What effect did the assassination of President Lincoln have on the process of reconstruction?
Lincoln had a strong influence on the congress of the time. With his assination, it left a president (Johnson) who was more at the mercy of schemes put forth by the politicians. Had Lincoln not died, it is believed that he would have been able to curtail some of the more aggresive canabalistic moves made by those same politicians as well as some the more disreputable people who instigated false railroads and confederacy monuments. THe general consensus is that being a souterner Johnson was unable to hold any sway as he watched the south collapse on itself. The destruction was complete and the south like a phoenix rose from the ashes eventually.
