The+Stick



=**Carolina, Rachel, and Megan** =

Four years of civil war between our nation’s northern and southern states has taken a great toll on our national unity. Unity is essential for our nation’s reconstruction and for redeveloping equal civil rights for all individuals. This new era of equality is only possible with the best efforts of all American citizens; the assurance of successful cooperation, and the ability to compromise between the northern and the southern states. For successful reconstruction, it is crucial that our nation’s two most vital goals be both reunification and civil rights. rights (  Do you think this is a fair compromise between North and South? The South is not going to be cooperative with the North if blacks are given civil rights). Are you able to achieve both reunification and maintain civil rights? It's like having a cake and eating it too. ** How are you planning on getting the South on your side for unity when you are promising equal civil rights? What do you mean by compromising? What lengths are you willing to go to to get the South to agree? **

To punish previous supporters of the Confederate States of America would be futile, for our priority is not to create further hostility between Northern and Southern states but to reunite the American states. states (Like this idea) No unjustifiable (it wouldn't be necessarily unjustifiable since the top ex-Confederates suceeded from the Union illegally, and letting them reenter the Union so easily could easily lead to unwanted consequences) measure should be taken towards ex- Confederates; our purpose is not to mock or discipline ex-Confederates. (Not to discipline?! Do you expect them to acquiesce on their own terms?) The sole consequence ex-confederates will be subjected to is being restrained by law from taking any leading position in military forces for one decade. decade (This is a form of punishment-which you said above would be futile). <--- (Yeah, if you don't want to punish them, don't punish them. Confederates in military positions wouldn't have much power anyway due to a weak South and strong North) Prior to taking any seat in government, ex-Confederates will be required to take an oath to uphold the federal constitution. constitution (Will they be punished if they go against this oath, and if so, how?)  ﻿What is to stop the ex-Confederates from just taking the oath just so they can hold office, they could just be crossing their fingers and lying... **So the ex-Confederates can just re-enter the Union without having to prove that they truly want to rejoin the Union? Exactly what the others said; what if they just lie to rejoin the Union, acheive a high government position, and then completely mutilate the government? What will happen to them? Do they just get to continue doing what they want just because they took the oath?**

With the abolition of slavery, the United States is undergoing a major transition. With 4 million black slaves becoming free men, Americans ﻿ will take on the responsibility of aiding these men in becoming productive members of American society. (What is to be done with the racist Americans that refuse to treat a free black man as "any other white citizen"? The KKK certainly will be against this law...) A free black man will be treated as any other white citizen. citizen (How will you ensure that this law is upheld?)   < I agree, you can say that but it doesn't mean the KKK won't lynch blacks anyways. (I agree with them, How will you make sure they are treated as they should?) All Americans (the ex-Confederates too? How will they be forced to protect the African American population when some of them -many of them most likely- want to prevent black civil rights?) will act as aids in these freedmen’s pursuit of happiness and productivity. Black men’s natural rights will be enforced. ** (And the KKK? You can't force people to uphold laws if they're really against them - take the Stamp Act and the calling/texting while driving laws) ** (How will they be enforced?) Several amendments will be added to State constitutions enforcing (how will these amendments be enforced?) free black men’s rights as American citizens and consequences for those who prevent black citizens from fully engaging in these rights.  (What types of consequences will be enforced for defying federal law?Imprisonement? Exile? Community Service?) Slaves have been deprived of the opportunities every man rightfully deserves. State governments and the Federal government will take measures providing freedmen with the opportunities to obtain an education, education  (how is this education system going to be funded? Will it be segregated?) land, as well as jobs. jobs (In doing this, you are going to cause much hostility from white southerners. How will you suppress this hostility?  )   ﻿(Would freedmen be paid at equal wage as a white citizen?) Programs supporting black education and employment opportunities will be funded by State governments and will continue to be funded by taxes paid by citizens ( **In the whole country or just the South?? The Economy in the South is pretty devestated and the North is sick of financing a war for black people, whom they do not really care about)** until these programs can support themselves or are no longer necessary. ( I don't think that people want to pay anymore money for blacks, the North doesn't love blacks they just wanted to end slavery.) ( Why would the pillaged South be advocating Black improvement over their own improvement first? Will the sectional; racist; and prejudice South really willingly follow these new social mores?)

In order to ensure equality, all males, both white and black, will be able to vote. (In the aftermath of the real Reconstruction Project, there were voter prevention laws which the South impledented to sort of twist backs out of being able to vote, ex: if your grandparent didn't vote, you could not. How will this be prevented? and will there be any guards or anything to protect blacks at the polls so they are not attacked?) (This was tried in the original plan and because it failed African Americans did not get their civil rights for another hundred years, so how would this be any different? What would happen to the KKK?) ﻿ ﻿ (What about the illiterate blacks that haven't received an education yet? Do they get to vote too?) (KKK?? You know, they really are a big problem...) ( I don't think white people in the South will like this very much. ) The United States of America is looking towards a future of impartiality and unification and this is a major step towards that goal. We are aware of the complications between the ex-confederates and the freedmen, therefore there will be a temporary limitation on the voting rights of the freedmen.( Does excluding rights of voting for freedmen make the Civil War fought in vain then?)  Until,  freedmen. Until the ex-confederates become more acquainted with the changes that have taken place as well as the new equality of freedmen, blacks will only be allowed to vote for local and state issues, not federal. federal (Do you really think that by making this an evolution rather than a revolution, you are going to soothe white southerners' anger and hostility?). (How are they exactly going to have a say in government that effects the equality of freedmen throughout the whole country if they can't participate federal law, which will effect the whole country?) With the creation of the Assembly of Freedmen, there will be a chosen black representative for every 5 white representatives in congress. **(But is that fair? What if the white man is a better politician/diplomat? is that democratic?)** Everyone will choose these representatives for the Assembly of Freedmen.  (<--- This might work, though KKK will still be upset about having black representatives, at least the majority would probably feel the need to take part in the Assembly of Freedmen elections and make sure they knew who was up for election).
 * (It makes no difference if they can only partially vote - The KKK still thinks that the blacks aren't worthy of equality with whites. Partial voting rights just strip the equality away from the freedmen and still has the same effect on the whites) ** The freedmen will also not be able to run for office; however, they will have a voice in government.

