Which group was considered more moderate during the Reconstruction era?

During the Reconstruction era, the group that was considered more moderate was the Moderate Republicans. This faction emerged in response to the extreme measures pushed by the Radical Republicans, who advocated for more aggressive policies aimed at transforming Southern society following the Civil War. The Moderate Republicans sought a balanced approach that aimed to reconcile the North and the South while still ensuring some level of protection and civil rights for freed slaves.

The Moderate Republicans generally favored a more lenient Reconstruction policy, advocating for political and economic re-integration of the Southern states while still supporting essential civil rights measures. They tried to find common ground between the more extreme radical policies and the conservative views held by many Democrats of the time. This group was characterized by a willingness to work with the existing political leadership in the South and aimed to restore the Union with a focus on stability and economic recovery rather than punishment or sweeping transformations.

In contrast, the Radical Republicans pushed for a much harsher approach, including the imposition of military rule over the South until certain conditions were met. The Democrats at the time largely resisted Reconstruction and sought to maintain the pre-war social order, while supporters of the Black Codes worked to enact laws that severely limited the rights of African Americans, further emphasizing the disparity in extremism between these groups and