Final answer:
The plan with the greatest impact was Sherman's Special Field Order No. 15, which was later dismantled. Supporting land redistribution and protecting freedmen’s rights would have been essential for their transition to freedom.
Step-by-step explanation:
In my opinion, the plan that had the greatest impact on the freedmen in Georgia was General William T. Sherman's Special Field Order No. 15, which promised the freed slaves land on the Sea Islands and 40-acre plots from the decimated plantations along the coast. Despite its bold approach to providing land and subsequently some form of economic base for the freedmen, the plan failed due to President Andrew Johnson’s political opposition. The Sea Islands experiment was effectively dismantled by 1867, forcing the freedmen to relinquish their land and leaving them with very limited economic opportunities, often working for their former owners under oppressive conditions.
The federal government could have potentially had a lasting positive effect on the successful transition to freedom for newly freed slaves by standing firm on land redistribution policies and protecting the gains of freedpeople from political and racial backlash. Education, legal protection under the law, and access to political participation were also critical areas that needed stronger federal support to ensure freedmen's rights and their successful transition to free, productive citizens.