Question

How should the rebellious Southern states be reintegrated, both politically and economically, into the union?

Answer 1

Reconstruction was the process of reintegrating the Southern states into the Union, requiring political and economic transformation rooted in repealing secession, ratifying the Thirteenth Amendment, and considering land redistribution. The process was marked by disputes over the leniency towards former Confederates and visions for a diversified Southern economy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question regarding how the rebellious Southern states should be reintegrated, both politically and economically, into the Union refers to the period following the Civil War known as Reconstruction. The aim was to bring the former Confederate states back into the Union as equal members. However, the process of Reconstruction was uneven and contributed to lasting poverty in the South, which remained primarily an agrarian society.

To address the political reintegration, Southern states were required to hold state conventions to repeal the ordinances of secession and ratify the Thirteenth Amendment. Economically, there were discussions of land redistribution as a means to compensate former slaves and a punishment for Confederate rebels. In the long term, the vision for a New South included a diversified economy with a blend of agriculture, industry, and reform.

Unfortunately, contentious views between factions such as the Radical Republicans and President Andrew Johnson led to conflicts over the Southern states' readmission to Congress. The Radical Republicans objected to the lenient treatment that allowed former Confederate leaders to return to power. This disagreement prolonged the instability and complexity of the Reconstruction process.

Answer 2

The correct answer to this open question is the following.

Although there are no options attached, we can say the following.

The rebellious Southern states would be reintegrated, both politically and economically, into the union in the following way.

After the end of the American Civil War, in 1893, Lincoln created the "10 percent plan," which represented the beginning of the reunification process. It required that 10 percent of the southerners that voted in the election of 1890 to take an oath of allegiance to the Union. If that happened, then the southern states could create their own state constitutions. US President Abraham Lincoln also ordered Reconstruction for the Southern States and gave these former Confederated states leeway to do Reconstruction at their own pace.