"It was a peculiarity of 19th century politicsd that more than a year elapsed of a Congress and its initial meeting. The 39th Congress, elected in 1864 inthe midst of war, assembled in December 1865to confront the crucial issues of Reconstruction:Who would control the South? Who wouild rule the nation? What was to be the status of the emancipated slaves? In both houses, Republicans outnumbered Democrats by better then three to one. The interaction between the Republican party's distinctive factions would effectively determine the contours of Congressional policy."(source)
"Both Lincoln and Johnson had foreseen that the Congress would have the right to deny Southern legislators seats in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, under the clause of the Constitution that says 'Each house shall be the judge of the...qualifications of its own members.' This came to pass when, under the leadership of Thaddeus Stevens, those congressmen (called 'Radical Republicans') who sought to punish the South refused to seat its elected senators and representatives. Then, within the next few months, the Congress proceeded to work out a plan for the reconstruction of the South quite different from the one Lincoln had started and Johnson had continued."(source)
"The Radical Republicans believed blacks were entitled to the same political rights and opportunities as whites. They also believed that the Confederate leaders should be punished for their roles in the Civil War. Leaders like Pennsylvania Representative Thaddeus Stevens and Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner vigorously opposed Andrew Johnson's lenient policies."(source)
"Once President Johnson lost control over Reconstruction, it became a battle within the Republican Party. Moderates and Radicals both ultimately wanted to protect the rights of blacks, but political objectives would partly stand in the way. Nevertheless, Radical Reconstruction ushered in the election of black politicians, the Military Reconstruction Acts, and the 14th and 15th Amendments."(source1, source2)
Lincoln started a good idea and it was blown out of proportion. Lincoln knew that he couldn't not make everyone happy so his plan tried its best to makes many people happy as possible. Johnson and the Radical Republicans turned the original idea into complete chaos. This affects the future of America. The Radical Reconstruction was in the end a complete disaster.(source)
Book 1
