American History: Post Civil War Reconstruction

The idea of Reconstruction sounds like an honest and noble plan, but the way it was carried out was a disaster. Instead of using freedom and equality, the very ideals the north stood for, Reconstruction was a coercive scheme to advance political agendas. Even with the direct efforts put forth by Presidents Lincoln and Johnson, Congress was able to morph Reconstruction to fit their own needs. One Reconstruction plan, which President Lincoln promoted, called for lax regulations regarding Southern states. The Congressional plan called for more stringent measures concerning civil rights. These…