A Level History - America - Practice Exam

The Wade-Davis Bill aimed to impose a stricter standard for the re-admittance of Southern states into the Union after the Civil War. It required that 50% of the voters in a seceding state take an oath of loyalty to the Union before the state could re-establish its government, significantly more stringent than the 10% requirement proposed by President Lincoln in his Reconstruction plan. This reflected a more radical approach to Reconstruction, emphasizing the need for greater commitment from those who had participated in the rebellion. The high percentage was intended to ensure that loyal Union supporters were firmly in control of the new state governments, thereby reducing the influence of former Confederates.

The other options do not accurately represent the purpose of the Wade-Davis Bill. While establishing military rule was a consequence of the Reconstruction Acts, the Wade-Davis Bill did not propose that. Additionally, it did not introduce a new tax system nor did it aim to prevent railroad construction in the South, which were not central issues addressed by this piece of legislation.