Questions: Why did congress gain responsibility for Reconstruction? How would the Southern states rejoin the union should this bill be enacted into law?

Congress gained responsibility for Reconstruction primarily due to disagreements between President Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans in Congress over how to reintegrate the Southern states into the Union and address the rights of newly freed African Americans. After the Civil War, there was a significant debate over the approach to Reconstruction. President Johnson, who succeeded Abraham Lincoln, favored a more lenient approach, allowing Southern states to rejoin the Union quickly with minimal changes to their pre-war social structures.

However, the Radical Republicans in Congress believed that a more stringent approach was necessary to ensure civil rights for freed slaves and to restructure Southern society. They were concerned that Johnson's policies would allow former Confederate leaders to regain power and that the rights of African Americans would not be protected. This led to a power struggle between the executive and legislative branches.

In 1866, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, which Johnson vetoed, but Congress overrode his veto. This marked a shift in power, with Congress taking a more active role in Reconstruction. The passage of the Reconstruction Acts in 1867 further solidified Congress's control, as these acts laid out the process for Southern states to be readmitted to the Union, including requirements for new state constitutions and the ratification of the 14th Amendment.

Under the Reconstruction Acts, Southern states were required to meet several conditions to rejoin the Union. These conditions were designed to ensure loyalty to the Union and to protect the rights of African Americans. The key requirements included:

1. Military Districts: The South was divided into five military districts, each governed by a Union general. This was intended to maintain order and oversee the transition to new state governments.

2. New State Constitutions: Southern states were required to draft new constitutions that guaranteed the rights of African Americans, including the right to vote for African American men. These constitutions had to be approved by Congress.

3. Ratification of the 14th Amendment: States had to ratify the 14th Amendment, which granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves.

4. Loyalty Oaths: Former Confederate officials and military officers were often required to take loyalty oaths to the Union before they could participate in the new state governments.

Once these conditions were met, Southern states could be readmitted to the Union, and their representatives could take their seats in Congress. This process was intended to ensure that the Southern states were committed to the principles of equality and loyalty to the United States.