ATL+Low-Riders

Mary Price, Will, and Andrew L.
 * What is the primary goal of reconstruction? Reunification, punishment, civil rights, other? (Thesis) **

We, the Philosopher Kings, have put together our nation’s path toward Reconstruction: reunification, compromise, and civil rights. Our nation must now come together as one. To create an equal society and suit the best interests of the people, we must adapt to the changes brought on by war and put our differences aside.


 * What role should Union troops play in policing, governing, or rebuilding the South? **

In order to avoid further tension between the Northern and Southern states, the Union troops should not completely seize control of the Southern government. We feel as though the South should have the right to elect its own leaders. However, the Union government, prior to the election, must approve them. Do you really think that the tension the South feels toward the North will really not be furthered? It seems that anything done by the North to somewhat oppress the South would just anger them further. Even if the South puts up with Union soldiers stationed in the South, it will not make them any less angry at the North.What do you think you can do that would really lessen the tension? -David. This policy promises to rebuild the bond between the North and South and, at the same time, prevents total relapse. Union officers will also have to watch over the South to be sure that the South does not immediately fall back into: slavery, secession, or any other acts deemed unconstitutional by the United States. Union troops should thoroughly police the South, but at the same time, Union troops should allow the South to have a say in their political proceedings. (How long would the Union Army occupy the South as a police force? Do you think the North will grow tired of having to pay for thier Military?)-Alex It would be unfair to take away their representation, when in actuality, many people living in the South did not support the secession. (I really like the idea of approval on the part of the Union government, but what exactly would prevent a leader from being elected? If a Southern representitive only somewhat supported Civil Rights, would the Union government deny them the right to run? How would you deal with the backlash from the Southern people when their representitives were being denied the right to run?)

If the Union government have to approve the leaders won't the South still view it as the North trying to control them? How can the Union police the South, control extremist groups and keep the South from going back to slavery without out it seeming like they control the government? If the Union has the right to deny representatives aren't they ultimately controlling the government of the South? What will the Union troops do if/when blacks or whites that are for black rights are attacked?


 * How should the Southern economy be restored? **

The economy of the south is currently very fragile. In order to restore it, we need to expand our railway system into the south to make the transfer of goods and workers more efficient. Who is going to pay for the new railroads being built? The North isin't going to want to spend billion of dollars rebuilding an econnomy that isin't theirs, & how will the Southernenrs pay for it, if their economy is down?-Jenny (How would these improvements be funded and who will do the errecting? The South has no money, but they do have an newly freed and eager African American work force)-Alex Q Would n ortherners be willing to work in the south for low pay? In the north there are way more possibilities to make a living, no northerner is willingly going to go live with confederates and a slim chance of making money?-Amanda Would the North be willing to help out the South in this way? This in turn will help spread the ideas of the textile industry and ignite a creative and entrepreneurial spark amongst the southerners giving them a chance to have an economy that embodies the North’s. Aside from bringing Northern ideals to the south we should incorporate Southern ideas and mix them with those of the North to once again enrich the economy. For example, the cotton industry, post war, is in need for an alternative labor system. Where would the freed blacks go to work? If Union soldiers are the ones working in the South what would the actual Southern farmers as well as former slaves go? -David. Union workers from the North can benefit from moving to the South and working for a very low profit if they are provided a place to live and given daily meals. (By Union workers do you mean immigrants? I do not think any Northerner would want to work for a defeated Southerner. Perhaps the freed slaves could work, as they did in history. What are they to do?)-Alex

Where will the funding for the rail road come? Are you going to raise taxes in the South? Do the Southerners want a rail road? Are Northerners expected to pay for the rail road? Do you believe that the South would accept Northern ideals after following the polar opposite for years?


