My name is Abraham Lincoln. I was born on February 12th, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. I have accomplished plenty in life, but my most memorable achievement was when I became the sixteenth president of the United States of America in 1861 and was even privileged enough to get re-elected in 1864.
Throughout my journey as a President, Reconstruction was one the most intricate crisis. It began in 1865 and officially ended in 1877. My standpoint on Reconstruction was quite moderate, as I strongly favored the unity of my nation over anything else. Therefore, I believed that the nation’s unity could have been strengthened only by leaving behind the bloodshed during the Civil War, and having “malice towards none; but charity for all.”
As a result, I prepared a Reconstruction plan in order to readmit the south into the union, and to bond the south and the north together, after the war. Furthermore, I issued a Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction in 1863, which granted forgiveness as well as an opportunity to all of the rebellious southerners (except for high-ranking Confederate leaders) to sign an oath of allegiance towards union. However, with that, I wanted the southerners to follow the terms of my plan, which were allowing them to form new state governments, as long as they banned slavery and 10% of their voters take the oath of allegiance.
Although, most favored my plan, but there were also many against it as well. To many radical republicans in congress, my plan did not seem harsh enough. They viewed south as a conquered territory; as a result, they proposed that the Southerners should get brutally punished for trying to separate from the Union and causing war. In other words, they felt that my plan was treating the South too benevolently.
However, I did not want to be too critical and unjust, I just wanted peace and harmony between the north and the south. I wanted my nation to stay together. I wanted to...