Slavery was the driving force behind southern agriculture. The abolition of slavery has drastically changed the southern economy; however, efforts are being made to unify and successfully bring back the south. With help from the whole nation, millions of freed slaves in the south are working towards becoming significant members of the country. In order for the confederate states to regain full rights and representation, they must show a working effort ** (but what will motivate them to be a "race-traitor"?) ** to unify and treat all individuals equally. equally (How are you going to measure this? Won't this just cause more bitterness between North and South?). At least thirty percent of all freedmen must have a paying job. job (What will you do if they don't?). (Does this mean 70% could have jobs and not get paid? ... Seems like they're still slaves.) White people must hire freedmen and not be biased when it comes to wages.( wages. There will be a minimum wage that applies to blacks and whites. All black people and white people will be paid the same amount depending on the  job.  job  (Again, how are you going to enforce all of this?).  Fifty percent of all blacks will be required to be educated and free public schools will be available to everyone equally.   (Why just 50%) ﻿ (What about the remaining 50% that aren't required to be educated? Can those illiterate blacks vote? And are these public schools going to be segregated? If so, how would you keep the blacks protected from the racist whites?) Education ** :) ** will benefit the freedmen as it will ensure that they will use their voting rights to the best of their abilities.  This paragraph needs some work. How will blacks be educated if white supremacists and KKK members are actively acting against it? If schools are segregated, they'll be targeted by the KKK and if they aren't, then white children won't go there. Even up to the civil right's movement of the 1950s whites were opposed to having their children attend a school with blacks, ie. Ruby Bridges)

Before reunification and reconstruction in Southern states can take place, the Southern economy must be restored. In order to do so, the North and South must be able to work in conjunction, and be able to successfully compromise. We propose that the North give the South a financial loan, which would be used for carrying out the following plans of improvement. (But the North has little improvement  (Do you think Northerners are going to support more of their money also, much less while trying to rebuild their own thriving economy going to the side that lost the war?)  ). It will be required that a portion of the ex-slaves be hired and receive at least minimum wages. For this requirement to be fulfilled, the South will use ex-slaves and any other willing workers to rebuild the South. This plan benefits the states, the union, and American individuals. ** (When will the loan be paid back? ** and what if the economy is STILL not boosted despite the Northern loan? Does the North lend MORE money? And does this loan gather interest with time? ** ) ** Agricultural reconstruction is another major aspect having to do with Southern economic restoration .(Yes agriculture WAS a major aspect of the South's economy WHEN cotton was in demand around the world. However now, cotton is thriving in other areas of the world and american cotton is no longer essential.)  restoration. Since the emancipation of all slaves by Lincoln, it is necessary that the South formulate a new plan for harvesting crops (and that is....?), and carrying out all agricultural production. For all of these reconstruction plans to occur, and to be precisely carried out, it is vital that each southern states’ constitutions be fully revised, or completely replaced with an improved version. version (Who is going to revise these constitutions? If the South is, then they won't want to make the necessary changes. If the North is, then you are taking the South's own government away from them-major punishment).

We propose that Union troops not be stationed among Southern states or present in citizen’s everyday life.  ( If they aren't present in everyday life, how will this plan be enforced? How will violence against blacks be stopped? How will state governments run without Confederate ideals?) There will be a Union Committee and/or Union representation in each Southern state government. government (What is the difference between this and Union troops? These representatives will have to be ready to defend themselves and uphold the new established laws). For each division of reconstruction stated above (agricultural, constitutional, rebuilding, etc.), there will be a number of Union representatives present and involved to stand in when help is needed, and to supervise and regulate reconstruction to ensure the most effective and efficient use of time and materials. Union supervisors will also ensure that ex-saves recently acquired rights are not ignored.  (With 'Please' and 'Thank You'?) The South should be able to act self-sufficiently, rather than relying on Union officials to carry out all the reconstruction for them. Union representatives minimal interaction in Southern reconstruction will prevent rebellion and uproar by ex-confederates. ex-confederates (But then how will all of these new laws be enforced? Southerners are not going to pay blacks wages, give them the right to vote, give them land, or uphold any of their rights unless they are being forced to). Further hostility between the Northern and Southern regions of our nation is unnecessary and dangerous for our current state of government and union instability.

By not imposing harsh consequences on ex-confederates, by providing the necessary means for freedmen to become active members of the American society, by ensuring civil rights for freemen, and by allowing suffrage to those who were not previously politically represented ,(but only locally, not federally...)  represented, it is ensured that our nation’s reunification and advancement of civil rights for all will be successful in reconstructing the United States of America. Red= Gemma :)   Vomit Green: Ty  Blue = Isabel   Green = Emma (Anonymous)  ﻿   ﻿  Teal = Anaika
 * Since everything I planned on correcting was pretty much stated previously, I have to say that overall, I feel like your plan could only be executed by Care Bears. Your faith in the goodness of the Human Kind is inspiring though. However at that time, when there was such intence feelings of hatred towards blacks, and tension between the North and the South, your plan seems too 'dandy' to be realistically executed. But, I did like your positive additudes:). That is all.

Blue: Isabel

Magenta = Kim

Pink=Eva

Purple= Emily