The intent was to change political control in the South from upper class to farmers and artisans (Reconstruction). During this time the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified, which guaranteed freedom of the blacks (Brinton 157). The South was not happy with the reconstruction, and they tried to show power over blacks by the passage of black codes. These laws limited the rights of blacks by denying them the civil and political rights of whites. The laws restricted Blacks from owning free land and working as free men (Reconstruction).
The Northerners believed that Johnson's Plan was too soft, so the Congress intervened and passed laws to provide care for the blacks and prevented states from discrimination against slaves. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 defined citizenship and outlawed discrimination on the basis of race. President Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act, but Congress overrode his veto (Morison 336). Next, Congress decided to pass the Fourteenth Amendment defining national citizenship to include blacks. The Congress also passed the Freedman's Bureau Act, which Congress had established to feed, protect, and help educate the newly emancipated blacks (Barrons 117).
Opposed to Johnson's "Presidential Reconstruction" was "Congressional Reconstruction" from the radical Republicans. The era of Congressional Reconstruction began when the radicals won the election of 1866. The Radicals had many motives they wanted to accomplish. They wanted to punish the South, keep Republican power, help industry to grow, and aid freed blacks (Reconstruction). The reconstruction was led by the blacks, carpetbaggers (Northerners who had gone into the South), and scalawags (Southerners who teamed up with the blacks and carpetbaggers). All of them began to rebuild the Southern economy where blacks were guaranteed the same rights as the white. In 1867, Congress passed a Reconstruction Act. The act put the South under military rule, and divided it into five military districts, each governed by a northern general (Morison 338).