The First Reconstruction Act had rules on what each state needed to do to be welcomed back to the blank.
The First Reconstruction Act of 1867 outlined the requirements that former Confederate states needed to fulfill in order to be readmitted to the Union. It primarily targeted Southern states, seeking to implement a plan for political and social reconstruction following the end of the American Civil War. The Act divided the South into five military districts and outlined the following requirements for each state:
1. Ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment: States were required to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted citizenship rights and equal protection under the law to all African Americans. This amendment aimed to ensure civil rights for formerly enslaved individuals and protect them from discriminatory state laws.
2. Drafting of new state constitutions: Southern states had to draft new state constitutions that granted suffrage rights to African American males and ensured their right to vote. The constitutions were required to be approved by the majority of eligible voters in each state, including both African Americans and whites.
3. Formation of new state governments: States needed to form new governments based on the new constitutions and elect new officials, including state governors, legislatures, and other state officers. These governments were expected to be inclusive and representative of all citizens, regardless of race.
4. Guarantee of civil rights: The First Reconstruction Act required states to adopt measures to protect the civil and political rights of all citizens, regardless of race. This included ensuring access to public facilities, equal treatment under the law, and preventing discrimination based on race.
5. Congressional approval: Finally, each state's new constitution and government had to be approved by the United States Congress. State delegations elected under the new constitutions would also need to be allowed into Congress.
Once these requirements were fulfilled, the states would be readmitted to the Union, and they would gain full representation in the federal government. The First Reconstruction Act aimed to establish a more democratic and inclusive society in the South, guaranteeing civil rights for all citizens, particularly African Americans who had been oppressed and disenfranchised during slavery and the Jim Crow era.