Johnson+-+FA11

ANDREW JOHNSON



A Derek W. Brittany C. Rebecca S. Korissa H. Nathaniel T. Hannah S. Vinnie T. Matt T.

Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) Term:1865-1869 Party: Democrats Grade: D Theme: __American Identity__ The identity of Americans at this time had greatly changed due to the Civil War. The great divide of the nation between the North and the South was immense It was seen after the death of Abraham Lincoln who was murdered at Ford's Theatre when the North mourned and the South rejoiced. After the Civil War the North and South still had hard feelings toward each other. And the death of Lincoln the president that was the glue that held the Union together shook the the North and the South. How would the issue of bringing the southern states back into the union play out? and How was a democratic president going to handle the presidency.

Goals: Johnson much like Lincoln wanted to rebuild the Union as fast possible. He also said that he wanted to punish the confederate leaders. Saying, "  Robbery is a crime; rape is a crime; treason is a crime; and crime must be punished. The law provides for it; the courts are open. Treason must be made infamous and traitors punished." And although he had campained for the vice presdency saying that he was a supprter of the blacks as he said,

 "...be your Moses and lead you through the Red Sea of war and bondage to a fairer future of liberty and peace." He later stood against black suffrage and there rights as citizens.

__Relationship with Congress:__ Johnson was a Democrat and congress was largely republican. His relation to congress was not good because congress was used to getting what they wanted because while in war they could pass in law with ease.With so many Radical Republicans in congress there was little chance for this new president to have a say. Congress would overpower the president with any decision he made. So the true leaders of the country during the presidency was congress.

__Positive/Negative Outcomes:__ Johnson took office and immediately started reconstruction of the union using Lincoln's 10 Percent Plan but also granted all southerners full pardon, including former confederate officers (whom he said should be punished). While congress was not in session Johnson took the liberty of having the new state constitutions written for the newly Unionized southern states, some by ex-confederate officers. Johnson angered congress by overriding there Freedman's Bureau and soon took over. Every chance they got they overpowered the presidents veto in the bills and laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1886 and the 13th and 14th amendments giving blacks there rights as citizens of America. Johnson had no voice in office and in his last ditch effort to find it he took his "Swing Around the Circle" touring America trying to bring more democrats into office. But he failed turning even racists away from his cause. With even more radical republicans in office congress took the opportunity to reconstruct the south in there own way using the (First)Reconstruction Act to separate the conquered south into 5 military districts they then went as far to make a second Reconstruction Act allowing the military to overlook the voting taken in the south. They also passed the 15th amendment giving the right for all men to vote. Congress was able to impeach Johnson by passing the Tenure Of Office Act. When Johnson got rid of one of Edwin M. Stanton he violated the Act and was impeached by congress by a vote of 126-47. Although he was later acquitted. I gave Johnson the grade of a D because he didn't complete all his goals and in his term was made the black codes which he supported by going against congress. And this contradicted what he had said he was setting out to do. He also didn't do much of anything and when he did he failed like in the case of the "Swing Around the Circle". Altogether Johnson presidency was weak because he did nothing but fight congress. But America was better because of congress coming out of his term with the 13th,14th,and 15th amendments. Not to mention the Civil Rights Act. If it were a grade on who had the power during the presidency I would give congress a A+.

Worksited: 1865, the time Congress met in December, most southern states were reconstructed, and slavery was being abolished. "Andrew Johnson | The White House." //The White House//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2011. .

corrupt, and incompetent men who were no more than spoils-seekers.. "SparkNotes: Reconstruction (1865–1877): Summary of Events." //SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2011. .

wise, this, and noble statesmanship you have become the benefactor of the Southern people in the hour of their direst extremity. "Andrew Johnson : Biography." //Spartacus Educational//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2011. . Derek Wisner- **//__ Andrew Johnson __//** // (December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875) // // Political Party: (War) Democrat // // Term of Office: April 15, 1865 - March 4, 1869 // // Vice President: None //

American Identity: Reconstruction was a tumultuous time in America, which is evident in the formation of one of the most intimidating, infamous, and terrible groups in history: the Ku Klux Klan. However unfortunate, the KKK embodied what the South had become. The stark racial differences culminated in that group of black-hating whites. America was becoming even more racist after the Civil War, with whites resenting the sudden increase in job competition and politically relevant citizens. Getting from slavery to an integrated society had a long road ahead of it, made even more difficult by the formation of the KKK. A terrible body of a relative minority in the South, the KKK nevertheless represented a popular sentiment in America, defining what it meant to be an American, at least a white American, in the South.

