# data[].attributes.body
Economic difficulties led to the failure of Reconstruction because they pulled the focus of the government away from fulfilling their political problems. The “economic depression and political turmoil” during Reconstruction took “the most modest promises” of the process off of the table (Reconstruction, American Yawp). The government was unable to fulfill their promises previously made in the election of 1868 due to more pressing, upcoming difficulties that affected the overall structure of the town. Years later, the nation moved on to face the Depression of 1873 which destroyed the nation’s “already suffering laboring class” and ruined any “remaining idealism” in the Northerners. The many struggles faced by these Americans during the election of 1868 and the Depression of 1873 caused the focus of those in power to be altered from the citizens to the government. Ultimately, Reconstruction failed due to the nation’s people being ignored in order to attempt to stabilize a failing economy.
The second reason that the reconstruction failed was because of the government’s inability to maintain the rights of African Americans. This action eventually led to the end of the reconstruction movement because the northerners gave up and stopped fighting for equality for African Americans. As written in American Yawp, the “northerners abandoned the cause of former slaves and Democrats recaptured southern politics.” the people who had been fighting for freedom and equality for slaves and freed slaves had given up. This left barely anybody to fight for that noble cause.

# data[].attributes.body
Governments fail to change behavior and solve injustices by shifting their focus to the economy rather than the overall well being of the nation's citizens. During the Reconstruction process, the government peeled their focus away from the natural born rights of the citizens in order to fix the crashing economy. Promises regarding human rights made by men in power were unfulfilled due to the distraction that political turmoil and economic depression posed towards the society. Therefore, the government's focus can be swayed towards shallow concerns such as money discrepancies other the lives of their people.

# data[].attributes.body
1.) Why did Reconstruction fail?
2.) What does this tell us about why governments would fail to change behavior and solve injustices?

# data[].attributes.headline
Success - Education of African Americans

# data[].attributes.subject
Success - Education of African Americans

# data[].attributes.body
During Reconstruction, African Americans had founded many black colleges and volunteer organizations and the percentage of literate African Americans increased greatly. The memory of this time expanded opportunities in the black community and inspired the fight to regain civil rights.

# data[].attributes.body
Permanently abolished slavery in all of the states.

# data[].attributes.body
The 13th Amendment was a success because it was able to abolish slavery in all of the states. This would create the framework for African American equality and although they arguably still haven't received total equality, their treatment could become a lot better because of their release from their slave owners.

# data[].attributes.body
The government thought that redistribution of farmland would be a great idea, yet it wasn't enforced.  This prevented the slaves from being economically independent. The slaves came out of slavery owning nothing and having no money, so it was the government's responsibility to provide reparations such as money and land but they didn't enforce this. this would create a lot of financial injustices between blacks and whites even up until today because they never got compensated for their work.

# data[].attributes.body
The 14th Amendment allowed and even encouraged the African Americans to take part in their in their governments by voting and eventually running for positions with political influence. The KKK was then established to scare the African Americans back into silence and therefore the voting rights caused the formation of the Klan by angering reluctant believers of slavery.

# data[].attributes.body
What worked well and what didn't

# data[].attributes.body
Radical leaders felt President Johnson was not carrying
out his constitutional obligation to enforce the Reconstruction Act and tried to impeach him from office.

# data[].attributes.body
Granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to African Americans

# data[].attributes.body
makes everyone born in the United States or naturalized citizens, states that prevented male citizens from voting would lose a percentage of their seats in Congress

# data[].attributes.body
Protected the voting rights of African Americans and gave the federal government power to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment

# data[].attributes.body
States that no one can be kept from voting because of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude"

# data[].attributes.body
Abolished governments formed in the former Confederate states; divided those states into five military districts; set up requirements for readmission to the Union

# data[].attributes.body
Offered aid such as medical assistance and education to freed slaves and war refugees

# data[].attributes.body
Identify and describe (at least six!) components of the plan for Reconstruction that Congress implemented beginning in mid-1866.  Connect each post back to this main post for section 2 (see template).

# data[].attributes.headline
Which of the plans do you think would be the most likely to succeed? Explain. (connect this to that plan)

# data[].attributes.subject
Which of the plans do you think would be the most likely to succeed? Explain. (connect this to that plan)

# data[].attributes.body
the best plan was the radical republican plan. this is because it included african americans in the plan. it was not very inclusive of confederates but this was the biggest comprimise throughout all plans.

# data[].attributes.headline
Which of the plans is the most similar to your plan? Explain. (connect this to the plan most similar)

# data[].attributes.subject
Which of the plans is the most similar to your plan? Explain. (connect this to the plan most similar)

# data[].attributes.body
The plan most similar to our plan was that of the Radical Republican Congress. Both of our plans featured mainly laws and progressive movements surrounding the African Americans. We talked about education, land owning, and equal rights in general. Our plan also mentioned abolishing the black codes.

# data[].attributes.body
1) Offered new opportunities to African Americans by letting them vote, have property, go to school (get an education), have more rights equaling them to the whites, and even holding political offices
2) The strengths include allowing the African Americans to have equal rights since they are people. These rights were regarding voting, holding office, getting an education, have property, etc.
3) The weaknesses of the plan revolve around the Confederates. Anger and feelings of regret regarding their rejoining the Union could arise since they feel that they are being forced to go against their values (slavery)

# data[].attributes.body
1) Each remaining Confederate state of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas could be readmitted to the Union if they did certain things. Johnson wished to prevent most high-ranking
Confederates and wealthy Southern landowners
from taking the oath needed for voting privileges. Johnson’s plan failed to address the needs of former slaves: land, voting rights, and protection under the law. He was not in favor of former slaves gaining the right to vote and he pardoned more than 13,000 former Confederates because he believed that “white men alone must manage the South.”

2) Johnson did very little right. the only people he pleased were white southern people and he angered everyone else. overall, his plan was not very good at all
3) the weaknesses are endless. not including the north and african americans was not smart, didn't punish certain people for slavery and other crimes, said that only white men could rule the south, and pretty much every other part of his plan

# data[].attributes.body
1.) make the South's return to the Union as smooth as possible (never happened because not constitutional), the Ten-Percent Plan - gov. would pardon all Confederates except high-ranking officials and accused of war crimes
2.) The strengths include pardoning the Union members because this will help to sweeten the situation and make the South feel obligated to accept the new terms of the Union.
3.) Weaknesses include angering the confederates with the anti-slavery laws. Also, the plan was very lenient and no real punishment was given to the people who had left the Union and forsaken their nation.

# data[].attributes.body
1. List the provisions of the plan
2. Briefly mention the strengths of the plan as you see it
3. Briefly mention the weaknesses of the plan as you see it
4. Link each post to the main post for Section 1 (see template)