Frat+Stars

Emma and Kendall





I really like your idea of punishing only the ex-Confederates in power, and the slave holders who owned many slaves. The punishments were fair, yet they laid down a strict hand. What about the slave owners who only owned one slave? This one slave could've been tortured just as bad as the many others. Say it were a pretty, young woman? Also, the idea of taking the many acres of land to be sold, given away, or indentured was a smart idea. The fact that they won't need it anymore is true, and comically insulting! You said that the other's who committed this treason, had to swear alliance to the USA, and uphold the three new amendments... but under what force?

I searched for "army" and "soldier" in your document, and came up with nothing. Unless you used other words, I believe there's a major flaw in this plan. As sometimes peaceful protest might prevail, I highly doubt the South would start to like the North if we gave them love and hugs. There needs to be a protective, maybe offensive, force ready to make all comply! Without it, the Ku Klux Klan would eradicate all the schools you spoke of! -Ahdam Ali (I was bored so I made the text my school's colors)

When the South seceded from the Union in 1861, a chain of events was set in motion that would leave the United States of America broken and changed forever. With the war, fellow countrymen turned into enemies, families were split apart, and our beloved nation cracked in two. We are now facing the question of how to reunify these two war enemies into one united nation once more. However, before our nation can make the step towards unification, we must stabilize the South and guarantee that there will be no further resistance to the Union. Not only must our country be reunited, but also we must guarantee that the Freedmen have access to full rights. It is our goal to secure the freedoms of all men, regardless of race through the reconstruction of our country.

In order for this country to reunite, we must ensure that ex-Confederates are put in their place. We obviously do not hold the entire South accountable for the secessions and atrocities committed, but we do hold those in power accountable for their actions. For that reason, we believe that any prominent ex-Confederate officials, whether they were political officials or military, must waive their right to hold office on the grounds that they led the Southern secession and are therefore, no longer U.S. citizens. They surrendered those rights when they left the United States, and we suggest going so far as to try these men as traitors, sending a clear message to the South that we are serious about our goals. Furthermore, any ex-Confederates or other political leaders who do not civilly agree to wave their rights should be indefinitely imprisoned (How will you enforce this? Are you sure people will agree to this and accept it?) (Also, don't you think this will anger the Southern Citizens who supported these political officials and military leaders? Will this not create a higher level of resentment towards the North that could lead to more resistance, more violence?). We cannot have men who pose a threat to the reunification be part of our society. Nevertheless, they, like all other former Confederates, must pledge allegiance to the Union. In order to guarantee that Freedmen are not re-enslaved, something must be done to large plantation owners. Because they no longer have a work force, they do not need all of their previously owned land (It seems as if many of these southerners having their land stripped away will be even more agitated than already were). Their land should be taken away from them, broken up, and given to the Freedmen, who might buy this land (With what money?) or be granted it after a year of relatively lenient indentured servitude. (Taking and redistributing land doesn't seem to fit with the strong insistence of this being a democratic nation) Plantation owner’s committed the atrocious crime of having slaves, and should be punished in some way for their inhumane acts. While many people in this country owned slaves at some time, it was not to the extent of the large plantation owners. (I agree with the ideas regarding ex-confederate leaders as the accountable ones for the South’s atrocities, however, punishing all slave plantation owners? How do you really know if all of them were as treacherous as we all think? True, making people give up their land would be like giving up their life for the sin they have made, but isn’t this a little too harsh? (<--I agree with this! Slavery was common back then, and they didn't necessarily have completely evil intentions) I don’t think the plantation owners should be punished as harsh or equally to their ex-confederate leaders (the leaders deserve more punishment instead!) since it will just strengthen the South’s hatred towards the North furthermore.) (But wouldn't taking away Confederate's property just cause further pain and resentment? I think if you were to do this, the southern whites would complain about "Yankees" favoring the black people they thought were inferior to them. How would you implement this plan without causing such a backlash). While these two groups of people should have more severe punishments, all ex-Confederates and Southerners should have some reparations. Because they were in a state of rebellion, they must all pledge unity to the United States of America. (What percentage of people have to pledge unity?) Furthermore, they must fully uphold the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments. There must be harsh consequences if they violate these laws and impose the rights of all men (What kinds of consequences?) (I agree with the orange font; if the consequences are light, then those violaters may simply go back to violating the Civil War Clauses). What are the consequences? Who will enforce them? Where will the money come from to support whoever enforces the cosequences? Hopefully not the already devasted south, and the north is in such great shape either. Will there be punishment for segregation and disregard for black people? There are a lot of questions that raise flags and show how this plan will not workout andy better than the one that actually happened in history.

