Purnima+-+AJO+-+SP09

Andrew Johnson December 29, 1808 ||
 * = Full Name: ||= Andrew Johnson ||
 * = Born: ||= 
 * = Died: ||= July 31, 1875

|| ||= 1865-1869/ 1 Term ||
 * = Years in office/Terms:
 * = Political Party: ||= National Union ||
 * = Vice President: ||= ? ||

Andrew Johnson was nothing more than the a clueless substitute teacher. He left the nation in a confusing state, when the nation needed direction. His performance as a president was pretty poor; a decent grade would a 69.92%. Sure, he continued with the reconstruction for the south and pardoned the confederates and continued trying to abolish slavery laid out from Lincoln. However, the black codes prevented the African Americans to live a truly free life. Another set back was focused on the Radical Republicans which were against the idea of letting former confederate leader still play apart in congress. Not only being a set back it also created some disunity within the congress. Though, because the administration just helped America become the nation it is today, I would not like to give him a F. The best thing that occurred in Johnson presidency was the outcome of the slaves, till this point not much had been done about the issue of slaves. The thirteen amendment was ratified in December of 1865, liberating the slaves who weren’t set free already by the Emancipation Proclamation. To enforce and help the African Americans with their freedom; the Freedmen's Bureau was established. This helped not only the African Americans but also helped the poor white farmers with their problems relating to schooling, and welfare. The Freedmen's Bureau was a win-win situation for everyone. The second Freedmen's Bureau Act was originally vetoed, but the congress passed it over the veto. This shows how important the Freedmen's Bureau was to the congress verses Andrew Johnson (they did not have the same goals in mind). He was an easy person to melt on the palm of your hand if you were represented by a big, wealth group of people. Anyways, the Black Codes however deny the African American's rights to become a U.S citizenship and right to vote. The Radical Republicans tried to help the issue; they passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 that listed the rights American's had regardless of their skin color. President Johnson, wanted the nation to remain together (he mainly didn't have the courage to disappoint the south) and ended up vetoing the bill and the congress over ruled it. The congress wanted to reorganize the south and wanted to give the African Americans the right to vote. However, racism was still flooded in the nation Hiram K. Revels from Mississippi became the first black elected into the Senate. The Ku Klux Klan was formed by Confederate veterans who believed the white race was superior to any other race would harm former slaves, and nothing was done by Washington to solve this matter out. The Nation was too cooped up in the civil war and the aftermath of it that the Maximilian Affair in Mexico was a whiplashed. This event was close to being unknown and just a shock for America. This was basically the French intervention in Mexico, which was against the Monroe Doctrine. The French did back down to avoid war when American soldiers were lined up at Rio Grande. President Johnson faced the chance of impeachment and a trial when Johnson dismissed Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton. The House of Representatives in return for Johnson's action wanted to impeach him for violating the Tenure of Office Act. This was yet another law that was originally vetoed by Johnson and later over ruled; this stated that the president can't remove government officials without the consent of the Senate. Though he did not really commit any type of crime, and was just against the congressmen who wanted to control the direction of Reconstruction he was impeached and denied re-nomination. Throughout President Johnson's term his position would always be against the congress. He didn't want to change anything, for whatever reason. It is only thanks to the congress that something actually happened in this term. This relation between the president and the congress was like ying and yang, they never found a meeting point. That's why I think that 69.92% is the prefect grade for the term in history. Work Citied: [] Scholastics Encyclopedia of the Presidents and their times By: David Rubel