jan 1, 1867 - Political Change: Copperheads; Ex Parte Milligan; The Draft (POL)

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The draft was instituted because of the civil war which stated that every person drafted into the army would have to go off into war. However, a loophole would arise in which if any person who is drafted paid $300, they would be left off the draft list and would no longer have to fight in the war. This loophole was more formally known as the conscription act, an act that was incredibly unfair towards the poorer United States citizens. The copperheads were northern Democrats who supported the confederacy and would throw accusations at Lincoln for pausing habeas corpus, and that therefore Lincoln was being inhumane and unconstitutional. These Confederate prisoners of war would be tried in ex parte Milligan which was a result of these accusations and a military court trying

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