Answer:
Executive reconstruction refers to the process of reconstructing the Southern states after the Civil War through executive actions taken by President Andrew Johnson and his administration. This process was implemented by the president without the approval or involvement of Congress, who had their own version of reconstruction.
Legislative reconstruction, on the other hand, refers to the process of reconstructing the Southern states through actions taken by Congress. This process was implemented by the Republican-controlled Congress, who passed laws and constitutional amendments to ensure the rights and protection of newly-freed slaves, and to punish the former Confederate states.
One key difference between the two forms of reconstruction is that executive reconstruction was focused on restoring the Southern states to the Union as quickly as possible, with minimal changes to the political and social structures of the states. Johnson's approach was lenient towards the former Confederate states and did not place many restrictions on the rights and freedoms of the newly-freed slaves.
Legislative reconstruction, on the other hand, was focused on making significant changes to the political and social structures of the Southern states to ensure the rights and protection of the newly-freed slaves. This approach included the passage of laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the 14th amendment, which granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to African Americans.
Another key difference is that executive reconstruction was implemented by the president and his administration, while legislative reconstruction was implemented by Congress. This led to several conflicts between the president and Congress, with Johnson vetoing many of the laws and amendments passed by Congress.
In summary, executive reconstruction was a lenient approach focused on restoring the Southern states to the Union with minimal changes, while legislative reconstruction was a more radical approach focused on making significant changes to ensure the rights and protection of newly-freed slaves.