 * Who should be able to vote and hold office in the new Southern state governments? **

In the new Southern state governments, the right to vote will be spread to men and women of all colors. This sounds like a good idea, but do you really think that most people are going to be happy about allowing African Americans the right to vote?-Jocelyn (Or women for that matter. Giving the Black man the vote is an extreamly controversial thing to do and on top of that, allowing women the same right? I believe it is to much of a change to quickly to be effective)-Alex What if people begin to rebolt against this idea? New feuds will begin, killing and massacre of blacks will exceed. The African Americans will be in fear to ever want to vote.-Jenny Our country’s greatest leaders believe that giving everyone the privilege to vote will rebuild our nation and prevent it from any further collapse. Wont having universal suffrage cause political parties to break off into factions? Those who want women to vote and those who don’t? Those who don’t want a black man to vote and those who do? At a time after so much drastic change universal suffrage seems as though it would only create more tension and possibly divide the country. – Amanda Every man and women, both black and white, will have a say as to what laws are going to take effect in our country as well as who the leader should be. The United States of the future will not allow anyone, who directly associated with the confederates during our country’s great separation, to lead the new nation. By doing this, we will prevent any relapse in the future and promote a more united nation. Low-level soldiers may continue their lives freely while decision-making officials will be punished. How harshly will these officials be punished? Our new leaders will contain no racist agenda and must work to better the country by spreading civil rights. Let no man be mistreated because of the color of his skin and no woman confined to the house where she may live. (I like this idea of "everyone can vote, blacks and women, but can this all be achieved in one historical time period? What will people think? Is this a realistic plan during this time? -Natalie) All the states must become one and the same.

What about the Southerners who intimidate the blacks into not voting? Are they expected to change how they have been living for decades over night?


 * What requirements must be met before states regain full rights and representation? **

For any Southern state to be admitted back to the union, requirements must be met. As our beloved president, Abraham Lincoln, proposed, the current leaders have decided to pursue and put into affect the ten percent plan. In every Southern state, a vote must be held to determine the number of supporters of the post war government. It is really easy for someone to pledge something and do the exact opposite especially with no one to enforce it.~Seychelle At least ten percent of the state must declare their support of the Union and take an oath to the Constitution insuring that succession will not happen in the future. Do you think 10% is enough? Maybe a little more, even the majority of voters should declare the say in the Constitution. -André For our country to be strong, our states must stand strong together. The unification under one government, one plan, and one country will make us strong. No more can our country live so separated and no more will such differences make it that way. Everyone needs to realize that slavery and racism are wrong. ( How will you make the transition smooth? The South will likely be bitter and resistant to these cultural changes after war. -Felicia Perez) I agree with this, however, racism has been around for quite a while, do you honesty think they are going to all of a sudden start to get along and accept each other as the color of their skin?-Jocelyn It can not and will not continue in the new. For in the future of this great nation, we will no longer be These United States but The United States. Let us display our true potential and, unlike many others before us, overcome these difficult times. We may appear separated today, but tomorrow we are seen as one. (This seams like an excellent goal, but how do you plan to reach it? There are the issues of a Black man's rights, which was contested between the North and South. It seems to me like both portions of the Union must come into agreement.)-Alex


 * What should be done for the freedmen? **

In regards to the freedmen, actions should be taken to enforce the new laws against slavery in the South. What measures are you taking to enforce the laws against slavery? Are you going to use the Union Army that will upset the South, and the army cannot be everywhere at once.~Seychelle A message needs to be sent that shows that there is a no tolerance for slavery without hostility and animosity. The freedmen in return should be treated as equals throughout the nation. There will no longer be segregation and discrimination against any one race. People have their individial opinion. Emotions cant be controlled. If one's opinion is that Africans shouldnt have any rights, they will fight for what they believe. Although we all know its wrong, we cant force someone to change their mind status.-Jenny ** It's easier said than done. Sure, you can politically solve problems regarding freedmen, but no matter how hard you try you cannot make a social problem magically disappear. ** Every luxury that is available for whites should also be given to African Americans. **Go ahead, but wouldn't that only affirm southern hatred towards freedmen? **These rights include education, jobs, and the right to vote. **You're only provoking the KKK. ** The protection of the freedmen’s rights shall be closely monitored and any violation of the law will be taken as a serious offense. (I presume monitering the rights of Blacks is a responsibility of the US Army. How severely would the punishments be for infringing on the rights of a Black man?)Alex How will you monitor this closely? The KKK members are masked and in the night. And remember if the US Army is supposedly going to "closely monitor" this, then the Northerners will be upset because they don't want to be paying taxes for someone who they don't even deal with. Primarily, the freedmen are to be accepted into our nation with no questions asked and will receive the same rights as all men. It is, after all, written in our constitution that all men are created equal. Yes you are right, but didn't the Founding Fathers base it with slavery in mind, making it all "white" people? How will this be able to happen if the people in the south can't even accept that they have to walk next to a black?

