The Reconstruction of the South following the Civil War, and perhaps most influenced by the assassination of Lincoln, which infuriated the Radical Republicans and has largely been seen by most historians as the greatest misfortune to befall the South because now there was vengeance in the eyes of many Northerners, is the topic of this blog. In looking back over Chapter 22, explain the key factors that defined both the successes and failures of Reconstruction. As you determine the specific social, political, and economic factors that one could use to frame an argument about the good and the bad aspects of Reconstruction, consider the question posed in the title of this blog, "Would Lincoln Have Mattered?" That is, would Reconstruction have happened in a fundamentally different way, perhaps better, if Lincoln had not been killed? That, in and of itself, begs a further consideration: what ifluence would Lincoln have had if he had merely been wounded and not died? What if he was mentally crippled from the headshot and survived? What if John Wilkes Booth had been stopped before he even entered the Presidential Balcony at Ford's Theater, and so Lincoln would never have been shot? So, consider the history of Reconstruction as it happened as well as how it might have happened if Lincoln had survived and in what condition.
DUE DATE: Friday, December 7 by midnight.
WORD COUNT: 500 words
30 comments:
It is almost impossible to determine ones fate, but to go back in time and try to determine the what 'ifs' could possibly be the most difficult question of all. There are endless possibilities to an endless amount of questions. Pertaining to Lincoln, Questions like; if he had lived through his own assassination and ended up mentally handicapped? What influence would lincoln have had if he had merely been wounded and not died? What if the president had never been shot in the first place? It is questions like these that has historians searching for answers. President Abraham Lincoln led the Union of northern states in four years of civil war against the southern Confederacy. But he did not live to see the end of the war nor did he did live to see the nation re-united. He was assassinated in April of eighteen sixty-five by the most infamous John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln's assassination caused additional anger against the southern states which resulted in more punitive action by northerners. At the end of the Civil War two very different plans for reconstructing the nation were offered. Had Lincoln lived perhaps history would have different. The assassination of Lincoln, however, left the vulnerable Andrew Johnson, a Southerner and former slave owner with no college education, President. Could he live up to Lincoln's ideals? Would he be allowed the opportunity? That is the question. After the Civil War congress was controlled by a group called the "Radical Republicans." Lincoln was able to control them and had proposed a plan for reconstruction that looked to treating the South more like a lost brother returning home. Lincoln looked to reconstruction as a time of healing. The Radical Republicans, however, looked at reconstruction as an opportunity to teach the South a lesson and to punish them. In 1866 Congress passed the Wade-Davis which called for rather draconian Reconstruction measures. Lincoln vetoed the bill but the debate raged. Lincolns death left a void in leadership, a void that Johnson was trying ever so hard to fill.It is no secret that Andrew Johnson was not as loved as Lincoln in his presidency, however, if Lincoln had survived and Johnson had never become president than life as we know it might as well be changed forever. We cannot perceive the repercussions of our actions, but even though Johnson was not the best of presidents, he was also not the worst. The Reconstruction Act, which prohibited these states from participating in congress until they passed the measure and revised their own state constitutions, had been passed by the Congress. The people were not happy to say the least. The whites went on a killing frenzy; burning, beating, and ruthlessly harming any blacks that they could lay their hands on. The effect, blacks were murdered by the hundreds.In 1870, another Civil Rights Act was passed, and was immediately followed by the 15th Amendment - "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color or previous conditions of servitude." Hopefully to counteract the damage that they had caused with the Reconstruction Act. Perhaps, if Lincoln had survived his assassination, none of the gruesome events would have transpired.
Abraham Lincoln had many plans for his second term in office, however this was short-lived when he was assassinated on April 14, 1865 and died later the next day. His idea of reconstruction following the end of the Civil War angered the Republican Party, upset the North, and confused the nation. Lincoln’s reconstruction plan consisted of three primary stages. The first would be a general amnesty plan that would pardon those who would adhere to the federal slave laws and pledge their loyalty to the United States. The second would require all military and political leaders of the South to be temporarily refrained from interacting with the process. Third, when one tenth of the voters who participated in the election of 1860 had taken the same oath within a particular state, only then could that state forge and release a new government and in turn, elect representatives to Congress again.
As to how events would have played out had Lincoln lived, whether he had never been assassinated, or had survived with or without any mental disabilities, no one can be certain, however it can be determined, to an almost certain degree that Lincoln would have been labeled as the Barrack Obama of their time, a disappointment and a failure, therein being impeached and denied any further political work quite so near presidency ever again. Moreover, the growing opinion of Lincoln at that time could be described as being a tyrant and a pushover. However good his intentions had been in his “forgive the South and get back to work” reconstruction plan, it ultimately could have been his downfall largely due to his plans for Federal laws pertaining to slaves and their new “wages” as well as letting the South off “Scott free”.
To dive further into this assertion, we can look at the effects of how keeping “payed” slaves as well as setting the ten-percent plan into motion would affect the traumatized United States. As far as keeping slavery in the South, it would definitely give rise to questions like “Was this war for nothing”, “What did our children die for?”, and “Should we suffer and not them (Southerners)?”, questions like these would surely leave the president without answers that would wholly satisfy the angry citizens, victimized and unrewarded in bitter victory. Just from this mistake, I believe that Lincoln would be impeached, unless he had other plans in store and suitable solutions.
In regards to President Lincoln’s plan to re-admit the Confederate States, had it gone through, the pent-up aggression could only be, well pent up for so long before it finally burst asunder like a mortar on the once fair fields that were now watered with blood. Violent words might have turned into violent protests and then full on riots to end this the way the people saw fit over their overly-compassionate leader.
As far as I have come to see and realize (like many), President Abraham Lincoln’s unfortunate assassination, ironically enough might have been the most fortunate thing to ever happen to him. Lincoln’s death not only preserved his memory, his commendable works and writings, and his beloved family, but his nation as well.
Time is an infinitely complex and ever changing aspect that surrounds us all, every action causes a chain of events that may radically affect the future. Changes in the past would set a cascade of unseen changes that would be impossible to determine, but the effects of such an action may change our present. Lincoln’s assassination has several variables, what if he had survived his injuries, or was left handicapped; it may have even been possible that he was never shot in the first place. Lincoln was possibly the most influential, and powerful president that had ever befallen our nation. He controlled the entirety of the power of the government for the nation for a long period, and with that power brought the nation together, ending the civil war. But he never witnessed the nation be truly reunited, the bullet in his brain ended with plans to connect the north and south with his ten percent plan.
However the question that needs to be asked is whether or not his survival from Ford’s Theater would have mattered to the unity of the nation. This is due to the group that controlled the congress at the time, the Radical Republicans. They had seen years of bloodshed and personally had witnessed and experienced loss at the hands of the south, they had no love or respect for the south, only contempt. So when their leader, who had brought them together and crushed the south’s attempt at leaving the union, brought a proposition to allow them back into the union so easily with the ten percent plan, they felt betrayed. And had Lincoln survived they would have prevented the will of his creation, and eventually possibly impeaching Abraham Lincoln in order to prevent his conflicting point of view from gaining acceptance. This would just grant Andrew Johnson the presidency, the same as when Lincoln died. With the president removed, congress would regain its original power as head of the nation, as it was designed to be. Leaving Andrew Johnson with little power of effectiveness, as he was already called the most unfortunate president, having the entirety of congress against him and his attempted actions.
However the death of Lincoln at the time added to the fire that burned with hatred for the south in the eyes on the radical republicans. The south had killed their leader, and now they had to enact their vengeance, in what is called the most unfortunate thing to happen to the south. His death ended the greatest support the south had in order for their reconstruction, and was replaced with angry and violent hands. However if he had not of died the south would have been viewed with contempt, instead of hatred. However the possibility exists that the infighting between the radical republicans and Lincoln would have prevented any real action from the north into the reconstruction of the south. This would further plunge the south into its large lower class, with no real wealth or education, further stand stilling the progression of the southern states.
