As the civil war had ended Lincoln had plans for reconstruction that were already agreed upon

by the congress, although the assassination of Abraham Lincoln put everything on hold. The Northerners and the Southerners were in a rivalry, there were more violence and negligence of what was needed towards the unity of the states. The governments from both sides were more focused on how to put the other on the edge. Lincolns main point being the formation of a huge Union, one that included both the North and the South to be peaceful towards each other were ignored. The death of President Abraham Lincoln impacted negatively towards the development and the reconstruction of the Union. Laws contradicting each others were passed by both the North and South which led to the increase of violence shown towards the Blacks. The Southern states first passed laws which denied the Blacks any freedom as they were restricted from interracial marriage and the areas in which they were able to live in1. This restriction law was named the Black codes, they were put into place to weaken the efforts made by the federal government. As the federal government were trying to free the Blacks, the South were trying to return the Blacks to their beginning position as a slave, however this was worse as they were denied to most of the freedom they had before as a slave. In reply to the Black codes, the North, Radical Republicans, passed a law stating that they would assist any and all Blacks who are transitioning from slavery to freedom by providing them with education and training2. This was a move made by the Norths congress as they were furious with the Black codes created by the south. They believed that establishing this law would help the Blacks be less traumatized by the South and would eliminate the Souths efforts towards the overpowering of the Blacks. Although, this put the Blacks in ever more danger as the South was enraged by the action taken by the North. The congress passes the Reconstruction act which prohibited the South states from joining the Congress until their state
1

How did the assassination of Abraham Lincoln affect Reconstruction? Last modified 2013. Accessed February 26, 2013. http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_36_notes.htm 2 IBID.

constitution was revised and until they passed the measure3. This was the last straw as the whites went on a rampage; they killed, burned and beat any Blacks they could find. As the North and the South tried to destruct each other and their laws they were harming the Black people more so then the others government. The congress was not focusing on reuniting the Union and the Norths government was questioned as to who made the rules. As soon as Lincoln had passed away, the idea of reuniting with the south sates in peace was a thought that disappeared as the Radical Republicans of the congress took this as an opportunity to punish the south and teach them a lesson4. They passed laws which were more so directed towards diminishing the South then they were in helping the Blacks. The congress and the President were not working toward and would downsize the president every chance they would get. This was because the replacing president, Andrew Johnson, was a southerner, a former slave owner and did not attain a college education. The Congress did not see him as fit and tried to overpower him man times. All of his qualities made him hated by the congress and was not seen as a suitable president. Seeing as how the congress did not respect the new president, they did not follow his orders and would do and pass laws that were denied by the president. As the President was getting weaker it seemed that the congress was more strengthen and in power5. The negative result of the death of Lincoln impacted the North and the South to rival reach other. They were both under the thought that as Lincoln was no more they could merely do anything in order to either reserve the placement of the Blacks or battle the South and fight them with each of the new laws they passes.

How did the assassination of Abraham Lincoln affect Reconstruction? Last modified 2013. Accessed February 26, 2013. http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_36_notes.htm 4 IBID. 5 EFFECT ON RECONSTRUCTION Last modified 2013. Accessed February 27, 2013. http://52357805.nhd.weebly.com/effect-on-reconstruction.html