving students who failed an exam a chance to retake it. The teacher doesn't want them to fail; they want them back on track with everyone else. Similarly, Lincoln didn't want to punish or exclude Southern states; he wanted them back in class - or in this case, back in Union.

Related terms

Radical Republicans: A faction of American politicians within the Republican Party from about 1854 until 1877 who believed Blacks were entitled to same political rights and opportunities as whites.

Wade-Davis Bill (1864): A bill proposed for Reconstruction that was far more demanding than President Lincoln's plan. It required majority of white males in Confederate states take an oath of loyalty before restoration could begin.

Andrew Johnson’s Reconstruction Plan: After Lincoln's assassination, Vice President Andrew Johnson took over his role and implemented his own reconstruction plan which was similar but less successful due to lack of support from Congress.