So are whites going to be okay sitting next to a black man at a restaurant, on a bus?

Will a message stop hostility and animosity though? I don’t think this message would stop groups like the KKK from terrifying the freedmen back into their previous places in the Southern society. Also, would the freedmen be treated as equals in South Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, or harsher Southern states where Slavery was needed? I wouldn’t think this message of the freedmen be treated as equal would get through to these states or the South entirely. Also, there would be segregation and discrimination against the freedmen and other races. The Southerners could their fingers crossed behind their backs while agreeing to all these proclamations. They wouldn’t do it anyways.-Senin
 * What should be done to the ex-Confederates? **

When dealing with the ex-confederates, we have to make sure that we do not involve innocent bystanders, but at the same time firmly deal with those who are responsible. For example, high-ranking officials who were involved in critical decision-making should be implicated, however simple soldiers should not be. Is a soldier really a by-stander? Couldn’t a soldier just as fervently believe in the cause that he is fighting for or be more vocal about it? During the late 1800s not much separated a senator from a tobacco chewing planter, hardly anyone had a college education. A confederate soldier, with personal opinions that are considered unconstitutional, could easily rise to a place of power. They should be held responsible.-Amanda (How high of a rank do you have to be in order for charges to be placed against you?)-Alex The Confederates who directly encouraged the secession of the South should be given a life sentence in prison. Pretty much everyone in the South was a Confederate so your going to put every one on a life sentence in prison?~Seychelle We believe this policy is lenient, as normally the consequence for treason is death. **How many prisons do you plan to fill up? What will you do when there is no more room in prisons? Wouldn't you just provoke the minds of their friends and family?** Organizations, such as the Ku Klux Klan, should be dealt with firmly. **How do you plan on doing that? Even the Union army couldn't do much. ** How could you apply this when all of the problems were going on at night when no one was watching? If they continue to target certain races of people, they will be treated the same as the ex-Confederates; they should be given life in prison. How are you going to know who is in the KKK if you cannot see their faces and there is no possible way to capture them all.~Seychelle By what it seems, anyone who goes against the law will be sent to prison or have severe consequences. Will this riot the Southerners to want to fight back?-Jenny Any crimes that are viewed as motivated by race will be viewed as hate crimes. Depending on the severity, one can receive no less than one year in jail, and no more than ten. Life sentence the ones that do the most damage. It will scare these others. It is important to remember that not every southerner was involved in the secession of the South, therefore not every person will be punished equally and some will not be punished at all. Don't you think that the arresting of former Southern leaders would deeply anger the Southern citizens? Would the South really give up their hard pressed beliefs about slavery just because they're threatened to go to war, or would they riot and be angered at the North? -David. We can not take away their full representation in the government because many may not have been involved. (Again, I like this idea, but the Southern response to this punshiment may put the implementation of your plan at odds. How would you deal with those who appose their leaders being sentenced to life in prison?)

Are you going to have enough jail space? How will the Ku Klux Klan be caught if they act at night or in towns with no Union troops?
 * Re-state the primary goal of reconstruction. (Thesis re-stated) **

The plan for Reconstruction displays what some of the world’s greatest minds firmly believe to be our country’s path toward unity and the end of racial discrimination. If we follow the plan and reform the mindset of America, we will achieve success.