Significant Differences Between Andrew Johnson And The Radical Republican

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There were several significant differences between Andrew Johnson’s reconstruction plans and the plans of the Radical Republicans in Congress. Johnson was a proponent of strong state governments. His plans included restoring all white state governments in the south and giving the states full power over their local affairs. The Radicals supported the extension of the powers of the federal government. They wanted to build new governments in the south, ban former Confederates from the government, and guarantee black men the right to vote. One of the major differences between President Johnson and the Radicals was how they planned to restore the governments of the southern states. Johnson was a “fervent believer in states’ rights” (Foner, 579).