The Reconstruction of the South following the Civil War could be argued as a success and a failure. Although Reconstruction, in the eyes of many people, was a failure, there were several good things to come out of it. Along with the few successes of Reconstruction came many failures; first, slaves received freedom, the right to vote, and citizenship, but were mostly unable to exercise their rights; second, white Southern plantation owners and black Freedmen were faced with growing debt; finally, the South was allowed back into the House of Representatives and Congress but Northern Republicans feared the South’s possible ascent to greater power. Therefore, for social, economic, and political reasons Reconstruction in the South was somewhat a success, but mostly a failure.
One major success to come out of the Reconstruction of the South was slaves receiving their freedom, the right to vote, and citizenship, but there were several downsides to this. Most Freedmen in the South were suppressed heavily to the point where exercising their newly given rights was practically impossible. Because of the Jim Crow Law black Freedmen were, by law forced to stay in the South and had to continue to work in order to survive. However, because Freedmen were no longer slaves they were no longer provided food or shelter by their master. Although they were being paid, the amount was so small the Freedmen forced to continue to work and were in a form of wage slavery.
By the time Reconstruction of the South began, the South’s economy was backward due to several key factors and required strengthening. One major factor that affected the South’s economy was the growing debt of Southern white plantation owners and black Freedmen. The Southern plantation owners and Freedmen were in debt mainly because of war expenses, arguments over labor contracts, and the increasing dependence on credit. As sugar and rice crops failed, Southerners relied on credit and cotton as collateral in order to purchase goods from the North and Southern plantation owners became desperate for income from cash crops. As interest rates rose, Southern farmers and African-Americans were drowning in debt.
Once Reconstruction began, most Southern was quickly re-admitted to the union and took back their places in the House of Representatives and in Congress. Many Republicans became uneasy when the South rejoined the Union for two main reasons; the South would most likely have a larger population and therefore more representatives in the House, and they were afraid of Democrats taking control of the South. The South would have a larger population because now slaves had their freedom and were therefore counted as a full person (instead of the 3/5 of a person they originally were counted as) and would be represented in the House of Representatives. A large percent of the South’s population was made up of former slaves and the South would have more representatives. Both the Republicans and the South knew this and Republicans were afraid of the South finding a way to gain more power.
Reconstruction of the South, although it mostly resulted in failure and in many ways set the South back, had some significant successes. It resulted in the abolition of slavery and the reunification of the Union.
One question many people ask is, “would Reconstruction have gone any differently if Abraham Lincoln was not assassinated?” but the truth is, the question is a big “what if?” In the case that John Wilks Booth had not assassinated Abraham Lincoln, the events preceding and following Reconstruction would have most likely been different.
Lincoln would have gone through with his plans for rapid Reconstruction of the South. Although Lincoln’s plan to punish the South as little as possible which would have had a relatively positive affect on the Union, many Northerners were angered by the notion. Their view of Lincoln’s plan was influenced mainly by the deaths many of family members. This uneasiness of Northerners would have caused the extreme Republicans to take action. However after the passing of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments freed slaves would most likely still be treated as they were as if Lincoln was assassinated, and force to work in a form of wage-slavery.
The South would have most likely attempted to exploit their power in Senate and the House of Representatives, because of the thousands of slaves in the South now counting as people the South would have more representation in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Northern Republicans also knew this and they knew they had to keep Democrats from taking over the South.
If Lincoln was not assassinated and lived to see another term as president, we may not have looked at him the same as if he had been assassinated, we wouldn’t have seen him as arguably the greatest president this country has seen. We would instead have, possibly, given him the label as one of the many “Forgettable Presidents.”
Beckett Lee
Periods 3 & 4
The day is April 14, 1865. The place is Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. In five minutes, the President of the United States of America will be shot. No one but the assassin and his conspirators have any knowledge of the plot. As Abraham Lincoln sits in his box seat, he watches the play and enjoys the moment knowing that his second term will bring a new age of greatness for the United States. Time passes quickly while he sits in his seat next to his beloved wife. He begins to think on the state of the Union he has saved when his thoughts are ended abruptly by a small piece of metal which lodges itself in his brain. What could have been if he had seen the curtains close, the morning come, the days go on, the Union heal? What great genius or tyrant could Lincoln have become? Lincoln could have possibly become not only the “Great Emancipator” but the “Great Rebuilder” as well; if the bullet had lodged itself in another part of his brain, Lincoln could have become an emotionally unstable fiend; if Lincoln’s guard had not gone to the local pub for a drink, perhaps Lincoln could have become the greatest dictator America had ever seen. All of these possibilities beg the question, “Would Lincoln have mattered?”
What if Lincoln had survived to rebuild the Union? He may have continued his attempts to peacefully reintegrate the South into the Union without severe action. If he had done so it can only be imagined what would be entailed. He may have maintained a small military force in the South and treat it as simply a part of the U.S. rather than split it into military districts like an invaded nation. He may have simply allowed the Southerners to return to their plantations without first separating loyalists and rebels. He could have provided more benefits for former slaves to prevent them from being forced to go back to working for their former masters for little wages. He just might have made it a severe offense to discriminate against former slaves. All of these possibilities assume, of course, that he survived unaffected by the assassination attempt.
But what if Lincoln had been mentally injured in the attempt? Perhaps the shot to his brain might have affected his mental state without killing him. Perhaps his recovery could have doomed the nation. By this point in time Lincoln was already a demi-god to the people. His death would make him a deity, but an unsuccessful attempt would have had much the same effect. Perhaps a mentally scarred Lincoln would have sent all former slaves to Liberia believing that it was in their best interest. Perhaps he would have recanted his belief that the Southerners were just rebels to be reintegrated. Perhaps an odd sense of justice would have settled over him and caused him to encourage persecution of the Southerners by the freedmen. It is impossible to say what he could have done in this state.
Perhaps an intact Lincoln could have gone a completely different direction. His belief in the power of the Federal Government and the danger of entrusting the states and people with too much power might have made him a tyrant. He had already suspended several individual liberties during the course of the war. Maybe he would not have returned them afterwards. He may have completed his conquest of Congress and made the President of the United States the most powerful dictator of the Western World. It is impossible to imagine all of the possibilities of a continued Lincoln presidency. He had so much potential to change America. He had the support of the people, and that was all he needed to change the course of history.
Olivia Brophy
Periods 3 & 4
The Reconstruction Era from 1867 to 1877 brought about many changes to the south eastern area of the United States. Although Lincoln had come up with a course for Reconstruction to follow, his death threw a massive wrench in the progress of this version of the plan, as well as the effects that it might have had. Firstly, the economic element of Reconstruction was most likely greatly harmed by the assassination of Lincoln, and therefore his Reconstruction plan; Secondly, Abraham Lincoln’s less extreme Reconstruction plan may have altered the negative backlash that resulted from the dramatic social changes implanted by the implemented plan; Thirdly, the political nature of Reconstruction was virtually recreated with Lincoln’s death, becoming an incredibly inflammatory measure in the eyes of the South. Thus, Lincoln’s death allowed for the economic, social, and political elements of Reconstruction to be drastically altered from what he had imagined.