Conversely, another key element to the American Identity in this time period was the initial Civil Rights movement, including Amendments 13, 14, and 15 to the Constitution. These crucial Amendments outlawed slavery, gave blacks citizens, and granted black suffrage, respectively. America was fast becoming an extremely diverse country even without blacks, with the steady flow of immigrants from the Old World. The Emancipation Proclamation further aided this diversity, and gave blacks an opportunity to show their political and social power. Though they would still be grossly mistreated and segregated, these developments, the Civil Rights Bill/14th Amendment specifically gave the blacks a starting point to get to equality with whites. Blacks had, as slaves, played an important part in American society, and would continue to do so as free men, shaping and defining what it means to be an American.

Andrew Johnson was a president that was never meant to be. If not for the Civil War, he never would have even been vice president. Johnson was merely a tool used by the Republicans to gain the support needed from the war democrats to get Lincoln elected for a second term. Thrust into the impossible task of Reconstruction, Johnson predictably struggled. That said, however, he seemed to have failed miserably, even for the situation, and became the first president to be impeached by the House, earning himself a solid D.

Johnson was not inaugurated, as he took over for Lincoln after his assassination, so he was never presented with a forum to publicly state his goals for the nation. However, his actions made it clear that he wanted a “soft” Reconstruction from the start. He agreed with many of Lincoln’s “10 percent plan” ideas, and believed the Confederacy had never legally left the Union, meaning it always had been one united country in his eyes. He was a Tennessee man, and his South-sheltering behavior demonstrated as much. Under his views, the Black Code laws were instituted in the South under the guidance of former Confederate leaders in unfettered-with state governments. Aspects of his goals did come to fruition, as many Confederate leaders were pardoned, and the 10 percent plan was adopted, but the harsher military construction plan was adopted in 1867, along with the 14th and 15th Amendments, which were sort of attacks on the Southern aristocrats by empowering blacks. Johnson never clearly stated any goals outside of his ideas regarding Reconstruction, but actually had surprising mild success in getting his ideas adopted. These goals, however, allowed for things like the Black Codes and old, pre-War white-black politics to linger in the South, harming the country for the next century.

“King Andy’s” relationship with Congress was never good. He was a democrat used to gain support for Lincoln in a naturally Republican-dominated federal government due to the Civil War and the refusal of Northerners to seat Southern “Confederates” in Congress. Obviously, their biggest clash was over Reconstruction. Johnson was in favor of the 10 percent plan, while the Republican Congress wanted a much harsher 50 percent plan. Congress believed the South should be punished for their secession, while Johnson believed the Confederacy had never truly separated from the Union, and so Reconstruction should be simple and painless. These passions were ignited when Johnson vetoed the extension of the Freedmen’s Bureau and Congress retaliated by passing the Civil Rights Bill, which gave blacks citizenship and certain rights and would evolve into the 14th Amendment. Johnson obviously vetoed the bill, but Congress, with such a vast Republican majority, was able to overturn the veto easily. Their relationship continued similarly until Johnson’s departure from the presidency. The House even moved to impeach him when he fired Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, which violated the Tenure of Office Act that Congress put in place specifically for that reason. The Senate narrowly acquitted Johnson by one vote. The whole impeachment ordeal pretty much summed up how Congress felt about Johnson and vice versa.

