Final answer:
Lincoln's Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, or Ten Percent Plan, offered amnesty to Confederates other than high officials, allowed rebel states to re-establish governments after ten percent of the 1860 voting population took loyalty oaths, and emphasized Congress's role in approving state re-admission.
Step-by-step explanation:
Three Main Ideas of Lincoln’s Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction
Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, also known as the Ten Percent Plan, had three main components designed to reintegrate the rebellious Southern states into the Union during the Civil War. First, it offered amnesty and restoration of property rights (except for slaves) to those who pledged an oath of allegiance to the United States and agreed to abide by the emancipation of slaves. Second, the proclamation stipulated that a rebel state could form a new government and be recognized by the Union once ten percent of the voters in the 1860 election had taken the loyalty oath. Third, Lincoln’s plan made it clear that the re-admission of states into the Union with their newly formed governments would require the approval of Congress, emphasizing the legislative branch’s role in the Reconstruction process.
However, Lincoln’s approach faced criticism from Radical Republicans who deemed it too lenient, pushing instead for the Wade-Davis Bill which imposed stricter terms on the Southern states. Despite the political tension, the overarching goal of Lincoln's proclamation was to expedite the reunification of the nation with as little delay and resistance as possible while upholding the principles laid out in the Emancipation Proclamation.