While the South’s antebellum economic capacity could not be restored by any Reconstruction plan that did not reverse the effects of the 13th Amendment, Lincoln’s less intrusive plans for Reconstruction may have eased the South into a new normal. Disregarding the mass destruction of the South, without slaves, their agrarian economy was dealt a significant blow. Even sharecropping, in which black slaves unable to make a living because of “black codes” returned to their old masters for minimal wages, was less profitable than the slave-maintained cotton plantations of old. To lessen the economic hardship brought on by the war and the stringent Republican regime of Reconstruction, some “enterprising” whites, turned to the monetary exploitation of the newly enfranchised blacks to make enough money to survive. Had Lincoln survived, or not been shot at all, it is quite probable that the economic troubles faced in the South would have been reduced, at least minorly. However, the scandals surrounding, specifically, the newly enfranchised black would almost certainly have occurred even if Lincoln had lived to see Reconstruction, because such corruption was also present in the North.
It is quite possible that the less offensive Reconstruction plan of President Lincoln would have influenced the social effects of the reorganization of the South. The “black codes” implemented to practically keep emancipated blacks in slavery, were, in fact, supported by President Johnson, a Southern Democrat with many racial prejudices. If Lincoln had lived to see Reconstruction through, these racist laws may not have come into existence, or, at the very least, would not have been given presidential support, and therefore, a great degree of support. In addition, Johnson’s racist tendencies pushed him into vetoing the extension of the life of the Freedmen’s Bureau, which provided primitive welfare for the newly emancipated black population, as well as a Civil Rights Bill, which would have helped to counteract some of the effects of the black codes and given blacks American citizenship. Due to the fact that these pieces of legislation had already passed through Congress, had Lincoln not been assassinated, they most likely would have achieved presidential support, and may have saved Southern blacks and their friends in the North much grief.
pt. 2
President Lincoln’s plan for re admittance to the Union was significantly less inflammatory for the South than the one that was supported by Congress - for instance, 10% vs. 50% of the voting population taking an “oath of allegiance” to the United States. Congress’ boldness greatly offended the South, which was still unconvinced of any wrongdoing on it’s part, and may have been a factor of their defiance of many Northern tinged laws and their reversion to all white, Democratic governments once federal troops were removed from the South. If Abraham Lincoln had not been assassinated, Congress’ boldness probably would not have had the effect that it had, mostly due to the fact that Lincoln was a powerful President whom Congress respected, and therefore didn’t openly defy, while Lincoln’s successor, Johnson was a weak President for whom Congress had almost no respect. Lincoln’s power over Congress stemmed directly from his near dictator status during the war, while the disrespect towards Johnson developed from his having inherited a Northern dominated Republican White House and Congress as a Southern Democrat.
Had President Lincoln not been shot by John Wilkes Booth, Reconstruction almost certainly would have happened differently, and would have had much different consequences. This is also the most likely thing that would have occurred if Lincoln had been injured in such a way that allowed him to still function normally. However, if Lincoln was injured badly enough to render him unable to perform his duties as President, even if he survived the injury, Reconstruction, in my opinion, would probably have happened in much the same way as it actually did. This is mostly because if Lincoln wasn’t able to take the reigns for the executive and legislative branches of government, then Johnson would have assumed the presidency, been neglected by Congress, and would have run amok of Lincoln’s plans for Reconstruction in the same way that happened in reality.
Following the Civil War of 1861-1865, Abraham Lincoln’s second term was abruptly ended when he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. With the death of Lincoln, President Andrew Johnson inherited control of the unfinished, yet critical postwar task of Reconstruction of the South, through which controversies emerged that questioned the war and put to test the beliefs of the American people. First, the great social divide between blacks and white slave owners remained largely intact despite the outcome of the recent Civil War; second, tensions between the Republican party and the Southern states were further escalated by fears of disproportionate congressional power; third, the South’s dependence on the cultivation of their land for their ultimate restoration changed the original direction of Reconstruction. Therefore, because of social, political, and economic reasons, the Reconstruction of the South turned out to be not exactly what Lincoln had hoped for, and had he still been alive and competent to run America’s affairs, it is possible that the Reconstruction may have taken on a slightly different form than it did under the less-capable Johnson.
The Civil War had ended, yet the social gap between the black and white people of the United States remained, for the most part, uneasy. The Reconstruction plans of both Lincoln and Johnson required some form of acceptance of emancipation from the rebel states in order for them to be readmitted into the Union, but even though many Southern states complied with the conditions of reintegration, later events proved the actions to be less than virtuous. An example of this can be seen in what was known as the “Black Codes.” After the issuance of Johnson’s own Reconstruction proclamation in 1865 (which disenfranchised not only Confederate leaders but also those with taxable property worth more than $20,000), many wealthy aristocrats began petitioning Johnson for pardons, which he granted. However, once the planter elites of the South had regained power, the new southern governments began passing Black Codes, which kept emancipated blacks in “virtual” enslavement by regulating and restricting their activities. Already, the outcome of the Reconstruction seemed to defeat the purpose of the fight for blacks’ rights.
On the other hand, political conflicts did spur several successes out of Reconstruction. The Civil Rights Bill of 1866 as well as the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution happened as results of clashes between the Republicans and the president, and the Republicans and the Southern states. The controversy over the Civil Rights Bill was incited when President Johnson vetoed a bill that would’ve extended the operation of the Freedmen’s Bureau. In response to this, the Republicans of Congress defiantly passed the Civil Rights Bill (over Johnson’s later veto of this measure), which granted American citizenship to blacks. However, the Republicans began to worry about the fate of the Civil Rights Bill when they realized that with the restoration of the South, the politically strengthened southerners may win control of Congress by teaming up with the Northern Democrats, and therefore overturn many Republican measures. In order to safeguard the bill against this threat, the Republicans basically transferred the concept within the Civil Rights Bill into the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. Thanks to these two revolutionary measures, Reconstruction made great progress that most likely lined up with Lincoln’s view of what should be done about the emancipated slaves.
During the Civil War, the South had been greatly physically devastated. Now, in order to climb its way back to the high position where it once was, it needed its lands to be cultivated again, for the fields was where the South got all of its profit, prosperity, and power. But for their fields to thrive again, they needed some sort of labor force to work their lands. The Black Codes was also an economic factor because it “ensured a stable and subservient” working force to the southern plantation owners. Many freed slaves wound up working the fields again, this time, by the use of labor contracts, which pledged a worker for a certain amount of time for meager pay. Very harsh punishments surrounded any type of labor contract violation, and blacks were still prohibited to buy or sell land.
Abraham Lincoln was a prominent figure during the late 1800s. Proving himself very capable in his presidential duties, he commanded respect, humility, and hope in the way he handled the affairs of the American nation. However, despite his huge role in the development of the United States, I think that even with Lincoln, Reconstruction still would have been a struggle. Granted, Johnson was no Lincoln, but by this time, growing rifts between the American people had damaged circumstances. Lincoln’s own Republican party had split over his “10 percent” Reconstruction plan, with each separate faction leaning towards a different approach in how to deal with the issue of the southern states. Also, by the passing of Black Codes, the southern states proved that even after the Civil War, they weren’t about to give up on labor enslavement just yet. They were still far too dependent on their agricultural roots and their necessity of a working force to cultivate their lands for them. Resentment against freed blacks was still an issue among whites of the nation, despite emancipation. Without the support of a party or of a divided people, Lincoln probably might’ve had a hard time getting things done.
Tristan Mauricio
Periods 1&6
The Nation had just gotten through the Civil War that ended in 1865 and Abraham Lincoln had a plan that was meant to re-establish the Union. Abraham had just been re-elected and was preparing to bring the beaten Southern states back into the Union but he would never see his plan fulfilled. First of all, he was assassinated right before he could do anything; secondly, his plan to grant amnesty to the South would have been more like a slap on the wrist which had angered many in the North and perhaps the end of his presidency; lastly; it wouldn't matter if he survived John Wilkes Booth's bullet or not because the Nation was still divided. Abraham Lincoln would never see America rebuilt, he would never see the South forgiven, and he would never see his Nation become one once more despite the stress and fear of losing an entire half of the country, yet his assassination had preserved his legacy and prevented it being tarnished.
