Lauren's+Angels



** What is the primary goal of reconstruction? Reunification, punishment, civil rights, other? (Thesis) **

** The primary goal of reconstruction is to prevent the South from oppressing the African-Americans after slavery is abolished, and to make certain that the confederacy obeys the newly instated amendments. In addition, it's vital that, through the plan, tension between the North and South is relieved and a smooth process exists for the civil reintegration of the freedmen. Also, it is important that, to emphasize the reality of the conclusion of the war, only non-Confederate-officer southern citizens be allowed to partake in politics. If a former southern officer violates these new amendments, punishment will be necessary. Economically, through the American System, sharecropping, and a lowering of federal taxes in the South, the Southern economy will be able to recover and assume its former strength and luster. Through these measures, America will be successfully reunited and strengthened with bonds that shall never be broken. **

What should be done to the ex-Confederates? ===**While the South did lose the war, in order to aid in alleviating tension during Reconstruction, punishment of the southern soldiers and officers will be mild but effective. For military officers, as they were in a position of authority and held full responsibility for the soldiers under them, (in addition to their oftentimes radical viewpoints), they will be restricted from holding any political position, ranging from mayor to president. A violation of such conditions will be punished by the local Union military. For the traditional Confederate soldiers, however, there will be no punishments or restrictions. Radical, terroristic activity will be rapidly and severely dealt with, constituted by a violation of civilians rights, but any former Confederate member (excluding officers) will be allowed full political rights.**===

What should be done for the freedmen?

During the Civil War, former president Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation, freeing all of the slaves in the Confederate-controlled states. After the war, the 13th and 14th amendments were ratified, in a sense giving full citizenship rights to freedmen (excluding voting). As part of the Reconstruction plan dealing with the political side of the freedmen dilemma, a 15th amendment would be ratified, detailing the process for the political integration of the freedmen. In this amendment, those black Americans who served in the Union army during the Civil War will receive voting rights 10 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and no additional amendments or instituted regulations can impede upon that right. For those who did not serve, the postponement time would be extended a mere 5 years from the previous date. Due to the un-education of the freedmen and their lack of income and property, a crisis does exist. However, a group known as the Freedmen's Bureau would be created and would function to provide free, but mandatory, education of all black persons under the age of 18. Economically, as the idea of a Transcontinental Railroad had been previously proposed in Congress under the American System, and had been met with favorable opinion, the freedmen could be offered first choice to work on its development, being paid by the government. Upon completion of the project, they would be individually granted 40 acres of land in undeveloped parts of western states. If they choose to decline to the offer, they have the option, depending on the willingness of the individual farmer, to work as a sharecropper with the same workers protection rights as any white worker.

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

Since we are not granting full citizenship to each freed-slave just yet, we have decided to restrict their right to vote temporarily. To help both former slaves and the citizens of the South readjust to the changes that they are being forced to comply to, blacks who served in the military will be eligible to vote ten years from the date of the Emancipation Proclamation. The African-Americans who worked in the fields as slaves and those who did not serve in the army will be able to vote fifteen years from the date of the Proclamation. This gives those in the South a period of time to adapt to the change, and also gives educators the time they need to properly teach basic fundamentals to the illiterate so they can be aware when it comes time to vote. Africans Americans should not be denied the right to vote, but in order to reduce possible torment and aggression from whites and the Confederacy immediately after their loss in the civil war, we believe this is the most impartial and will ultimately benefit all.

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

In order for readmission of the succeed states, the following requirements must be acknowledged. For most, confederate generals leading in the efforts against northern military cannot uphold government official positions. On the contrary, no punishments will be charged to these ex-confederates. If ex-confederates hold government official seats, then they are to be withdrawn from their position. Succeeded states must also accept and obey the new 13th and 14th amendments and the soon to be ratified 15th amendment.

How should the Southern economy be restored?   After the Civil War the Southern economy was bound to plummet. The absence of slavery basically spelled doom for the agriculturally dependent South. The soil on which valuable crops were grown was basically destroyed, notably due to William Sherman’s raids in which he burned entire cities to the ground. During the war the Union blocked off Southern trading ports damaging the economy even more. Our main goal is to return the South to the once prosperous economic position it was in. Due to the obvious lack of money in the South, taxes will have to be significantly lowered until the economy gets back on its feet. Without the obstacle of having to give away money, Southerners can focus on making it. One way to ensure a steady work force as well as a sure source of money in the future is to begin construction of the transcontinental railroad. Free black men can choose to work on it, but due to the lack of money in the South, cannot be paid right away. Instead, they will be able to work up an interest for their time working and receive it after there is sufficient money in the South. Poor, landowning, white farmers can focus on sharecropping in order to heighten the amount of land available. Both black and white workers will be given a fair minimum wage in which both the economy as well as the workers can benefit. Eventually, through this system of labor and an American System similar to that of the North, the South will be able to prosper economically once again.