Though Reconstruction was a tricky issue, and Johnson’s presidency was full of issues, there is one positive thing that can be said of him: he kept the nation together. Sectional passions still ran high in the South, and it still seemed like there were two countries thrown together as one. It was a very real possibility that the Confederacy could have broken away once again. The Black Codes and “redeemer” governments were evidence of that. However, with the military reconstruction plan, Johnson and his administration was able to keep the nation together. Even though nearly every policy or Act during his presidency was Republican, due to their majority in Congress, the balance, or at least an opposition to force Republicans to stay somewhat moderate. Without Johnson, the Republican government would have been free to do as they please, making the Reconstruction process even harsher on the South. On the flipside, without the Republican Congress, Johnson and the Democrats could have made Reconstruction as simple as possible, meaning none of the problems would be solved. So, despite all of the problems and controversy surrounding Johnson and his administration, he did, thanks to the help of the Republicans, manage to handle an extremely volatile situation well enough to hold the nation together when it could just have easily have been torn apart again.

Johnson’s presidency was largely negative, and it is hard to pinpoint a single event that was the worst. Johnson’s “swing ‘round the circle” epitomizes the problems of his presidency, though. Throughout his “accidental presidency”, Johnson’s perpetual feud with Congress plagued him. His “swing ‘round the circle” was an attempt to speak to crowds across the country to gain votes for his party in the upcoming Congressional elections, which may have seemed like a good idea. However, he reverted back to his pre-presidential days of giving “give ‘em hell” speeches and generally making himself look a fool in public. This apparently actually swayed voters toward the Republican side, as they came out of the elections with an even larger majority than before. Johnson was faced with the obviously difficult situation of Reconstruction after the Civil War, but the way he handled it and his relationship with Congress just made it worse, as evidenced by his infamous “swing ‘round the circle”.

There were plenty of bills and acts passed during Johnson’s presidency that would influence future generations, the most notable of which was the Civil Rights Bill/14th Amendment. This gave blacks rights as citizens, aside from voting, which would come later in the 15th Amendment. Though not immediately accepted, recognized or followed, especially in the South, the principle of it was monumental. It made blacks, at least initially, feel like they were becoming more equal to whites. The Amendment served its purpose at first, but then racism regressed horribly in the South. However, the Civil Rights movement would later use it to fight for, and eventually earn, equality for blacks. The 14th Amendment, which began as the Civil Rights Bill, would, in the years to come, have a huge impact on future administrations in dealing with the Civil Rights movement.

Andrew Johnson, a decent guy and not inherently a bad president, was tossed, tragically and unexpectedly, into an impossible situation, replacing arguably the greatest president in American history and forced to preside over the reconstruction of a still fractured nation after the Civil War. The situation proved to be far too much for Johnson to handle, and he cracked under the pressure. His constant feuding with Congress, along with the still high North-South tensions led to his demise, and compelled Congress’ to attempt to impeach him. Even though the situation Johnson inherited was awful, and he wasn’t even supposed to be president, it’s hard to imagine that someone like Lincoln couldn’t have done better. All in all, Johnson was a resounding disappointment.

Works Cited "American President: Andrew Johnson." //Miller Center//. University of Virginia. Web. 03 Nov. 2011. . "Andrew Johnson." //The White House//. Web. 03 Nov. 2011. . "Andrew Johnson." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Wikipedia. Web. 03 Nov. 2011. . Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, Thomas A. Bailey, and Thomas A. Bailey. //The American Pageant: A History of the Republic//. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Print. "Party Division." //U.S. Senate//. Web. 03 Nov. 2011. [].

