After four years of fighting between the Union and Confederacy during the American Civil War, it was finally decided in 1864 that the 11 southern states that had seceded of the nation would be restored. back in the Union. However, the problems of rebuilding the Union were just as difficult as the war itself had been. Because most of the war was fought in Southern territory, the South was devastated physically and economically. Aiding former slaves and making state governments loyal to the Union also presented various problems that would take years to resolve. The primary goal of Reconstruction after the Civil War would have been - in my Reconstruction plan - primarily based on the integration of freed African Americans into Southern society. Many of the problems faced by Southerners leading up to and following the Civil War centered on racial hatred and slavery. When this factor is removed from Southern society, it will be much easier to reintegrate the former Confederate States into the union. Additionally, ex-Confederates should be afforded rights like any other citizen of the United States. They should not be imprisoned, fined, banned or discriminated against in any way. Too harsh a punishment for Confederates would only cause increased feelings of hatred and unnecessary sectionalism, making the South feel more oppressed than it already does. Whether a high-ranking general or an average soldier, under my plan they would be treated like any other Americans. In fact, General Robert E. Lee, the leading Confederate general of the Civil War, did not share the same beliefs as most Confederates of the era. He fought solely because of his loyalty to his home state of Virginia. In addition, the former confederation... middle of paper ...... is the delicate period of reconstruction. Union troops would have to be stationed in voting booths to ensure black people's right to vote. Union soldiers would also play a role in protecting freedmen from hate groups such as the KKK, if necessary. However, the main goal was to use as little violence as possible and slowly withdraw Union troops as the South stabilized. The presence of Union soldiers was very important in protecting the rights of freedmen in the South. Although rebuilding a broken country may at first seem like a daunting task, my plan is simplified by the fact that it is based on the integration of freedmen into Southern society. and the South in the rest of the country's society. Factors such as Union troops enforcing nonviolence in the South and heavy fines for acts of racial hatred should help the South adjust to Reconstruction in no time, according to my plan..