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

** Union troops will be placed in the South at a ratio of one soldier to every one hundred citizens. The sole purpose of their presence will be to enforce African American workers' rights and to preserve domestic tranquility among Southern citizens. They will not govern this reign; only act as a form of police. They will not be in this reign in the purpose to rebuild; only to make certain that these new amendments do not go unrecognized. As in, preventing former Confederates running for office. This police force can assist with providing the same opportunities for every citizen; no matter the race. **

** Re-state the primary goal of reconstruction. (Thesis re-stated) **

===**Reconstruction is necessary in the South to help reconvene the states to create a union that was envisioned by our founding fathers and others pre-war. The chief issue that the South is being faced with is the repeated aggression shown towards former black slaves, and through Reconstruction, we hope to assist the South in accepting all of these radical changes. By restricting voting and political rights to those who rebelled, we are hoping to restrain any apprehension and tension between the opposing sides while aiding the south by providing them new opportunities.**===

Hi, I really like your proposal and how you plan to protect the rights of the Freedmen. I also have many comments in questions. In your thesis statement you mention some punishments for Confederate officers. I question what in your proposal is going to draw the South back to the Union. Especially, when you plan to protect Freedmen’s rights and punish their leaders. Both, I suspect will not sit well, with the Confederate South. In your first paragraph, you talk about punishments for ex-Confederates. I mostly agree with banning Confederate leaders from holding office and I believe this is understandable and fair. You also mention that Freedmen must attend the Freedmen’s Bureau to receive education. I believe that gaining a education would the be the best for the Freedmen, but I don’t believe forcing them to do so will sit well either. This seems to violate their rights that they just gained. I also like that your proposal offers jobs and land after the job is done. This would provide encourage for the Freedmen to get to work. I also like that the land is in the West and not the South, since Freedmen owning land in the South would mostly likely cause a lot of problems. I also want to know, why must black civilians wait 15 years before they can vote? This seems to contradict your thesis statement, in which it mentioned protecting the rights of the Freedmen. You continued to talk about the Freedmen in the second paragraph. In your second paragraph, you show your plans for the Freedmen. I wonder if one of your goals is to protect the Freedmen’s rights, why they not have the right to vote or why must the wait. You mentioned that withholding the Freedmen’s right to vote allows the white Southerners time to adjust. If the Freedmen still are not voting, what are the white Southerners getting used to? In my opinion, nothing would have changed besides not physically owning slaves. I agree that the Freedmen need to be educated and this would be best for them, but I believe waiting ten years to receive their right to vote is a little extreme. In the third paragraph, you talk about the requirements for the South to be readmitted to the Union. The only requirements you mentioned were ratifying the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments. You also required that the South accept the North’s punishment of the Confederate leaders. In my opinion, this seems unnecessarily easy and it is almost like the South does not have to do anything at all. Now that you have punished the South, you continued on how you planned to repair it. In the fourth paragraph, you mention how you plan to repair the South’s devastated economy. You introduced the idea of lowering the South’s taxes. I agree with cutting the South’s taxes, because it would boost the South’s economy. You also introduced providing work for the Freedmen and white Southerners. I disagree with holding the Freedmen’s pay, like mentioned, because this would discourage all the Freedmen for going to work to help the South. This would simply drive all the Freedmen to either the North or the West. I also agree with continuing working on building the Transcontinental Railroad. Not only would this provide work for the people, but also connect the nation. In the fifth paragraph, you mentioned how the Union troops should help the South. I agree with stationing troops in the South to help make sure their requirements were upheld. Requirements such as a protecting Freedmen’s rights and making sure Confederate leaders don’t hold office. I propose that you list a period of time when the troops will be removed, this way their stationing doesn’t seem open ended. In conclusion, I really like your proposal. I do believe you should protect the Freedmen’s rights more completely if you do so at all. I also believe you should do more to attract the South to rejoin the Union. I believe your proposal would provide a stable fix to the South.
 * Critique:**