While ex-Confederates must have certain sanctions, the Freedmen, on the other hand, must have special liberties This is unwise. Because of this, you might encounter some angry ex-confederates. The ex-confederates might not deserve the special libertys, but in their eyes black people shouldn't either. Who knows, maybe they will form some union type of group that disregards black people because of this. Because they have been persecuted for such a long time, there is a large social gap between them and other members of society. As a nation that declares that all men are created equal, we must do something to make amends for their oppression. As slaves, they were treated as property, had no land or rights, and were not educated. As stated by the constitution, all men are created equal and are guaranteed basic rights. Slaves were not given these rights, and something must be done. The primary thing that should be done is to educate the Freedmen (who would be willing to educate them?). This education should revolve around learning to read, particularly the Bible, and create capable citizens. (Who is paying for this? tired-out Northern taxpayers? the penny-less South? Also, would the same options be available to the uneducated white people?) Secondly, they should be given land (how will the freedmen find and handle the land? Also, what if the land ends up ruining them economically?). This land should come from the ex-slave owners (but then what'll happen to the ex-slave owners?). Because of their years of long work, they will have farming skills and are the perfect people to help boost the Southern economy. Thirdly, we will enact legal protection for Freedman and strive to protect from extremists like the Ku Klux Klan (What sort of legal protection, the Union army?) (And how will the Ku Klux Klan actually be dealt with? Fines, imprisonment?). However, nothing will move forward if their rights are not protected. It is our responsibility to promise that their newly granted rights are upheld for the duration of our great nation. (I really, really like the idealism of being able to go to the extra lengths to help the freedmen, but I just don't see how it would work out in the intensely racist south of the 1870s). (I agree that the freedmen need help and deserve rights but what happens to the ex-slave owners who now have no land? where are you getting the money or people to educate them and how much education is required to vote?)

