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What were Lincoln's and Johnson's plans for Reconstruction?

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Final answer:

Lincoln and Johnson's plans for Reconstruction both favored quick reintegration of the South, but while Lincoln's plan was moderate, Johnson was more lenient, creating tensions with Congress who sought greater rights protection for freed people.

Step-by-step explanation:

The plans for Reconstruction by Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson aimed at quickly restoring the Union, but they differed in terms of enforcement and leniency towards the Southern states. Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan required only 10% of Southern voters to take an oath of allegiance for reintegration. Johnson furthered this approach by offering amnesty to many Southerners and readmitting Southern states into the Union, provided they met certain conditions like ratifying the Thirteenth Amendment and repudiating war debts.

However, Johnson's leniency and exclusion of rights for freedmen led to a rift with Radical Republicans in Congress, who pushed for a more thorough reconstruction and greater protection of freed people's rights. The conflict culminated in Johnson's impeachment, though he remained in office. Congress eventually asserted greater control over Reconstruction, passing legislation to protect the rights of freedmen and restructuring Southern states' governments.

Despite Johnson and Congress's efforts for reintegration, the differing approaches set the stage for ongoing debates and conflicts in the Reconstruction era with lasting effects on society and politics.

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