Under Congressional Reconstruction, what arrangement did the federal government impose on former Confederate states?

• A. Military districts administered by federal authorities.
• B. Complete restoration of prewar state governments with no federal oversight.
• C. Immediate universal suffrage in each state.
• D. A centralized national government directly ruling each state.

Answer: (A)

Under Congressional Reconstruction, the federal government asserted direct military supervision over the former Confederate states. The Reconstruction Acts of 1867 divided the South into five military districts, each governed by a Union general and supported by federal troops to enforce laws and protect the rights of newly freed people. These districts required states to draft new constitutions, extend voting rights to Black men, and ratify the 14th Amendment before they could be readmitted to representation in Congress. This arrangement shows how Congress aimed to reshape Southern governments and secure civil rights through military oversight, rather than allowing swift restoration of prewar rulers.