On a political level, reintegrating the South into the Union seems like an impossible task. Southerners are bent on controlling what little power they have left, Radical Republicans want the South to suffer, and Moderate Republicans wish to make the transition as quick and seamless as possible. However, at this point a seamless transition to a united nation is inconceivable. The South rebelled and committed treason by seceding from the Union, thereby essentially surrendering their rights to choose the fate of The United States. That right lies with the victors – the Union. However, one must keep in mind that America prides itself on being a democracy and ensuring natural rights, and these rights need to be upheld as well. We acknowledge the hypocrisy of Americans during this time period in regard to these viewpoints, but no matter, as victors with a vision of what America could be, as the political leaders of the Union, we have the responsibility to ensure that America survived this crisis and moved forward as a nation. Therefore, we propose a political plan that balances punishment (why do you think punishment is the best route to acheive reunion between the North and South?) and natural rights. We plan on upholding secession as illegal. The United States is a democracy that righteously upholds free speech among other rights. However, a democracy also entails compromise and in many cases, disappointment and disagreement. No one person is in control, so therefore, no one person makes the decisions all the time (really? what of members of congress who often have larger says over their congressmen and "swing the vote?"). The South was free to voice their viewpoints and make compromises, but in the end, they chose to rashly separate themselves from the nation, instead of letting the democratic system work. By insisting on the illegality or at the very least wrongness of secession, we are choosing to make it harder for the South to re-enter the United States (They didn't want to be a part of the United States when they seceded, are you sure they'll be so eager to reunite now?), but obviously not impossible (what do you plan on doing? If you make it too hard, are you sure they'll even want to rejoin the Union?). We do, after all, hope to reunite our nation once and for all. Our hope is that by making it harder, we will teach the South a democratic lesson in cooperation and subordination to a greater cause, while preparing the Southern states to re-enter the political arena aware of our goals for the nation and political opinions. (What specifically must the states do in order to regain political power?) In keeping with our policy of ensuring rights for Freedman, and for that matter, all men, we propose that all males should have the right to vote, regardless of any “race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” as the 15th Amendment enumerates, but we also add wealth, education status, and employment. We will specifically enable Freedmen to vote by setting up governmental agencies that aid African Americans in starting their new lives (education, housing, jobs etc.) (And who will be forced to pay for this? The South has no money, they North has very little patience left, after paying for the war), making voting polls accessible, eliminating any attempts to control voting like taxes or literacy tests, eradicating Black Codes, and educating everyone up to the age of ten to prepare anyone and everyone for the momentous task of voting (What about the Ku Klux Klan? What will you do to ensure that they won't terrorize African Americans into voting for who they want, or to make sure they'll decided not to vote at all?). The same conditions listed above will apply to office. Additionally, political officials must be U.S. citizens. With the exception of ex-Confederates (why would the Confederates want to vote if none of their own people are represented?), we grant any other citizens the right to run for and hold office if it is the will of the people (what about ex-confederates who have officially changed their ways and wish to be represented in the American government?). However, we now submit requirements that must be fulfilled before the Southern States can regain their full rights, political representation, and privileges as Americans. Similar to Lincoln’s “Ten Percent Plan,” we put forth the “Sixty-Five Percent Plan,” that stipulates full rights and readmission can only be granted to states in which a majority of the population votes to uphold the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments and pledges to protect the sanctity of the United States as one united nation. Do black people get to vote? Or ex-confederates? how will the trust of both sides be earned and put the country back on the same page?

The hope is that upon re-admittance, states would have a majority in favor of policies that the Union fought for including unity, compromise, and civil rights. By this point, we hope to have granted Freedman the right to vote (What will ensure their voting rights? In other words: how will they be protected from organizations that will try to intimidate them? KKK?), so hopefully with their votes and those of sympathetic Southerners, this goal will be achievable in the long run. Furthermore, this plan would help to end the sectionalism that clearly divided the nation by weaving two visions together. In many ways, neighbors and friends would push policies and challenge the South to coexist peacefully, even when they feel threatened, instead of the remote Federal Government. We will strive to end sectionalism by spreading ideas, encouraging populations to move, granting Southerners economic incentives for their support further uniting the North and the South, and promoting campaigns to show doubtful Southerners the benefits of a united nation and the value of a true democracy (why dont you try to do the same between black and white people in the south) (where will you get all the money for these plans?). Obviously, this is a long-term plan, so until a majority vote in favor of rejoining the Union is promised, the Southern states will exist as conquered territories that are forced to rely on the Union and Northerners. (but how long will the Northerners be willing to allow the South to rely on them?) They might not necessarily have the right to vote, but they will be able to voice their opinions, and we promise we will listen. We will even appoint delegates specifically designed to listen and speak your thoughts and opinions (delegates not elected by the people of the territory they represent would not be able to voice the true desires of said people), while meeting with the South’s fledging governments to compromise. However, the Federal government will not acknowledge any fledging government that fails to follow the specified terms. By displaying our power and threatening the South (If you're threatening them, what's keeping them from getting fed up and seceding again?), while also working toward compromise, we hope to succeed where more lenient plans might have failed. Historically speaking, the Confederates were placed back in office in no time at all, blatantly showing the South’s disregard for their Northern victors. We, however, hope to show the Southerners our willingness to cooperate, earn their respect, and display our strength to combat insubordination and unwillingness to divide the Union. I like what you are trying to do here. i think if you give a little more power and freedom to the southerners, this plan would be perfect and the south would trust the north more and the north would not be giving to much power to the south to make the situation uneasy. I also ask why this plan wouldnt be put in place between black and white people, once the south and north make up, civil rights and the disregard for segregation needs to be promoted.

