Final answer:
President Lincoln's Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction required Southerners to take an oath of allegiance to the Union, promising loyalty and the maintenance of this oath, in exchange for a full pardon and restoration of property rights, excluding those pertained to slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Abraham Lincoln's efforts at reconciliation during the Civil War included an initiative outlined in his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, which he explained in his annual message to Congress on December 8, 1863. In this proclamation, Lincoln offered full pardon and restoration of all rights of property, except as to slaves, to Southerners who had participated in the rebellion, on the condition they would take an oath of allegiance to the Union and maintain that oath henceforth. This oath excluded high-ranking Confederate officials and military officers. Once ten percent of the voters from the 1860 presidential election in a given state took this oath, the state could establish a new government, which would be recognized by the Union as legitimate, with the caveat that only Congress could decide whether to seat new members from these governments.
In a broader attempt to address the reconstruction of the South and integrate freed slaves into American society, Lincoln also considered extending voting rights to black men, reflecting his commitment to national unity and the procedural reintegration of the Southern states into the Union. While his exact postwar plans were never fully detailed due to his assassination, Lincoln's approach laid the groundwork for future Reconstruction efforts.