History Study Guide

President Johnson's Biography:

"Born into poverty in North Carolina, Andrew Johnson apprenticed as a tailor as a boy and eventually opened his own tailor shop in Tennessee. He became a skilled public speaker often defending small farmers and states' rights. Johnson went on to serve in both houses of Congress and supported legislation that would benefit the poor. After Tennessee seceded from the Union in 1861, Johnson remained in the Senate, refusing to join the Confederacy. "

What was the Freedmen's Bureau's main mission?

End Mass Starvation.

How do you think Johnson's past influenced his Reconstruction plan?

In my opinion I think Johnson's past influenced his Reconstruction plan by him being a public speaker often defending small farms to defending pardoning those of a crime in a peaceful way. Thus, I think Johnson's past influenced him and his plan in a very valuable way.

What were the black codes?

Laws passed by the South that limited the rights of African Americans. Also, the black codes intended to keep the African Americans in a condition similar to slavery because they were upset with Johnson's Recontruction plan.

Johnson's Plan

Pardoning all former citizens of the confederacy who took the oath of loyalty, excluded from pardoning were confederate officers/officials, and each confederate state had to call a constitutional convention, and lastly all confederate states had to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment and reject all civil war debts.

Fill in the chart below in the top row with the main points for all of the reconstruction plans. What similarities did you find? What differences did you find?

Some similarities I concluded from the chart is that Lincoln and Johnson's plan consisted of having most of the South pardon if they follow a certain task. Also, some differences I found were the Republicans to make it not easy for the south to rejoin by using force, were as Lincoln's plan was more of a gentle approach.

What methods did the radical republicans use to prevent Johnson's interference with their reconstruction plan?

The Command of the army act and the tenure of office.

Why was president Johnson impeached?

The Representatives voted to impeach Johnson because he failed to abide by the Tenure of Office Act.

Why did Southern States pass the black codes?

The Southern States passed the black codes because they got new elected former Confederate leaders, which caused many issues such as them passing a series of laws called the black codes.

Wade-Davis Bill

The bill was an agreement plan between moderates, radical republicans and Lincoln. They wanted white males to take an oath of allegiance, then the state could not hold a constitutional convention to create a new state government, and each convention would have certain things included like Abolish slaver, reject all debts the state acquired, Deprive all former confederate government officials and military officers of the right to vote or hold office.

How did the radical republicans' Reconstruction plan differ from President Lincoln's Reconstruction plan?

The radical republicans and the President Reconstruction plan differs by Lincoln wanted a moderate policy to reconcile the South with the Union instead of punishing it. Were as the republicans wanted to prevent the leaders of the Confederacy from returning to power after the war, and the Republican Party to become a powerful political force in the South, lastly they wanted the federal government to help African Americans achieve political equality guaranteeing their right to vote in the South.

What all states were readmitted back into the Union by the end of 1868?

The states that readmitted back into the Union were North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

What were the three main points of Johnson's Reconstruction plan?

The three main points of Johnson's Reconstruction plan was to pardon all former citizens who took an oath of loyalty to the union and returned their property, excluded from pardoning were former confederate officers and officials confederate citizens with property worth more than 20k, each former confederate state had to call a constitutional convention to revoke it ordinance of secession, and all confederate states must ratify the Thirteenth Amendment, and reject all civil war debts.

How did the Freedmen's Bureau help formerly enslaved African Americans?

They gave them clothing, food, shelter, and education for younger children and they also gave them "forty acres and a mule."

What part of President Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction did the Radical Republicans reject?

They thought Lincoln's plan rejected the gentle approach Lincoln's plan offered and they wanted to transform the South by force if necessary and not make it easy to rejoin the union.

Radical Republican's Plan

They wanted to prevent the leaders of the Confederacy to not resume power after the war, and they wanted the Radical Republicans to become a political force in the South, and also wanted African Americans to help achieve equality so they had the right to vote.

Why were congressional radical republicans angry with Johnson's reconstruction plan?

They were upset because Johnson pardon thousands of Southerners which made the Congress members and the Radical Republicans angry with Johnson's Reconstruction plan.

Lincoln's Plan

Vowed that all Southerners pardon if they follow a certain task, but there were also some exceptions. He wanted a moderate policy instead of punishing the south with treason.