Question 1

There are several examples in American history of rapid reconciliation with the defeated foe.Why didn't the South receive this sympathetic treatment in Reconstruction? Who or what do you fault for the harshness of Southern Reconstruction? Why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of There are several examples in American history...

Question 2

Some historians have argued that Reconstruction was a total failure, while others have seen it as laying the foundation for future American progress in race relations and civil rights.What arguments can be made for each position? Which is more persuasive?

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The answer of Some historians have argued that Reconstruction was...

Question 3

How did freed slaves respond to Reconstruction? How did freedom affect the economic, social, and political life of former slaves? In what ways was their freedom still incomplete?

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Question 4

Radical Republicans have been both credited with having high ideals and accused of crass partisanship as motives for their Reconstruction policies.Which argument do you find more persuasive? Why?

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Question 5

What role did each of the following play in the congressional assumption of control over Reconstruction policy: Black Codes, Southern election of former Confederates, and President Johnson's personality and actions?

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Question 6

Why was President Johnson impeached? Why didn't the Senate convict him of "high crimes and misdemeanors"? Would Johnson's conviction have permanently altered the balance of power between Congress and the President?

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Question 7

The Fourteenth Amendment is commonly referred to as one of the most important additions to the Constitution.Why is this the case? What was necessary for the protections of political and voting rights in the Fourteenth Amendment to become a reality in the South?

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

Assess the achievements and shortcomings of "radical" regimes in the South.What did they do that is worth admiring and worth condemning? What else might they have done to better achieve their goals? What political, economic, and extra-legal obstacles did these "radical" regimes in the South encounter in achieving their goals?

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

Why did women fail to win the right to vote, despite the enactment of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments? What were the short-term and long-term political implications of this disappointing political defeat suffered by advocates of women's rights during the Reconstruction era?

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Question 10

Compare and contrast Lincoln's, Johnson's, and Congress's plans for Reconstruction.Cite what was included and what was omitted.Which program do you think was the best plan for the nation and the best plan for blacks in the South? Defend your choices.

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Question 11

It has been wryly observed that "the North won the Civil War, but the South won Reconstruction." Interpret this statement and assess its truth.

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Question 12

The text authors claim that the midterm elections of 1866 were "more crucial than some presidential elections." Do you agree? Why or why not?

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Quiz 22: The Ordeal of Reconstruction, 1865-1877