Yesterday, we looked at the amendment to the Constitution that abolished slavery in this country forever. (Amen!) There is five sections in the amendment but the general jist of it is that people born in the United States are automatically citizens and citizens of the state that they reside in. Also, no state shall create or enforce laws restricting rights of citizens. All citizens get equal treatment, enforceable by congress. This goes hand in hand with the rights African Americans acquired during the reconstruction as they began to vote, buy property, go to school, start businesses and run for office.
Today we used our textbooks to read and discuss the major plans for reconstruction. First was Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan, which unfortunately lost all hope of being passed with his passing, which went somewhat easy on the south but mainly wanted the Union back together. Johnson's plan went very easy on the south but generally wanted the Union united once again. The most punishing of confederates come from the Reconstruction Act of 1867 pushed by the Radical Republicans that wanted to punish the south, help ex-slaves, and add to the power of their party. Putting their desire for personal success, my plan for reconstruction would basically mirror the radical republicans. The south deserved some punishment as well as a major reconstruction of social ethics. Like they say "there's no time like the present."
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