The+Plastics

** What is the primary goal of reconstruction? Reunification, punishment, civil rights, other? (Thesis) ** “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation…” After several harsh years of battle, the Civil War has finally come to an end. The North is victorious—and the Union has been restored! The Confederate dream of secession has been quashed, and with it the foundation of the Southern economy, the “peculiar institution” upon which rested the majority of all major Southern economical exports, but also stretched far beyond a mere money-making enterprise and symbolized nothing less than the Southern way of life. Slavery is finished. It has been declared unconstitutional. The war has been won. We are now faced, however, with the next step: reconstructing the nation in order to restore it to the country our fore fathers intended it to be, a “nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” We will not squander this opportunity! We are determined to reconstruct the South by using a balance of force and passiveness. We will be firm in enforcing new regulations, but no unnecessary force will be exerted. We will not allow regression to pre-Civil War tendencies, but we will allow Confederate leaders to eventually be reinstated into political positions. We will closely supervise the South in order to prevent terrorist groups from sprouting, but Union military troops will not be permanently stationed there. Our primary goal for reconstruction is to ensure that Civil Rights are preserved and maintained. And, by implementing the following regulations and measures, we will reach our goal, and see our country flourish and prosper once again, as one, united nation. What should be done to the ex-Confederates? Ex Confederates and rebel leaders should be out on some sort of probation for their actions. Harsh punishments will only add fuel to the fire that is the south's vindictive scorn towards the "heartless" acts that the North implemented on them. Although punishment should not reach any extremities, it does need to have some sort of affect on the perpetrators. We suggest that this said probation should include a five to seven year period (depending on previous offences) in which the person under punishment is not allowed to vote in any government elections and decisions. Also, some of their land should be seized by the government, not all of it; we're trying to be just, not mean.

What should be done for the freedmen? For the freedmen of the south, more surveillance should be provided. We suggest more watchfulness in the south to make sure that terror groups such as the KKK can't oppress and discourage black voting. We also feel that the Freedmen's Bureau should provide classes for newly freed men, to teach them more about government, economics, foreign policy, and the importance of voting. We want all voters to be equally informed and able to make educated votes and decisions.

Who should be able to vote and hold office in the new Southern state governments Seeing as how much blood was shed on the Union’s behalf regarding the civil rights and status of slaves (now freedmen), it is only logical that they will be allowed to vote and hold office in the Southern State governments (as well as at the federal level). We believe that equal representation of the ex-Confederates in these Southern local governments should be allowed, but with a few prerequisites. Ex-Confederates must wait a minimum of 5 years before being allowed to hold office locally, and must undergo scrutiny by a Union official and be approved. Regardless of how many Southerners are participating in the local governments, there will be 5-10 representatives from the Union in each southern state to supervise and participate in the government: ultimately working towards unifying the country once and for all. What requirements must be met before states regain full rights and representation?

Similar policies and requirements applied to individuals will be enforced before the States themselves gain full rights and representation in the federal government of the United States. First and foremost, the Southern states must agree to allow 5-10 members from the Union participate in their local legislature, and Lincoln’s 10% policy will definitely be implemented. The federal government will keep a closer eye on this 10% policy, and make sure that is is not neglected. In addition, each state must re-ratify the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, as well as the constitution. That is the safest way to ensure that South is just as committed as the North, to the fight for keeping this country together. How should the Southern economy be restored? The Southern economy must start from scratch. Most of the pre-civil war land that provided for profit now lies baren. Ashes cover the soil and will prevent agriculture growth for some time. In order to help restore Southern economy the North will begin implementing factory systems and new technology. This may not be popular amongst the people but it will provide jobs and profit. Northern experts in building these factories and businesses will come and collaberate with Southerners to start up the system immediately. They will be implemented in every major town so that all people have a change to work and all cities can again prosper. They will not however be so numerous that factory buildings take away from the valued rural landscape. All land capable of future use in agricultural production will be preserved. At the time in which land acres are again ready to produce, people will be paid to work and nurture farms. No labor will be forced and work without pay will not exist. The new factories combined with the eventual resurgence of prosperous plantations will together make the Southern economy stronger than ever.  What role should Union troops play in policing, governing, or rebuilding the South? Union troops will be sent to the South to work //with// ex-confederates to keep the peace. No seperation of "the Union troops" and "the Confederate officials" will be tolerated. They must cohesively work together as a unit, ALL enforcing laws; ALL supervising state government meetings; ALL promoting black/white equality. Compromise must be made and all officials must follow the same code. All Union troops and ex-confederate officials will meet in Charleston in the next month to discuss laws, punishments, and systems of enforcement. Union officials will pose as no threat. They will not carry extra weapons and they will not outnumber local officials. All officials will bear the same uniform and have the same rights. They will intermix within their assignments (i.e. 2 Union troop members and 2 ex-confederates will together patrol a village in watch of crime). Union officials will keep the ex-Confederates in check, and ex-Confederates will do the same for those from the Union. This system will be maintained for at least 10 years.

** Re-state the primary goal of reconstruction. (Thesis re-stated) ** Our primary goal of reconstruction is to maintain Civil Rights while rebuilding the South and reintegrating it into the Union. One of the Union army's main goals was to put an end to slavery once and for all, and now that the war has been won, we aim to ensure that the dead did not die in vain. The South WILL be reconstructed. Slavery will be abolished. We will not prematurely reinstate Confederate leaders, thus allowing the South to regress to pre-war ways, but neither will we add fuel to the fire by implementing unnecessary violence and force. With a proper balance of force and leniency, we will reunify our glorious country.