Abraham Lincoln had his heart in the right place, and no matter what he will always be one of the Greatest Presidents in history after he had helped the Nation survive the War and preserve the Union. His plan was created to throw aside and end the four years of hatred, violence, and bitterness, he was supposed to reunite the American people but all of that was cut when he was shot in the back of the head by someone who should have never been there. However his plan was not loved by all, to the Republicans in the North his plan was forgiving the South too easily and so lightly as if the South was put on a time out. He proposed to Congress that if only 10% of the South had apologized that they would be given full amnesty and this would lead to talk of his impeachment and it could have been passed if he hadn't been assassinated. His successor and Southerner Andrew Johnson had proceeded with Lincoln's plan which would lead to his impeachment and because of that fact I believe that the same would have happened to Abraham Lincoln. Even though he had prevented the destruction of Union and reintroduced the South back into The United States the North had a different mindset that would suppress the South long after the War had ended. Reconstruction in the South was created for the South to rebuild while the Ex-Slaves would have the opportunity for a stable job and good pay yet it was a great failure. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were created just for Blacks, they guaranteed their livelihood and recognized them as citizens but the South did not like the idea that their former Slaves were being paid just as much as them and their legislatures would pass Jim Crow laws that prevented Blacks from those rights. And to make things worse with Lincoln dead the new Freedmen’s Bureau would not be properly funded who could not feed the underprivileged and in turn the South would not recover as fast as they thought and the North would again leave them in the dust. No I do not think Lincoln would have mattered but ironically his death is what made him the President we know today.
During the mid-1800's, President Lincoln Proclaimed Amnesty and Reconstruction for the United States not long after large Union victories at the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. He had high hopes that this would persuade Confederates to surrender as well as rally northern support. However, Lincoln's plans were cut short when he was assassinated by John-Wilkes Booth in 1865. It is safe to assume that had Lincoln not been assassinated, those plans would have carried through, yet at the same time would have made Lincoln somewhat of a lesser "hero" then he is often regarded and remembered as today. First, a majority of Lincoln's idea of reform was predicated upon self-Reconstruction by the states and did not wish to chastise or completely restructure all of southern society under this rapid restoration (he was not a radical); second, one of his largest layout's for Reconstruction known as the "Ten Percent Plan" allowed for southern states to be readmitted to the Union under a strict allegiance oath; and third, he wanted to address both southern and northern economic issues by replacing the dollar with “greenbacks”. Thus, through these social, political and economic ideas for the betterment of the unstable state of the nation, Lincoln would have been able to accomplish this and more had he never been assassinated in the first place. First, a majority of his procedures involved self-reconstruction by states, seeing as he did not conceive himself as a radical Republican, and definitely would have played out differently had he never been shot. Following the end of the Civil War, many whites had been practicing violence against blacks; one of the largest white supremacy groups was the Klu Klux Klan. The only difference being that their target was the Republican Party as well as anyone who was aiding the blacks in seeking out their freedom. Attempts at controlling these incidents were all in vain, and eventually formal attempts at limiting black’s authority such as the "Black Codes" arose alongside the Klu Klux Klan. This uprising due to leaving construction solely in the hands of the south was detrimental; there was no hope of a peaceful resolution while the Union and the Confederacy were constantly at each other's throats. It is quite possible that the nation would not have broken out into such chaos had Lincoln been there to pacify and to an even greater extent solve quickly escalating tension between the two opposing regions. Second, Lincoln’s “Ten Percent Plan” in which he permitted the states to be accepted back into the Union, but only under oath. Meaning that once ten percent of a state’s voters swore to this oath of allegiance in regards to the Union, only then could they elect delegates to draft and revise central state governments. He along with the rest of Congress simply wanted a swift end to the war, but what they received instead, (after his death) was the exact opposite of everyone’s presumptions, resulting in the punishment of southern slaves. It was too late for the United States to turn back at that point. But if Lincoln were to have followed through with his original intentions without interruption, numerous freed slaves that wound up migrating to what is now known as Detroit, Chicago, and Pittsburg seeking new industrial economic/work opportunities, it is probable that they would have spread themselves out more instead of remaining in densely populated terrain. Andrew Johnson was a little too lenient with seceding states when it came to his effort to “follow” most of Lincoln’s plans (he would pardon those taking a loyalty oath, yet none were available to high Confederate officials owing large property values). This drove the already widening wedge between the north and the south even wider upon Lincoln’s permanent absence, furthering segregation still occurring to a far lesser but nevertheless slightly prevalent discrimination of the present day.
Part 2
And third, Lincoln wanted to substitute the existing dollar with something he referred to as the “greenback”. His belief was that bankers should not exclusively oversee the printing of money. He was however in favor of the national bank, a high protective tariff, and “corporate welfare” used when dealing with the railroad building industries. Had Lincoln not been the victim of homicide, these “greenbacks” (eventually resembling the money one uses today) would have been visually distinctive. It was argued post-civil war by the Treasury of McCulloch that the United States should revert back to the gold standard, but we ultimately reverted back once again(Federal Reserve Notes had been issued before then). The industrialization of the northern states and the migration of southerners would not have had a large enough incentive to go that distance, making a change in currency unnecessary and the South would not have been quite as held up with the slave economy under Lincoln’s reconstruction. Because of these societal, governmental, and monetary situations, Lincoln’s principles for an improved nation would have had a greater chance of success. They may even have lessened the racial tensions to this day, in spite of potential slighting of said accomplishments due to him living out his presidency to the fullest rather than an impression of some type of “fallen hero”.
Reconstruction as it happened in American history was largely a failure. President Lincoln’s plan was to forgive the South as long as they re-wrote their constitutions, abolished slavery, and ten-percent of voters and congressmen took an oath to The United States of America. The Radical Republicans did not agree with this plan and instead wanted to punish the South. LIncoln just wanted everybody to try and forget the whole war had not happened and focus on making America stronger.
After the assassination of Lincoln, the Radical Republicans were even more enraged and lustful to punish the South. Andrew Johnson, who became president after LIncoln’s death, planned to follow through with Lincoln’s ideas and desires. Only until the election of 1866 however, as the Radical Republicans took over policy, took former Confederates off their seats, and enfranchised the Freedmen. When former General Ulysses S. Grant became president, he introduced a more enforcing form of reconstruction. Using both the military and the U.S Justice department to prevent white supremacy and force whites to treat negroes as full citizens or face punishment. The Southerners got a sense of dejá-vu. Experiencing the kind of oppression the colonists had faced from the English. Clearly, Southern Democrats did not take kindly to this military occupation and, smartly avoiding conflict, struck a deal with the Northern Republicans who desperately desired to keep their party in the White House. The deal was that the republicans got to keep their president, while at the same time removing the military from the south. Agreeing, the Republicans pulled all the troops out of the South and left them to their own devices. The South did in fact follow the rules set forth by Lincoln but made a mockery of it. Treating the negroes almost exactly the same as when they were slaves. Paying them very little and even making it illegal for negroes to move out of state. Forcing them to live in these brutal conditions. It would not be for another century before blacks got full civil rights.
