Lincoln's 10% Plan Flashcards

Study Notes

Key Events Timeline

Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction issued by Lincoln in 1863.
Congress passes the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864, which Lincoln ultimately pocket vetoes.
General Lee surrenders to Grant at Appomattox in 1865; Lincoln is assassinated, and Andrew Johnson becomes President.

Reconstruction Plans

Lincoln's Reconstruction strategy emerges post-Gettysburg and Vicksburg victories in 1863, focused on forgiveness.
The Ten Percent Plan allows for Southern state readmission into the Union if 10% of voters pledge allegiance; most Southerners receive full pardons, excluding high-ranking Confederate officials.

Vision for Reconstruction

Lincoln endorses self-reconstruction for Southern states, minimizing federal intervention.
Aims to protect private property to gain support from plantation owners; avoids punitive measures against Southerners, seeking quick reunification.
Assassination disrupts plans for a smooth transition to peace and reconstruction.

Louisiana’s Constitutional Efforts

In 1864, Louisiana drafts a new constitution promising free education and abolishing slavery but denies voting rights to freed slaves.
Lincoln approves the draft, but Congress rejects it, resulting in failure.

Radical Republicans

Radical Republicans criticize Lincoln’s plan as too lenient and advocate for a complete transformation of Southern society.

The Wade-Davis Bill

A 1864 counter to Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan requiring 50% of a state's voters to swear ironclad allegiance and ensure black civil liberties.
Lincoln fears this strict approach could prolong the war, leading to his pocket veto of the bill.

The Freedmen's Bureau

Established in 1865 to provide food, education, and land redistribution for former slaves and impoverished whites, leasing public land.
Seen as a nuisance by many Southerners but successful in establishing schools for approximately 250,000 free blacks.

Lincoln's Assassination

John Wilkes Booth, a Southern sympathizer, assassinated Lincoln in 1865, impacting the course of Reconstruction and national unity.

Description

This quiz features flashcards covering key events and milestones of Lincoln's 10% Plan during the Reconstruction era. Each flashcard highlights important dates and significant actions taken by Lincoln between 1863 and 1865. Test your knowledge on these critical moments in American history.