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This was a reconstruction proposal introduced by President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. It stipulated that a Confederate state could be readmitted into the Union once ten percent of its voters (from the 1860 election) swore an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and pledged to abide by emancipation. Once that threshold was met, the state could then establish a new state government.

The significance of this initiative lay in its leniency towards the defeated Confederacy, reflecting Lincoln’s desire for a swift and relatively painless reunification. It aimed to shorten the war and foster reconciliation. The plan was met with considerable opposition, particularly from Radical Republicans in Congress who favored a more punitive approach towards the South and greater protection for newly freed slaves.

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President Abraham Lincoln’s strategy for Reconstruction following the American Civil War proposed a lenient path for the Southern states to rejoin the Union. This approach stipulated that a state could re-establish a legitimate government once ten percent of its voting population, as recorded in the 1860 election, pledged allegiance to the United States. The plan also required the state to abolish slavery. This framework was intended to facilitate a swift and relatively painless reunification.

The significance of this initiative lies in its attempt to minimize long-term resentment and resistance in the South. By offering comparatively easy terms for readmission, the administration hoped to quickly restore national unity and stability. However, the proposal sparked considerable controversy, particularly among Radical Republicans in Congress who believed it was too lenient and failed to adequately protect the rights of formerly enslaved people. They felt it risked restoring the Southern aristocracy and perpetuating racial inequality.

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