However, history would have been very different had Lincoln not been assassinated. There are many different sides to this debate. What it could have been had Lincoln been shot but not killed, not shot at all, or shot, recovered, but had mental issues. The view about no shots at all is the easiest to analyze and to guess the end result. Had the president not been shot at all, he clearly would have gone forward with his 10 percent plan. Allowing the South back in after they complied to a few small demands. Lincoln would have then made sure African Americans had the freedom to go and do as they pleased, even putting a few into House Representative seats. After people were on level ground again, industrializing the South would have happened much quicker than it actually did. All the while Lincoln was busy reconstructing the South, He would make many enemies back in Washington. The Radical Republicans, members of his own party, and as I stated previously, desired more punishments on the Southerners. Had Lincoln not been shot, he would have been regarded as a disappointing president. A George W. Bush of his time. A great first term and a lackluster second term. Something else noteworthy of Lincoln’s imaginary second term, Lincoln would have to learn to work with others. In his first term he worked primarily on his own stopping the war and passing the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, without congress ever being in session. LIncoln would have to give up a lot of power that he was accustomed to having. Granting him more enemies than friends. Upon close examination on the view of the assassination never taking place, had LIncoln served a second term, he would not be as loved as he was.
In the period of the Civil War during the early 1860s, President Lincoln’s actions to end the war portrayed him as an important and highly valued component to people and politician, as well as a great man following his death at Ford’s Theater. Had he not left this earth by the barrel of a gun, Honest Abe’s supporters may have become his opponents for impeachment. If Lincoln was able to survive an attempt on his life, his loving nation could possibly rebuke his actions following the war, as Andrew Johnson inherited his post-war schematics. A continuation of President Lincoln’s presidency would have plummeted his support for three reasons: the waning Republican support of Andrew Johnson as he carried the burdens of the nation’s future; the dissatisfaction of the Union by bringing the South back in a simple procedure; and the slow economic reconstruction in the South caused by the war would have destroyed Lincoln in a continued presidency.
Under Andrew Jonson’s presidency, the southern went against what most politicians predicted with the northern Republican leader dead, as he continued Lincoln’s policies and planned actions to restore the union as quickly as possible. These actions, however, such as the Ten Percent plan created many enemies in Congress until the hot-tempered president was impeached. This shows that Johnson was to take the fall for Lincoln’s failure to execute his plans. If Lincoln had been the president of two full terms, he could have left it with enemies instead of admirers. His very own party would have abandoned him, as it was Lincoln’s intentions to quickly bring in the South into the Union, but vengeful congressmen wouldn’t willingly submit to such an execution of executive power.
This resentment towards the south as well as continued discrimination between whites and black is what fundamentally slowed the process of the reformation period. With a loss of many close ones in the war, many Congressmen were unwilling to simply allow the South to be inserted back into the Union so suddenly, and many in both areas were not recognizing fellow African Americans as citizens, such as the radical Ku Klux Klan in the most savage manner possible, including burning of black’s homes’ families, hangings, and many more disturbing acts. This shows that even though the war was over, Lincoln could not accomplish reestablishing the nation in such a quick instance, which would have dropped support by his fellow Republicans and the people as well.
With The Emancipation Proclamation issued by the president in 1863, “Honest Abe” became known as “the Emancipator” during the civil war to civil rights activists and freed slaves. What this did in the process caused the destruction of the Southern economic systems and thousands of slaves were relieved of their “involuntary servitude”. This, in effect, created an even slower process of reconstruction, with a new economic system being required, as well as work for the freed men. This slowed down reconstruction so greatly that Lincoln’s actions caused more pain to the process by repairing the machine he dismantled.
Whatever may have happened if Lincoln had lived beyond his second term, I don’t believe he would finish. When he was president, Lincoln ran like a dictator, and though he was no Jackson in personality, he could have been impeached without receiving as much fame.
Edith Chavez
Periods 1&6
The Reconstruction Era of the United States brought about many changes for the ex-slave states of the South. Many of these changes wouldn’t have even come about if it hadn’t been for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The murder brought around tougher re-admittance requirements which forced a greater political shift; hurt the economy for the white slave-owners; and helped to eventually truly get rid of slavery all together in the South. Had Lincoln’s assassination not occurred, the Reconstruction wouldn’t have been drastic enough for slavery to have been entirely abolished.
As great as Lincoln may have been during his first term, his greatness would have faded politically for failing to make the Civil War worth something. Lincoln’s original plan to let southern states come back into the Union’s government if they had 10% of the vote swear an oath of allegiance to the Union and abolished slavery. The Republicans were outraged by it for being too lenient and many others were outraged because the percentage was so small especially compared to the percentage of people affected by the war- pretty much 100%. Lincoln would have fast lost popularity and not be seen in the same light today had he lived. The vast majority of the South wouldn’t have had to swear an oath and could have easily started up another war or have manipulated the North with more threats of secession into allowing slavery again in a few years. The plan proposed by the radicals after the President’s death forced the majority of southerners to swear allegiance before re-admitted and helped avoid another war as well as forced the South to change their extreme proslavery governments and lead to eventually ending slavery. The economy helps show why it was fortunate that Lincoln died for the sake of ending slavery. Many slave owners lost money when having to free their slaves and couldn’t profit nearly as much as before. A type of slavery was created with the Black Codes which limited the freedoms of the dark-skinned people and forced them back into labor for their ex-masters. They got paid but it was such a meager amount that they were still virtually slaves and unable to buy land. This way the white plantation owners could still be wealthy despite not being as rich as before. This loss of money and continued racism could have easily caused the South to bring back slavery had they not been kept under-control for a while after the war by federal troops. Even if they had failed to bring it back all-together, the south would have still been able to keep a greater social class distinction based on race. The south managed to pass legal, explicitly racist laws but the Republicans managed to use their plan to give the blacks a bit more freedom by prohibiting many ex-confederate officials the ability to go into government. This allowed a more republican leaning Congress to be in control. The blacks could and did eventually get equal rights not just in the 14th and 15th Amendments but also socially even if it took about another century. The process of bringing equality did take around a hundred years but if the south had been allowed more freedom like Lincoln wanted, there is the possibility that the United States would still have legal racism.
Abraham Lincoln, one of the most influential president since Andrew Jackson, really only became what he is today because of his assassination. If Lincoln hadn’t become this almost “martyr” character, everything would have turned out differently. If Lincoln had only been wounded or had been shot but came out mentally crippled, or if John W. Booth hadn’t been able to even get into the Presidential balcony, things would have come out differently. His idea of reconstruction was significantly different than the other northerners’ opinion on how punishment to the south should be. First, motivated by a desire to create a strong Republican party in the south, he issued a declaration for the areas in the south with Union occupation; second, High Confederate military leaders would be excluded from the process; and third, one tenth of the number of supporters who participated in the 1860 election had taken an oath within a state, that state could form a new government and elect new congressmen. With these three parts of his plan, this is how one would know what might have happened if Lincoln was never shot. On the other hand, if Lincoln had been shot and somehow survived, with severe brain damage Johnson would have still become president due to Lincoln being incapable of performing the duties of his position as President. The only plausible reason for a large change in how history went is if Lincoln wasn’t fatally wounded. When the Republican leader, who had brought them together and crushed the south’s effort at leaving the union, brought a proposal to allow them back into the union so effortlessly with the ten percent plan, they felt beguiled. Had Lincoln survived they would have prohibited the will of his creation, and eventually possibly impeaching Abraham Lincoln in order to avert from his contradictory point of view from gaining approval. The death of Lincoln at the time added to the fire that burned with hatred for the south in the eyes on the radical republicans. The south had killed their leader, and now they had to enact their vengeance, in what is called the most unfortunate thing to happen to the south. His death ended the greatest support the south had in order for their reconstruction, and was replaced with angry and violent hands. With The Emancipation Proclamation issued by the president in 1863, during the civil war. What this had caused in the development was the destruction of the Southern economic systems and thousands of slaves were relieved of their unjust servitude and became one step closer to their freedom. These had an opposite effect and made an even slower progression of reconstruction, with a new economic system being necessary, as well as work for the freed slaves. This slowed down reconstruction so greatly that Lincoln’s actions caused more pain than was needed to repair this country. Whatever may have happened if Lincoln had lived beyond his second term, I don’t believe he would be allowed to finish his second term.
