Radical Reconstruction

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Instructor

June 14, 2022

Question one

Radical Republicans were individuals that were committed to emancipating the slaves. They

were members of the Republic Party who wanted to ensure that the freed blacks would be

subjected to equal treatment. Leaders of the radical republicans had been involved in the black

activist movement. One of the leaders of the radical republicans, Thaddeus Stevens, had opposed

enslavement for years. He had also defended various freedom seekers. The main goal of the

radical republicans was to ensure that the slaves would be emancipated. They wanted to ensure

that the freed blacks would achieve enfranchisement and equal treatment. Radical republicans

wanted to bring to an end the plantation system and also change the southern society. Radical

republicans believed that blacks were entitled to equal opportunities and same political rights as

the whites. They believed that it was good to punish confederate leaders because of the role they

had played in the civil war.

Question two

Prince believes that Reconstruction started with the Emancipation Proclamation because it

helped to free the African Americans. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President

Lincoln in 1863. “This would ensure that all slaves in all parts of the confederacy still in

rebellion would be free” (Prince, 2016, p.33). Black men were accepted into the US army after

the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation enabled the black soldiers to

fight for freedom. Reconstruction took the forms of wartime and presidential reconstruction.
The debate over who was in charge of Reconstruction shapes the reconstruction period. The

debate showed President Johnson was more lenient towards the Southern states while the

congress wanted the political and civil rights of the freed slaves to be protected. The

reconstruction periods

Question three

Radical republicans wanted to impeach Andrew Johnson because he had vetoed the bills that

they tried to pass. He was also soft on the confederate states. Johnson had white supremacy

views. He voted bills such as the Freedmen’s Bureau Bill. Johnson blocked the enforcement of

laws that would ensure that freed slaves would be provided with suffrage. Johnson was

impeached under the charge that he had violated the Tenure of Office Act (Prince, 2016). He

defied the act by suspending Edwin Santon. Johnson suspended Santon because he supported

radical republicans. After his trial, senate voted 35-19. It fell short of one vote. Johnson was

acquitted because of the assurance that he would be well-behaved for the remaining term.

Question four

The 14th amendment was important in that it granted citizenship to those who were born in the

United States. The amendment helped to ensure that former enslaved people would acquire US

citizenship. They would also enjoy equal protection of laws. The main provisions of the 14th

amendment were granting US citizenship to all persons that were born in the US, ensuring that

states could not deny individuals their property, liberty or life, and giving everyone equal

protection to the laws (Prince, 2016). Radical Republicans were happy with the amendment
because it would help ensure that there was equality. The amendment would protect the rights of

African Americans, destroy slavery and expand citizenship basis. Southern states were against

the amendment. Their stance enabled the Radicals to gain further power in fighting for the freed

slaves.

Question five

The main arguments for African-American suffrage was that blacks should have been allowed to

vote because they were US citizens, and they were also equal to other racial groups. African

Americans had taken part in the civil war. There were African American soldiers who had fought

for the nation. African Americans had to be recognized as US citizens and be allowed to vote.

Northerners did not appear to support this idea. Northerners did not want the blacks to have

voting rights. Women’s suffrage movement tried to use the momentum to gain the right to vote

for themselves. The purpose of the 15th amendment was to abolish discrimination against voters

based on their race. The desire of the Republicans to entrench their power in the South and in the

North would lead to the 15th amendment being passed.

Question six

Radical Reconstruction helped to enact legislation to favor the rights of the African Americans.

It helped to reduce racial discrimination in various areas. The conditions of African Americans in

the South were improved. Radical reconstruction was radical in what it achieved. It helped to

create public school systems in the Southern states. Radical Reconstruction was radical because

of the measures that were taken. Freed slaves eventually got to participate in elections as they

were granted the right to vote. The South worked to stop the gains of Reconstruction by
instituting Jim Crow Laws. The laws deprived African Americans of their rights. The white

supremacists erased significant progress that Radical Republicans had made.

REFERENCES

Prince, K. S. (2016). Radical Reconstruction: A Brief History with Documents.