After the US Civil War, president Lincoln started the process of reunification of the country. This is known as the Reconstruction era, when former rebellious Southern States were integrated back into the Union.
But, in 1865, president Lincoln was assassinated, and his vice president Andrew Johnson took power and drove the country into the reunification. Johnson wanted to reunite the country as quickly as possible, he pardoned the Southerners in a large numbers, and provided these states with a clear path to readmission.
He returned them their property, while the former slaves were excluded, and in return, he asked that they affirm the support of the United States Constitution. But he rejected the proposal that the federal government should provide the voting rights for freed slaves.
By 1866, he announced the end of Reconstruction.