My internet was down yesterday, so I wasn't able to publish the comment.
Even before the horrors of the Civil War were officially over, the procedures for the ordeal of Reconstruction were beginning to be fleshed out. All might have gone smoothly, but with John Wilkes Booth’s historic bullet, the fate of the south fell into the mediocre hands of ill-prepared president, Andrew Johnson. With the collapsed southern economy being the primary example for the dire necessity of reform, the absence of Lincoln’s understanding greatly harmed any chance of a peaceful transition; President Johnson’s own personal racist bias severely confused his predecessor’s message of social unity; and while Lincoln’s assassination did serve to bolster the public’s opinion of him, it simultaneously threw salt in the newly healed wound of the Union. The prickly economic, social, and political implications of Reconstruction determined the nation’s trajectory, but the truly momentous nature of this event comes to the surface when one considers the myriad paths the country might have taken had The Great Emancipator lived to see his vision completed.
While at first the south celebrated the death of Abraham Lincoln, the people soon realized that the lack of his compassion and reason might spell disaster for them. The War had left the south on its knees economically as the majority of its workforce had abandoned the once lush plantations. The Cotton Kingdom would not be able to match its previous production quotas until 1870 with the help of the Southwest and yet the victors demanded a harsher plan for Reconstruction than Lincoln had intended with his 10 Percent Plan.
The most obvious and challenging issue facing the federal government was how to incorporate the millions of newly freed slaves into the country as the majority of them could not read nor write, thus making it impossible for them to find work that did not startlingly resemble slavery. The establishment of the Freedmen’s Bureau in 1865 helped to ease this transition, but President Johnson’s veto of its extension and of the forward thinking Civil Rights Act in 1866 swept the issue of social equality under the rug where it would stay for close to one hundred years. I believe this is where Lincoln and Johnson show the most disparity for if Lincoln had not been shot, or lived to die another day, the newly freed slaves could have enjoyed a more prosperous life as Lincoln would have strived to ensure that those who had sacrificed their lives in the war would not have died in vain.
The country did not fully appreciate what they had with Lincoln as president until it was gone, but what should have been mourning turned to animosity between the two irate factions of north and south. Vicious rumors and glorified depictions and descriptions of Lincoln in no way helped the tentative steps the nation had taken towards reconciliation. In many ways, Lincoln’s near dictator status during the war contributed to the so called crucifixion of his disliked replacement. With Congress fighting tooth and nail to reclaim its usurped powers, Johnson walked the plank; with disunity in Washington, it is no wonder that the country did not seamlessly merge back together.
The thorny issues of Reconstruction shaped the course of history for America in a way that even the Civil War couldn’t manage. While Andrew Johnson left much to be desired, it is interesting to contemplate what might have been had the name John Wilkes Booth never skyrocketed to national and historical infamy.
Annika Newman
Periods 1 & 4
Following the Civil War was perhaps the most catastrophic failure the United States had ever seen, otherwise known as the Reconstruction. Hugely influenced by President Lincoln's assassination on April 14, 1865, the Reconstruction of the South brought upon great animosity amongst Northerners. First, slaves were granted liberty, citizenship, and the fundamental right to vote through the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, but were extremely limited to exercising their rights; second, debt was spreading rapidly amongst white Southerners and free blacks; thirdly, political tensions grew as Southerners were no longer restrained from entering Congress, causing an overlying fear amongst Northern Republicans that the South would gain excessive power. Thus, for social, economic, and political reasons, the Reconstruction showed an enormous lack of success, but would most likely not have turned out much differently had John Wilkes Booth's infamous bullet never penetrated Abraham Lincoln's skull.
A few of the only major successes of the Reconstruction Era was the abolition of slavery, the right to citizenship, and the liberty to vote. However, even with these significant successes, many negative factors were introduced. The ruthless suppression of the majority of freed blacks in the South made it merely impossible for them to exercise their recently earned rights. Extreme racism did not cease to exist, and groups such as the Ku Klux Klan rose up to suppress the rights of Freedmen. Free blacks were required to remain in the South and were forced to continue working to survive under the Jim Crow Law. In addition, Freedmen were not getting the benefits of free food and a place to stay as they did when they were slaves. The limited wages they did receive were utterly insufficient, and in most cases blacks returned to work in similar conditions as they did in their past, in a form of “wage slavery.” Had Lincoln been able to serve a second term, his fierce determination to end such inequality could have perhaps stopped this fallout from occurring. However, with his Ten Percent Plan, this unfortunate fate most likely would have taken place nevertheless, just in a slightly different form.
At the beginning of the Reconstruction, the economy of the South was struggling and in need of adequate restoration. A growing debt amongst white Southern plantation owners and free blacks had a titanic impact on the South's economy. Excessive war expenses, unsettled labor contracts, and the expanding attachment on credit were the main reasons for such debt in the South. Southerners depended on cotton and credit to purchase items from the North, and soon became entirely desperate for income from their precious cash crops. To make matters worse, rice and sugar crops were failing, and some Southerners had no choice but to use credit. As a result, interest rates skyrocketed, and most free blacks and Southern farmers were up to their necks in debt. Had Lincoln's fate been different, he perhaps could have formulated a plan that could have proved to be more effective in restoring the nation's economy.
Annika Newman
Periods 1 &4
(Part 2)
Ironically, most of the South was re-admitted to the Union as soon as the Reconstruction Era emerged, and Southerners took back their seats in Congress. A large portion of Republicans began to fear that the South would dominate the number of representatives in the House, and that slavery would be re-established. It seemed to many that the war did not bring the radical change of everyday life that some had hoped it would. The South's population was larger after the war due to the abolishment of the Three-Fifths Compromise and ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment. A bulky percentage of the South's population now consisted of former slaves, allowing for an increased amount of representatives. Both sides were aware of this, and Republicans were beyond uneasy at the thought of the South gaining more power. Unfortunately, the fate of the country might not have been much better under President Lincoln if he were able to serve another term. His Ten Percent Plan would have led to an almost identical fallout, and the nation would still be faced with increasing tension as a result of the war.
The Reconstruction of the South is seen by many historians today as one of the country's greatest failures, with extremely limited positive factors involved. The abolition of slavery did permit blacks to have some basic freedoms, but due to the flawed government, it was merely impossible to support themselves and their families without similar labor. Lincoln's ill-fated assassination brought upon widespread outrage amongst Republicans, but in reality, a second term would have most likely exerted a negative connotation to his glorious name. Lincoln served as a competent, determined, mannerly President in his first term, as he was able to do the unthinkable and allow for the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment. However, it was inevitable that the aftermath of such an atrocious war would not be an easy fix. Lincoln's unfortunate assassination may have preserved his idolized name and bypassed any further complications that could have prolonged the failed Restoration of the South.
You cannot measure time nor try to predict its next move, you can only watch it come and go wishing you had done something different or be glad for what had happened. On April fifteenth eighteen-sixty five Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Washington D.C at the Ford’s Theater. At this time killing the president, especially if you’re a southerner was one of the worst things that you could have done. There are three possible outcomes that could have occurred as a result of this event: first, what if Lincoln had survived his wounds and not died? Second, what if he survived the shot but was left mentally crippled? Lastly, what if John Wilkes Booth (Lincoln’s killer) was apprehended before his crime was committed? Taking into consideration these three possibilities the Idea of Reconstruction can be analyzed with respect to these three historical “what-ifs.”
Abraham Lincoln was a great leader , but the question that people should think about is whether or not his survival from the gunshot wound would have mattered or not. The Radical Republicans who were the leaders of congress had been through the wars with the south and were not fond of them in the least. With the plans that Lincoln had to unite the union, having a southerner come and assassinate him did not help their relationship. If Lincoln had survived the shot would congress have still been ok with his plans. They may not have been so willing to unite with the south and been more likely to go to war for what the south had done, or at least denied the south the right to unite with the north in any sort of form.
