What was the Wade-Davis Bill's requirement for southern states?

The Wade-Davis Bill, proposed in 1864 during the Reconstruction era, set forth a stringent requirement for southern states seeking to rejoin the Union. The correct answer highlights that 50% of voters in a state needed to take an “ironclad” oath of loyalty to the United States. This oath required individuals to swear that they had never supported the Confederacy, distinguishing it from other loyalty oaths that permitted some leniency.

The intent behind the Bill was to ensure that the new governments formed in the southern states would be loyal to the Union and not composed of former Confederates, reflecting a more radical approach to Reconstruction than that of President Abraham Lincoln, who advocated for a more lenient plan. This requirement underscored the depth of the commitment demanded from those wishing to participate in the political process of Reconstruction and to re-establish their states within the Union framework.

In contrast, the other options either reflect less stringent requirements or introduce different criteria that do not align with the specific stipulations of the Wade-Davis Bill, which was focused on the loyalty of a larger percentage of the electorate before granting readmission to the Union.