The period after the war was called the Reconstruction.
The 10% Plan
Abraham Lincoln presented the "Ten Percent Plan," which presented a plan that if the Southern states can take an oath of allegiance to the United States, if 10% of a state takes it they can have their own government. They would also be forced to adopt a new constitution which banned slavery. They could send representatives to Congress when they met these requirements.
The Freedman's Bureau
The Freedman's Bureau was a group that Lincoln and Congress made. Their purpose was to help African Americans adapt to normal life. It provided clothes, food, and medical care to them. They set up schools, and some of the staff were Northerners. They also helped them get farms or find work.
The Result of the War
The Confederacy tried, and failed, to break away from the Union. Now, they had to rejoin them. The war left the South's economy in a bad condition. The job of rebuilding the states and trying to get them to rejoin was called Reconstruction.
Johnson's Reconstruction Plan
On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. VP Andrew Johnson became president. His Reconstruction plan gave amnesty to Southerners who swore loyalty to the Union. His plan required the Southern states to abolish slavery. Later, the 13th Amendment was passed. It officially outlawed slavery.