A gun shot can do many things to a person: leave them dead, physically and or mentally injured, as well as cost them limbs or possibly, a place in office. Lincoln took a bullet to the back of his head in Ford’s Theater. What if he had survived that shot but was left mentally ill? Would he have been allowed to keep his place in office? Or even been allowed to go through with his plans? Congress may have felt that Lincoln was suffering from a severe wound and kicked him out of office, which would end up allowing Andrew Johnson the presidency which is what happened after Lincoln’s death anyway. There are an infinite amount of possibilities that could have happened after the incident and this is just one.
To think how much power one man can hold in his hand and not take into consideration all the outcomes that may come into play with just one wrong choice. John Wilkes Booth held that power in his hands when he shot our sixteenth president ending the chances for a united states for that time period. Imagine all the peace and understanding that would have been possible back then if he had been apprehended before committing his crime. Lincoln would have lived out his life and gone through with his plans to unite the north and south, and who knows what else. Because of one man’s vengeful act Lincoln was unable to see his plans go through to the end and have the north and south unite.
How things might have changed had he survived the assassination is an interesting prospect. Had he survived, how might the north have felt about the crime? If he survived but was left mentally Ill, would he have been able to keep his place in office? If John Wilkes Booth was caught before the crime was committed, how would Lincoln’s plans have played out? All of these are questions that we will never know the answer to, but will always be something that we will ponder.
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in April of 1865 by John Wilkes Booth and there have been endless possibilities as to what would have happened if Lincoln had not been killed, ended up mentally handicapped or merely been wounded. It is safe to assume that had Lincoln not been assassinated, his plans would have carried through. Lincoln's idea of reform was predicated upon self-Reconstruction by the states and his desire to reunite the north and south. One of his plans for Reconstruction known as the "Ten Percent Plan" allowed for southern states to be readmitted to the Union under a strict allegiance oath and he wanted to address both southern and northern economic issues by replacing the dollar with “greenbacks”.
The South's population was larger after the war due to the abolishment of the Three-Fifths Compromise and ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment. A large percentage of the South's population now consisted of former slaves, allowing for an increased amount of representatives. Both sides were aware of this, and Republicans were very uneasy at the thought of the South gaining more power. However, His Ten Percent Plan might have led to the same fallout, and the nation would have still be faced with increasing tension as a result of the war. If Lincoln had survived the shot but was left mentally ill, it would have been the same as if he had been killed because he would not have had the ability to run the country.
Lincoln's assassination left the vulnerable Andrew Johnson, a Southerner and former slave owner with no college education, the new President of the United States. Johnston was not able to measure up the to the “hero” Lincoln had become and the House voted for impeachment and the Senate only failed to convict him by one vote leaving little chance for him to work cooperatively with Congress. After the Civil War, Congress was controlled by a group called the "Radical Republicans." Lincoln was able to control them when he was alive and had proposed a plan for reconstruction as a time of healing. Without Lincoln the Radical Republicans looked at reconstruction as an opportunity to teach the South a lesson and to punish them. The South in return kept up the mantra “the South shall rise again” so the bad blood continued.
If Lincoln had survived and Johnson had never become president, life as we know it might have been changed forever but we will never know. Johnson was not the best of presidents but he was also not the worst. The Reconstruction Act, which prohibited these states from participating in congress until they passed the measure and revised their own state constitutions, had been passed by the Congress. The people were angry and the whites brutalized the blacks. Blacks were murdered by the hundreds. In 1870, another Civil Rights Act was passed, and was immediately followed by the 15th Amendment - "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color or previous conditions of servitude." It took another century but It’s possible that if Lincoln had survived his assassination it wouldn’t have taken so long for blacks to attain equal rights.
On April fourteenth 1865, on the balcony of Ford’s Theatre, The great President Abraham Lincoln was shot in the head found to be dead the next morning. Had Lincoln not been shot, would he have mattered? Lincoln’s work was unfinished in the white house; in the states; and with the economy. Had he been alive longer, maybe he would have done greater things or failed miserably.
First, had Lincoln not died, it would have been a miracle for people. It is a possibility that they may have had someone to look up to and admire (though they did already). They would have seen him as a chance of hope that though things may get tough there will always be a greater outlook. Even if he was paralyzed from the gun shot, people would see him as their hope and miracle. Now had he been mentally crippled or disabled, they still would have found him a miracle but he would not have been able to stay in office therefore people may not find it as astonishing. Had he never died, things may have had a greater outlook than what they had.
Socially, with the slaves, Lincoln could have possibly done more than what he accomplished. With Emancipation Proclamation in place, he might have actually accomplished something as great as what Martin Luther King Jr. had accomplished. He was definitely against slavery and he demonstrates this in the way that he fought it. He was seen as a hero to many slaves, some may even think of him as a god. Either way the slaves admired him giving him the name “Father Abraham”. However, there is also the slight chance that he would have been threatened by the people or congress and caved into allowing there to be slavery again and maybe switching his idea to being for slavery. There is no telling what could have happened had Lincoln lived. When Johnson became president he passed the black codes taking away parts of the blacks’ freedom. Had Lincoln been threatened it is a possibility he would have taken this route as well, if however he was that fearful of losing his life. Seeing how Lincoln lived, though, he did not seem like the type of man to be afraid of death but more afraid of not doing the right thing noticing his nickname “Honest Abe”.
Politically, had Lincoln stayed in office there is a possibility that he would have made the Congress very happy. There is also the possibility that they would have had him impeached. It has been said that neither the North copperheads nor the south confederates enjoyed Mr. Abe Lincoln. They felt that he was keeping them at war for no reason. However they did not see the method to his madness. Had they just stopped the war, the south would have won and all that fighting would have been for nothing. Though all those men rejoiced when they heard of Lincoln’s assassination, once they took a step back out of the madness, they realized his greatness. After Lincoln’s death, the North had gotten very upset at the rumor that Jefferson Davis had plotted it. Had Lincoln not died or not been shot at all, it is a very high possibility he would have been impeached because the congress was getting tired of him along with many of the citizens.
Had Abraham Lincoln been alive longer, it is a very high possibility that he would have succeeded as greater things. However there is also the high possibility that he would have failed miserably and been remembered as a terrible President rather than how he is remembered today, a great man.
On April 14th, 1865, In Ford’s Theater, John Wilkes Booth, a crazed actor entered into Lincoln’s balcony and shot him, ending Lincoln’s life and future political career. The death of Lincoln spelled disaster for future reconstruction plans as the dreams of an easy and peaceful reentry of the South died with Lincoln. First, the death of Lincoln ruined the South’s chances of getting off easily, as Lincoln’s death took away the only barrier between the South and the radical Republican Congress; second, the death of Lincoln put ill-equipped Johnson in power with the difficult job of socially uniting the split country; third, the economic disparity of the south was only worsened by the death of Lincoln who was their only chance of successfully rebuilding the South’s shattered economy without slavery. Therefore, because of the political, social, and economic reasons Lincoln’s death dramatically set back and changed reconstruction.