Economically speaking, we propose subsidizing businesses to stimulate the Southern economy. We would work to regain the South’s previous relationships with big Cotton buyers like Britain (the price of cotton has decreased by a lot, so the cotton industry won't help as much), help small businesses start-up (how do you propose to do this? you need money to start a business, where is the money coming from?) , and encourage Northern business to take their business Southward. Basically, we would find ways to make it easy for businesses to get back on their feet, while diversifying the South’s agriculture society. (But since the end of the war, the world has found other places to get cotton from. What would happen if Britain said no because they had already found a cheaper provider?) We feel that diversification will help end the South’s dependence on agriculture and slavery, as well as further connect the North and the South. where is all this money even going to come from? cotton is practically worthless since so many other countries already grow it and there is nothing else the south has to offer up that they have an abundance of. If they were connected economically and had ties beyond our Constitution, then the Civil War would have been less likely to happen. Perhaps the South might have felt it would be giving too much up economically speaking by leaving the United States, or would have felt less threatened by the North’s industrial growth and increasing dominance. But regardless, our plan for the economy will further increase each section’s dependence on one another, thus binding the nation together. We would also help rebuild infrastructure in the South from roads to railroads (where does the money to do this come from?), further enabling the South’s economic growth this is a great idea!. However, in order to receive this aid, the states must first be accepted back into the United States. Then, we would work with the new state governments to rebuild the South completely. Additionally, we would create a new labor source based on wages like in the North, but these wages would be at least a certain amount. ( I really like your start-up business plan. Well thought out !) Since we understand that this is a long-term goal, we propose reintroducing a modified and temporary indentured servitude, in which a person works for a year to receive land, which will be taken from large plantation owners, and is given adequate shelter and food for his family, while working and receiving some sort of wage in the meantime**.** That way, Freedman would be able to transition from working for someone to working for themselves by saving their wages and learning how to navigate daily life with their new independence. This projected plan may seem expensive and unfavorable, but with the loss of slave labor in the South, plantations owners especially will be searching for new workers.

Meanwhile, the military will be a constant threat to the Southerners in states that have yet to be re-admitted as the enforcers of the laws and the protectors against injustices (How do you know the south will respect the soldiers and acknowledge their authority?). They will be primarily used to protect Freedmen and quell rebellions, but will also be a reminder of the gravity of the situation. Hopefully, they will never have to be employed, but given the South’s blatant disrespect for the Union, we feel that a military threat is necessary to maintain order and a united nation for the time being. (Sure the unions army's job is to protect the rights of the freedmen, but wouldn't allowing the army to stay in the South primarily create even more disgust and hatred between the two nations (especially while they are trying to transition into a unified nation and accept the laws of the North)? It shows that you do not trust the South and may in fact, will never trust them.) Washington sent a strong message when he crushed the Whiskey Rebellion, and so will we. We will strive for a united nation and civil rights at all costs.

Regardless of the steps taken, reconstructing the South will be a long and hard battle. We believe that this plan both unites the nation and enables another civil war from happening. This plan will help the South rework their economy into one that will be sustainable in the future. It also helps secure the liberties as promised in the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments. Because of the state our nation is in, failure is not an option. We believe that this plan for reconstruction will effectively reunite our nation and help prevent another civil war from occurring. (Your plan is thorough and well thought out! Great job!) I feel as though your plan has good ideas for the economy but if you are saying you want to reunite the u.s. as one country, then making black people and southerners equals is not the way to roll. The south is ran by white people, and to reunite with them, you must make terms with them, be on the same page as them, and then give them more power. once you are on the same page as the south, working on the civil rights should come next. however, i'm not saying black people should be shunned, if you wanted to uphold you plan, you would need a strict federal force for stopping crime if you didnt want more black deaths to occur than there already will be, blacks are now moving up in the ranks of social stature and now deserve our protection and attention almost more than the ex-confederates. I think it would also be advisable to put more education in the south as well, for black people and white, to develop them equally towards making a better developed south for the future.