What were the features of Lincoln's plan of Reconstruction?

Abraham Lincoln developed his own plan of Reconstruction. It was often referred to as the Ten Percent Plan. President Lincoln was thinking of Reconstruction before the Civil War had ended. He issued his plan in December 1863.

His plan had several features. Once ten percent of the voters of a state would take an oath of loyalty to the United States, they would be able to form a new state government. They would adopt a...

Abraham Lincoln developed his own plan of Reconstruction. It was often referred to as the Ten Percent Plan. President Lincoln was thinking of Reconstruction before the Civil War had ended. He issued his plan in December 1863.

His plan had several features. Once ten percent of the voters of a state would take an oath of loyalty to the United States, they would be able to form a new state government. They would adopt a state constitution that banned slavery. President Lincoln was also willing to offer amnesty to all white southerners who agreed to be loyal to the United States. However, this didn’t include the former leaders of the Confederacy. President Lincoln also encouraged the southern states to give more freedoms to the former slaves. However, since this wasn’t required in his plan, states were under no obligation to do this.

President Lincoln believed that Reconstruction should not be unduly harsh on the South. President Lincoln knew the country needed to reunite. He believed a harsh plan would make unity more difficult. His plan reflected these ideas.