Lincoln’s death, although at first celebrated by the south, was the worst thing that could have happened to the south by getting rid of Lincoln, who planned to let the south off easy and let them back into the union with little more than a “slap on the hand” (Quote By Mr.K). Had Lincoln have lived the south would have looked fundamentally different and would have not viewed the Civil War as “the Lost Cause” and would have instead embraced their identity as Americans and not southerners. Also the death of Lincoln did not finish the total equality of slaves which may have been possible had Lincoln not died. Lincoln’s death also removed the only real barrier between the south and the angered Radical Republicans who would settle for no less than total humiliation and strip of power from the South. Lincoln was the first powerful president after President Jackson, and had the potential of successfully blocking the efforts of humbling the south. Lincoln’s death also left nothing in the way of the Radical Congress from trying to grab for power. Lincoln’s death put the ill-equipped Democrat Johnson in power, who would be walked over by the power hungry and crazed Congress. Johnson, put into the presidency by the death of Lincoln, was “straddling the rail.” He was thought of as a traitor by the south and as a “Democrat by the North, who thought of him, like the Whigs thought of Tyler as “his accidency.” This put him in a bad position to be successful and ultimately led him to every time to be walked over by the far more powerful Congress. Finally, Lincoln’s death took away the only chance for the south to rebuild their economy with the absence of slavery. The South’s economy was shattered after the total war policies of the North, and the absence of slavery which was the heart and life of their economy, and Lincoln was the only one who was powerful enough to successfully rebuild their economy without slavery. This may have further prevented the black codes and resentment of the whites of the rising power of the blacks be decreasing their economic disparity.
The South was doomed by the death of Lincoln to the groping hands of the Radical Republican Congress who were ever looking for power. Lincoln’s death doomed them to the harsh reconstruction plans of the south, took away their shield from Congress, and left them with a shattered economy.
-Christian Filbrun
The North was slowly defeating the confederacy in the towards the end of the 1860's. Lincoln's assassination was extremely unfortunate for the south, since if he had survived, he might have been able to keep congress under control. First, Lincoln's policy was a bit better than the plan Andy "Veto" uses; Second, Lincoln would use his social power in order to "cool" the congress down. Lincoln's status from the long but successful Civil War would have probably kept the Radical Republicans from bringing their "wrath" upon the south.
Lincoln's VP wasn't the replacement that America needed. In fact, some people believed that Andrew Johnson came to the office as the wrong president for the job at the wrong time. Lincoln's 10% plan may have been similar to Johnson's plan, but some of the changes sent republicans over the edge. Johnson's continuous Veto's got him the Nickname Andy "Veto", and this was in reality the last straw for the Republicans in congress. Johnson's background could explain some of these difficulties, since he was basically a southern democrat, but he refused to secede with the rest of people. Southern Democrats saw him as a traitor and the northern Republicans still didn't accept him. Nobody would truly support him, and he lost control to the Republicans in congress. Lincoln would have actually been able to unify the republican party, since he was actually a Republican himself, and wasn't "almost" on their side.
President Jackson did not lead the country in the long but successful war, President Lincoln did. Lincoln had led the country in a near "dictatorship" since congress almost never met. However, many of his decisions were later approved by congress afterwards. Lincoln in a way was almost like George Washington, a figure head who had led them in a war who was had the power to take over the country if he wanted to, but didn't, He used this power to instead to try to repair the union. If he hadn't died, his momentum wouldn't have been stopped dead. Even if some republicans didn't like his 10% Plan, Lincoln would have likely been able to get congress to accept it. He was a republican, so he wouldn't veto so many bills with republican ideals in it like Andrew Johnson was. Lincoln wouldn't have been hated by both parties, and only one instead, since he didn't "betray" the Republicans like Johnson "betraying" his fellow southern Democrats. This way Lincoln would be able to keep the south from being tortured by the Radical Republicans but also being able to successfully "rebuild" the south.
Nick Palmares
Per. 4
Abraham Lincoln had just been re-elected and was preparing to bring the beaten Southern states back into the Union but he would never see his plan fulfilled. First of all, he was assassinated right before he could do anything; secondly, his plan to grant amnesty to the South would have been more like a slap on the wrist which had angered many in the North and perhaps the end of his presidency; lastly; it wouldn't matter if he survived John Wilkes Booth's bullet or not because the Nation was still divided. Abraham Lincoln would never see America rebuilt, he would never see the South forgiven, and he would never see his Nation become one once more despite the stress and fear of losing an entire half of the country.
Abraham Lincoln had his heart in the right place, and no matter what he will always be one of the Greatest Presidents in history after he had helped the Nation survive the War and preserve the Union. His plan was created to throw aside and end the four years of hatred, violence, and bitterness, he was supposed to reunite the American people but all of that was cut when he was shot in the back of the head by someone who should have never been there. However his plan was not loved by all, to the Republicans in the North his plan was forgiving the South too easily and so lightly as if the South was put on a time out. He proposed to Congress that if only 10% of the South had apologized that they would be given full amnesty and this would lead to talk of his impeachment and it could have been passed if he hadn't been assassinated. His successor and Southerner Andrew Johnson had proceeded with Lincoln's plan which would lead to his impeachment and because of that fact I believe that the same would have happened to Abraham Lincoln. Even though he had prevented the destruction of Union and reintroduced the South back into The United States the North had a different mindset that would suppress the South long after the War had ended. Reconstruction in the South was created for the South to rebuild while the Ex-Slaves would have the opportunity for a stable job and good pay yet it was a great failure. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were created just for Blacks, they guaranteed their livelihood and recognized them as citizens but the South did not like the idea that their former Slaves were being paid just as much as them and their legislatures would pass Jim Crow laws that prevented Blacks from those rights. And to make things worse with Lincoln dead the new Freedmen’s Bureau would not be properly funded who could not feed the underprivileged and in turn the South would not recover as fast as they thought and the North would again leave them in the dust.
The Reconstruction Era from 1867 to 1877 brought about many changes to the south eastern area of the United States. Many of these changes wouldn’t have even come about if it hadn’t been for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The murder brought around tougher re-admittance requirements which forced a greater political shift; hurt the economy for the white slave-owners; and helped to eventually truly get rid of slavery all together in the South. Had Lincoln’s assassination not occurred, the Reconstruction wouldn’t have been drastic enough for slavery to have been entirely abolished.
As great as Lincoln may have been during his first term, his greatness would have faded politically for failing to make the Civil War worth something. Lincoln’s original plan to let southern states come back into the Union’s government if they had 10% of the vote swear an oath of allegiance to the Union and abolished slavery. The Republicans were outraged by it for being too lenient and many others were outraged because the percentage was so small especially compared to the percentage of people affected by the war- pretty much 100%. Lincoln would have fast lost popularity and not be seen in the same light today had he lived. The vast majority of the South wouldn’t have had to swear an oath and could have easily started up another war or have manipulated the North with more threats of secession into allowing slavery again in a few years. The plan proposed by the radicals after the President’s death forced the majority of southerners to swear allegiance before re-admitted and helped avoid another war as well as forced the South to change their extreme proslavery governments and lead to eventually ending slavery. The economy helps show why it was fortunate that Lincoln died for the sake of ending slavery. Many slave owners lost money when having to free their slaves and couldn’t profit nearly as much as before. A type of slavery was created with the Black Codes which limited the freedoms of the dark-skinned people and forced them back into labor for their ex-masters. They got paid but it was such a meager amount that they were still virtually slaves and unable to buy land. This way the white plantation owners could still be wealthy despite not being as rich as before. This loss of money and continued racism could have easily caused the South to bring back slavery had they not been kept under-control for a while after the war by federal troops. Even if they had failed to bring it back all-together, the south would have still been able to keep a greater social class distinction based on race. The south managed to pass legal, explicitly racist laws but the Republicans managed to use their plan to give the blacks a bit more freedom by prohibiting many ex-confederate officials the ability to go into government. This allowed a more republican leaning Congress to be in control. The blacks could and did eventually get equal rights not just in the 14th and 15th Amendments but also socially even if it took about another century. The process of bringing equality did take around a hundred years but if the south had been allowed more freedom like Lincoln wanted, the issue with racism in the United States would be completely different.
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