Final answer:
The Radical Republicans separated themselves from moderates and most Americans in 1865 by proposing harsher punishments for Confederate states. Republicans were united around a common vision for Reconstruction when they gained control of the House in the 1866 elections.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Radical Republicans took a specific position in 1865 that separated them from both the moderates and most other Americans. They contested Lincoln's treatment of Confederate states and proposed harsher punishments. This position challenged the reliance on federal government help to bring about change in the South, arguing for downsizing Reconstruction efforts.
The Republicans were united around a common vision for Reconstruction when they gained control of the House in the 1866 congressional elections. They pushed for the dismantling of the old southern order and the complete reconstruction of the South, which put them at odds with President Johnson.
Republicans in Congress enacted specific laws and amendments to redefine the nation's plan for Reconstruction. These included the First Reconstruction Act of March 1867, which divided the unreconstructed states into five military districts and established new requirements for voting. They also enacted the Fourteenth Amendment, which granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the United States.