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Andrew Johnson

December 29, 1808 Raleigh, North Carolina- July 31, 1875 Carter County, Tennessee

Political Party- Democrats (April 1865- March 1869)

Vice President: None

Slavery was finally being addressed during the Civil War time period. Abraham Lincoln even got the Emancipation Proclamation through Congress to set the slaves free in rebel states. Andrew Johnson was a pro-slavery Democrat from the North and did whatever he could to keep slavery alive in the South. To help the free blacks, Congress set up the Freedmen's Bureau. The Freedmen’s Bureau provided food, clothing, education and medical help to the blacks. This helped the blacks get jobs and have a better transition into society. The South disliked this idea because it upset their social order. Andrew Johnson believed in white dominance over blacks too and proceeded to veto the bill extending the Bureau in 1866. The bill was later re-passed. This began the long list of vetoes Johnson had on multiple bills to help former-slaves.
 * Thematic Context **

The 14th Amendment was another attempt at trying to suppress the Black Codes. The Black Codes were passed in the South to put the blacks into something similar to slavery. The addition of the 14th Amendment was to ensure that Southerners, if they were ever to come into power, couldn't repeal the law for Civil Rights. This amendment would give citizenship to everyone in the U.S and punished any states that didn't give representation to blacks. The amendment went to the states for ratification and Republicans in Congress said that those states that do not ratify it will not be restored in the Union. Andrew Johnson was appalled by this and told the Southern states to reject the amendment. All did but Tennessee. Johnson’s decisions in both slavery issues put a strain on the relationship between him and Congress. In the end, the Amendment was passed and all southern states were admitted into the Union.

Abraham Lincoln chose Andrew Johnson as his Vice President for the sole purpose to get Democratic votes in the election of. When Lincoln was assassinated Johnson became president. Andrew Johnson became president by secession, not by popular vote. That alone made the biggest difference and the fact that he was a Democrat in the midst of Republicans. Johnson didn't get along with Congress, making legislature incredibly hard to pass and this was crucial at this time. During his presidency, Andrew Johnson didn't make decisions that helped the united country earning him a grade of D.
 * Thesis **

Andrew Johnson’s main goal during reconstruction was to bring the Southern states back into the Union without anymore violence. Both him and Lincoln believed that Southern states never really left the Union. Johnson and his administration did not accomplish this goal. He did believe in the same reconstruction principles as Lincoln but Congress did not feel the same. Johnson believed in Lincoln’s 10 percent plan but Congress wanted a more stricter way to bring the Southern states back in. Another goal of Johnson’s was to re-install white supremacy in the South. Congress would keep trying to pass laws that would help the freedmen but Johnson would veto. This was another goal that failed miserably.
 * Goals **

Andrew Johnson did not get along with Congress at all. As stated earlier, Johnson was Democrat in the middle of Republicans. Every time Congress wanted to pass an act, Johnson would veto. For example, when Congress wanted to pass the Freedmen Bureau bill so that it will continue to help the freed blacks, Johnson vetoed. But along with all of Johnson's vetoes congress used their powers to override his decision. This happened many times during Johnson's presidency. Another thing that Howard that congress and Andrew Johnson didn't get along was Johnson's impeachment. When Johnson fired his Secretary of War he supposedly broke the Tenure of Office Act which have Congress the opportunity to impeach. Johnson was tried for "high crimes and misdemeanors but was found not guilty.
 * Johnson and Congress **

A positive decision that Andrew Johnson made was the purchase of Alaska. The Russian’s sold Alaska to the U.S because they sided with the Union during the civil war and wanted to spread the idea of a Republic. They also thought that Alaska was a frozen piece of land. The Americans bought it because it was rumored to contain furs and wealth. Alaska at this point was just a frozen tundra but it did pay off later. Johnson didn't do anything else that helped the U.S during his presidency but the purchase of Alaska.
 * Positive Decision **

Andrew Johnson made a bad decision by going on his little tour of the states. At this time there was a lot of friction between Johnson and Congress. Johnson went from place to place trying to play up Democratic nominees for Congress. This was an attempt to split the Radical Republicans from the Republicans and to gain supporters for his reconstruction policies. Unfortunately, Johnson got the exact opposite results. After votes were tallied, the Republicans had over two-thirds majority in both houses. This resulted in the republicans now having an easier time in overriding the president’s vetoes. John’s “swing ‘round the circle” made him a laughingstock in America. He wasn't taken very seriously after this point.
 * Negative Decision **

An influential decision that Andrew Johnson made was the purchase of Alaska. When he bought the land from the Russians everyone thought that it was frozen piece of land and that it was of no use. But then rumors began of it containing fur and other riches. Alaska in the future would help the U.S by providing natural resources. Johnson didn't really do much for the United States during his presidency and Alaska was the only thing that helped future administrations.
 * Influential Decision **

Andrew Johnson was a pitiful president and did more harm to the U.S than good. Johnson elongated the reconstruction process and caused more stress and issues than necessary, His veto-power was abused during his presidency too. The United States was better off without Johnson as president and could have gotten reconstruction done more efficiently without him. Though the Union was back together, there was still discrimination against the black and some states still refuse to acknowledge blacks as citizen and refuse to give them their rights. Andrew Johnson deserves a grade of D because he didn't do much during his presidency that helped the U.S but he did bring the Union back together. DeGregorio, William A. //The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents//. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade, 2005. Print.  "Miller Center." //American President: Andrew Johnson: A Life in Brief//. Univeristy of Viginia, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2012. .  "Primary Documents in American History." //14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)//. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2012. .
 * Conclusion **