__Andrew Johnson __ Matt Thomas Birth: December 29, 1808; Death: July 31, 1875 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Democrat/Union <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">In office: April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Andrew Johnson was charged with the daunting task of bringing the South back into the Union. Reconstruction captured the complete attention of the nation, overshadowing all other issues in the nation. The future of the nation and its relationships with the rest of the world rested on the decisions of his administration. Johnson’s reintegration of the South led to a new relationship in North/South politics and a new identity for the nation as a whole. This change in identity changed America’s relationships with foreign markets and made the country what it is today.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Andrew Johnson was thrust into the presidency after the loss of the great Abe Lincoln. This change was a relief for many northerners sensing an impending clash of Lincoln and Congress over the reinstitution of the successive South. With Johnson taking office, there was a lesser degree of conflict over the policies that either side planned to put into effect. The circumstance with Lincoln could have turned out slow and tedious. If he was willing to stretch his power during the war, might he stretch it in the short time after to insure that a relapse did not occur? It was a true relief for the nation (although southerners lost the hope of a speedy admittance to the Union) that Johnson took the reins when he did. After taking office, Johnson remained true to his beliefs and kept his standards. For this, he bettered the country. But Johnson also clashed with Congress and tried to step outside the limits of his power. With all things considered, Johnson earned himself a B- during his administration.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Johnson was not inaugurated but he did have goals for his administration. Johnson disagreed slightly with Lincoln’s “quick and easy” method of bringing the South back to the Union. Johnson proposed a more restrictive method of reinstitution that involved disfranchising insubordinate Southerners and the abolition of slavery. Each state would hold a convention to pass these terms and could then be a part of the Union once more. Johnson hoped to create a unified nation following one set of rules. In this way, he was like Lincoln. But he foresaw a more strict method working out better in the long run and creating a more centralized Union.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Johnson’s relationship with Congress was quite strenuous. He resisted their opinions and was later out through an impeachment trial. This just goes to show the conflict in thought of the two powers. The first impeachment attempt was simply a collection of complaints and failed to come to a consensus. But the second attempt was on the grounds of the violation of the Tenure of Office Act. Johnson vetoed the bill, declaring it unconstitutional. It was a wonder that Johnson maintained office. Congress clearly had no fondness for Johnson. Johnson had only a few factors going for him that won over a final senator to keep his position. This struggle kept fighting on through the Reconstruction effort, resulting in a different process than either side planned for.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">During Johnson’s administration, the Russians had decided that their territory in North America was not necessary and but it up for sale. Not wanting to upset the czar, Johnson’s administration purchased the land at a low rate. Originally called “Seward’s Folly,” Alaska turned out to be a gem in the identity of America for years to come. Quite similar to Jefferson’s purchase form Napolean, Johnson added a vast new land to the American homestead and brought a new asset to an expanding country. Although originally overshadowed but Reconstruction, this decision was a great addition to the Union.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">In contrast, Johnson’s overuse of his veto abilities drew away from his legacy as president. In his one term, Johnson used the veto a total of 29 times. These vetoes included the Freedman’s Bureau expansion, District of Columbia suffrage, and a handful of Reconstruction policies. There was no need for a use of this power on such a scale. Seeing as 15 of those vetoes were later overruled by Congress, Johnson could have easily saved much time and stress by seeing the interest of the country as a whole. If a bill is going to be passed, veto or not, why not save the time and work to bring the country into a more healthy union.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">One of the most pivotal points in Johnson’s administration was his decision to ignore the Tenure of Office Act by removing Secretary of State Stanton (whom the Act was intended to protect). Regardless of the Supreme Court’s ruling (many years later) that the Act was unconstitutional, Johnson had no grounds to blatantly ignore the Act and do as he pleased. The president was subject to the law in the same way as any other person in the country. This action led to the first impeachment trial and later forced a Supreme Court ruling against it. This turned out to be a decision that affected the nation for years to come.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">For being moved from right-hand-man to the spotlight, Andrew Johnson did a relatively good job. He entered the administration with a plan and did what he could to get that plan executed. He was able to acquire Alaska from the Russians while still reforming the Union to what it once was. Nonetheless, Johnson still had his clashes with Congress and resisted its power. Although lacking Lincoln’s remarkable balance of people skills and political prowess, Johnson was able to step into the shoes of the presidency and push America forward.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Bibliography <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">"Andrew Johnson." //Wikipedia//. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson#Impeachment>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">DeGregorio, William A.. //The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents//. New York: Barricade Books, 1984. Print. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">"Andrew Johnson Reconstruction Plan." //United States American History//. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. [].

