Question

In 1867, why did Congressional Republicans enact a more aggressive plan for Reconstruction, including sending federal troops into the South?

A.Rebuilding proved more difficult than expected, and southern states requested additional help
from the government.
B.After President Lincoln's assassination, Congress wanted to take steps to complete the plan he
had started.
C.Andrew Johnson advocated ending Reconstruction, and Congress wanted to use his viewpoint
as a basis for impeachment.
D.Southern state governments had taken steps to keep former slaves in inferior political, social,
and economic statuses.

Answer 1

The correct response is Option D. Southern State Governments had taken steps to keep former slaves in inferior political, social, and economic statuses.

Step-by-step explanation:

President Andrew Johnson was seen to be too lenient on the questions of Reconstruction because he believed firmly in the right of states to govern themselves and to establish their own laws. The result was that many southern states had instituted what were called "black codes" that perpetrated discrimination despite the emancipation proclamation and the 13th and 14th Amendment. This angered northern voters, leading them to reject the Johnson’s Presidential Reconstruction policies in the congressional elections in late 1866, allowing the Republicans in Congress to take control of Reconstruction in the South. The following March, Congress passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867, which created temporary military districts and assured compliance of universal (male) suffrage with each military district under the rule of former Union generals. The law also required southern states to ratify the 13th and 14th Amendments, which granted “equal protection” to former slaves, before the former Confederate states could rejoin the Union.