After Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, Andrew Johnson became president and took charge of Reconstruction. Johnson had been Lincoln’s vice president and believed strongly in keeping the Union together. His approach became known as Presidential Reconstruction.
Johnson believed that the Southern states had never legally left the Union. Because of this, he argued that they still had the right to govern themselves. He did not think the federal government should control state voting or local laws. Johnson wanted Reconstruction to happen quickly. He believed this would help the country return to normal government.
In May 1865, Johnson announced his plan for Reconstruction. Under this plan, Southern states could rebuild their governments if they met certain requirements. Each state had to swear loyalty to the United States and cancel debts from the Civil War. States also had to accept the permanent end of slavery and uphold the Thirteenth Amendment. In addition, they were required to write new state constitutions.
Johnson used his presidential power to grant amnesty and pardons to former Confederates. People who pledged loyalty to the Union could regain their rights as citizens. This included the right to vote and hold public office. Confederate leaders and people who owned large amounts of property were required to apply directly to Johnson for a pardon. Johnson approved many of these requests.
As new Southern governments formed under Johnson’s plan, many states passed laws known as Black Codes. These laws restricted the freedom of formerly enslaved people and controlled their labor and behavior. The Black Codes limited basic rights, even though slavery had been abolished.
Another part of Johnson’s plan involved land ownership. Land that had been taken during the war by the Union Army or the Freedmen’s Bureau was returned to its prewar owners. Enslaved people were no longer considered property, but the land itself was restored to former owners.
By the end of 1865, several Southern states had formed new governments under Johnson’s plan.
_(14596177519)_The_Georgetown_elections,_the_Negro_at_the_ballot-box_(cropped).jpg){kind=link}