Which U.S. president was in power during the implementation of Reconstruction?

The correct answer to the question about which U.S. president was in power during the implementation of Reconstruction is Andrew Johnson. After Abraham Lincoln's assassination in April 1865, Johnson, who was vice president at the time, took over the presidency. The Reconstruction era began during his administration as the nation sought to rebuild the South and integrate formerly enslaved individuals into society following the Civil War.

Johnson's approach to Reconstruction was significant because he implemented policies that reflected leniency towards the South, and he proposed a plan that allowed for the quick re-establishment of Southern states’ governments. This had a lasting impact on the political and social landscape of the Reconstruction period, as his policies often clashed with the more radical elements of Congress that sought to secure civil rights for freed slaves and impose stricter terms for Southern re-admittance.

In contrast, while Ulysses S. Grant also played a significant role in Reconstruction after Johnson, his presidency began in 1869, after the initial implementation phase. Abraham Lincoln was instrumental in starting the process of Reconstruction before his assassination, but the actual governance and policy details were for the most part defined during Johnson's presidency. George Washington, having served long before the Civil War and Reconstruction, was not involved in this