Olivia+R.+-+AJohn+-+SP10



=**Andrew Johnson**= December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875 Term of Office: April 15, 1865 – March 3, 1869 Vice President: None Political Party: Democratic, Unionist

When Andrew Johnson assumed the role of President after Lincoln’s assassination he had to deal with the immediate aftermath of the Civil War. The most urgent question was what to do with the defeated Confederate States. President Lincoln was in the middle of developing a reconstruction plan, and Johnson attempted to pursue it. But throughout his presidency, few things ever went Johnson’s way. His strong beliefs and stubbornness made him unable to agree with his administration, leading to many conflicts. He vetoed several bills, which were powerless due to his virtually veto-proof administration. His opposition to many of Congress’s ideas such as the Freedmen’s Bureau, the Civil Rights Act and the Fourteenth Amendment resulted in many disputes, and his overall grade of a “D” for his presidency.
 * Thesis:**

President Andrew Johnson strongly believed in limited government, states’ rights, and the Constitution. When he became president many Radical Republicans assumed that he would share their same interests in expansive federal power and political equality for blacks. These Republicans soon saw that they were wrong. Johnson was a dedicated Democrat, and was strictly devoted to the Constitution and states’ rights. To him, these did not include the rights of secession. Johnson aimed to reunite the South with the United States as quickly as possible and with the least possible disruption in the lives of the southerners. Johnson thought that resolving the issue with the Southern states involved forcing conditions upon their return, such as fixed abolition of slavery to be included in their state constitutions, and swearing oaths of loyalty as a condition of suffrage. He wanted to simply end slavery and the concept of secession. This idea went along the lines of Lincoln’s “10 percent” Reconstruction plan. Unfortunately for Johnson, this goal for reconstruction failed as Congress took over, and developed different methods. This pattern seemed to continue toward the end of his presidency as Congress seemed to take over his role, and his voice went unheard. While Johnson shared many similar ambitions for unity as Lincoln had, he was a misfit in the eyes of the people. The South thought of him as a traitor and he was unable to understand the North. Through out much of his presidency his goals went unaccomplished.
 * Goals:**

“Not at home in a Republican White House,” President Andrew Johnson was known to be the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time. This statement mostly reflects upon his relationship with congress and the predicament they were in following the war. The President and his administration got off to a rather rough start because after Lincoln died they expected Johnson to share the same beliefs as the Radical Republicans. However, this did not work out at all as they had planned. As president, he first took charge of Reconstruction. This only lasted until the 1866 elections when the Republicans had more than a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress, becoming practically veto-proof and taking over the power of the presidency. While Johnson exercised 19 vetoes, Congress overrode 15 of them. The administration went over the President to pass the Civil Rights Act, the Freedmen’s Bureau, District of Columbia Suffrage Act, and four Reconstruction Acts. Also, Congress passed two major amendments, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendment. While his administration may not have worked well together, they did in the end get the job done, even with the attempted impeachment of Johnson after the Tenure of Office Act was passed in 1867.
 * Andrew Johnson and Congress:**

When it comes to the most positive outcome of Johnson’s presidency, his administration deserves the majority of the credit, if not all of it. While the most obvious positive outcome is the Congressional Reconstruction, two smaller parts of this seemed to have had a big impact on the United States. Two Constitutional Amendments, the fourteenth and the fifteenth, both guaranteed equal rights for all citizens regardless of race. The Fourteenth Amendment forbade the states from depriving any citizen of the “equal protection of the law,” also establishing blacks’ civil rights. The Fifteenth Amendment prohibited states from denying the right to vote because of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude. This proved to be a significant step toward legal equality for all. Both of these led to the creation of new governments in the South elected by whites and blacks. There were also one of America’s first experiments with interracial democracy.
 * Most Positive Outcome:**

The end of the War left the nation without a final Reconstruction Policy. Although many Northerners believed Johnson’s plan should be given a chance, the outcome of the Presidential Reconstruction became very negative for the country, and former black slaves. In 1865 Johnson put into effect his own plan of Reconstruction that gave the white South a free hand in controlling the transition from slavery to freedom. He allowed almost all white Southerners a role in creating the new government but the blacks were denied this opportunity. Johnson ordered for all land returned to their prewar owners, quickly limiting hopes for black economic equality. The most negative outcome of his decision were the Black Codes passed in the South. These codes limited the former slaves’ legal rights and economic options forcing them to return to plantations, and other similar jobs. No states allowed the right of blacks to vote, some limited the job opportunities open to blacks and others did not provide funds for their education at all. This turn of events created uproar in the North; now against Johnson’s policies. President Johnson’s Reconstruction plan ultimately failed to follow through with Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and in turn created “another form of slavery.” Towards the end of this Reconstruction, parties began to disagree on issues, the North and the South seemed to be more divided, and Congress had gained a stronger hold over the presidency. Fortunately Congress later overturned Johnson’s reform program and dealt with it themselves.
 * Most Negative Outcome:**

Johnson was president during a very crucial time. Whatever decision his presidency made would affect the future greatly. The overall questions were what to do with the defeated states and what should become of the freed slaves. If the right decision was not made the United States could have suffered greatly. Fortunately, after Lincoln’s disastrous plan, Congress took over and developed a Reconstruction that saved the Union and led us more smoothly into the future. Congressional Reconstruction was based on federal action protecting the rights of former slaves. They dealt with the Black Codes by issuing the Civil Rights Act and eventually establishing the Fourteenth Amendment. While the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments had the most influence on the future involving racial equality, the governments also established public school systems, civil rights laws and promoted economic development. Black suffrage under the Reconstruction Act also spread political mobilization among blacks in the South. Overall the Congressional Reconstruction influenced the future by bringing about a political revolution; including blacks in positions of political power, helping economic development, interracial democracy and black suffrage. The world today is a great example of how far we have progressed with racial equality. Schools provide education for everyone, jobs also allow opportunities for all races, and blacks hold government office positions.
 * Influence on Future:**

Andrew Johnson became president only after Lincoln’s assassination. He failed to provide the nation with an effective Reconstruction policy, leading our country back into an economy similar to slavery. Johnson’s stubbornness and strict beliefs led him into strong debates and disagreements with his administration. He was disliked by most Republicans because of his inability to compromise, his vetoes of Reconstruction legislation and his opposing views of the Fourteenth Amendment. Without his administration Johnson would have led our country into further troubles with racial equality. Fortunately Congress was able to formulate an effective policy for Reconstruction that allowed us to move into the future more successfuly. In conclusion the United States was better off at the end of his term than at the beginning, but not in response to Johnson’s decisions. Therefore, Johnson receives the grade of a “D” for his presidency.
 * Conclusion:**


 * Work Cited ---**

"American President: Andrew Johnson." //Miller// //Center// //of Public Affairs//. Web. 01 Apr. 2010. .

"Andrew Johnson |." //The White House//. Web. 01 Apr. 2010. .

Degregorio, William A.. //The Complete Book of// //U.S.// //Presidents, Seventh Edition (Complete Book of Us// //Presidents)//. 7 ed. Fort Lee: Barricade Books, 2009. Print.

Kennedy, David M.. //The American Pageant: A History of the Republic: Vol 1, To 1877//. 13th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. Print.

"Section4." //Digital History//. Web. 01 Apr. 2010. .