Question

Which was NOT a primary motivation for Republicans to promote Congressional Reconstruction over those policies proposed by Lincoln and Johnson? a)Congress felt the authority of Reconstruction policy should be theirs. b)Congressional leaders wanted to keep southern states out of power. c)Congress wanted to punish the South for its crimes against the Union. d)Congressional leaders wanted to restore the Union as quickly as possible.

Answer 1

D) Congressional leaders wanted to restore the Union as quickly as possible.

President Lincoln had wanted to restore the Union as quickly as possible.  His 10 Percent Plan would have required  just 10 percent of the voters in the states that had seceded to guarantee their allegiance to the United States and to affirm the emancipation of slaves --and that would be enough to restore those states to the Union and have them draft new state constitutions.

A number of the Republican leaders in Congress came to be known as Radical Republicans.  They believed Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction was too lenient.  They wanted harsh terms, to punish the South for creating the need for war. The Radical Republicans sought to control the Reconstruction process and impose major changes upon the southern states.  The Radical Republicans grew in power in the postwar years, and came into strong conflict with Lincoln's successor, Pres. Andrew Johnson, over how Reconstruction would proceed.