Andrew Johnson

Birth; December 29, 1808 Raleigh, North Carolina

Death; July 31, 1875 Carter Station Tennessee

Party; Democrat

Terms; April 15 1865-March 4, 1869 (one term)

Vice President; none

Rate; D


 * Theme; Slavery, and its legacies in North America**

On January 1, 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation was given by President Lincoln, and the slaves were freed. Andrew Johnson was only willing to accept it on the grounds of economics, not morality. Johnson was a southerner who owned slaves. After two of them ran away they returned to work for him as free men. Johnson stated that they were more productive as free men then as slaves. As president he was very hostile to the now free African Americans. His radical views are clear, “The white race is superior to the black” and “We do our best to bring them up to our present level”, are two cruel statements he made regarding the race. His hostility really showed with his hatred of the Freedman’s Bureau. The bureau was established to help promote black interests. Johnson vetoed the expansion bill that was proposed to him. Johnson also vetoed the Civil Rights Bill made to protect freed slaves from the cruel black codes. Johnson was unwilling to promote African American civil rights for “This is a country for white men, as long as I am president, it shall be a government for white men”.

**Thesis**

Andrew Johnson the tailor president was an accident. He was never supposed to be president. He served as Lincoln’s vice president and when he was assassinated Johnson took over as president. Even though he had plenty of political experience he was the wrong man at the wrong place at the wrong time. His differing views with congress and poor job as president gives him the grade of a D. He was clearly not our best president, but not the worst.

**Goals**

Johnson was not inaugurated, so there is no address to find goals. It is inferred that he would pick up where Lincoln left off since he was thrown into the position. His only goal is reconstruction, even though he appeared to be against it. In a speech given in 1866 he stated that “I love my country. Every public act of my life testifies that is so.” Johnson loved America, and thought he knew what was best. His goal is the same as every president, do what is best.

**Congress**

Johnson had a horrible relation with his congress. He used his veto powers many times and many times Congress over rode his vetoes thus angering the radical republican congress. Congress then moves to impeach Johnson for High Crimes and Misdemeanors. The House Judiciary Committee voted 5-4 that charges be filed. These charges included: pardoning of traitors, profiting from illegal disposal of railroads, defying congress, denying the right to reconstruct the south, and attempts to prevent passage of the 14th amendment. The full House voted 126 -47 to impeach President Johnson.

Johnson’s trial began March 30, 1868 and was presided over by Chief Justice Salmon Chase. Johnson was defended by attorneys Henry Stenbury and William Evarts. All democratic members of the senate voted against his impeachment. The final vote fell one vote short of the 2/3 majority required to remove Johnson from office, 35 – 19. A second vote occurred which also failed to reach the required 2/3 majority. President Johnson holds the distinction of being the first U S President to be impeached.

**Positive/Negative**

Most of Johnson’s successes were in foreign relations. His action that proved to be the biggest success was the purchase of Alaska. Johnson bought it from Russia in 1867 for only $7.2 million. Russia had feared they would lose the land if they would become involed in another war with the British. Johnson agreed because America was friends with the Tsar. They were friendly to America during the civil war and didn’t want to offend them buy saying no. The purchase proved to be a good decision. Not only was America able to expand geographically, and economically as well. Alaska was profitable with its natural resources of gas and oil. There were also rumors of it being filled with fish, furs, and gold.

Most of Johnson’s presidency is filled with faults, his largest one being his attitude towards reconstruction. Johnson believed that it was only his job and that congress had no part in it. He wanted it done his way, fast and non punishing of the south. He was stubborn and butted heads with congress constantly and vetoed their bills left and right. His actions and attitudes are what lead him to being impeached.

**Legacy**

Reconstruction was primarily all that Johnson did, and it had huge positives and negatives. The negatives were that to the south it was more painful than the actual Civil War and failed to actually improve the south. The economy and governments were corrupted and took awhile to actually be fixed. The republicans had only good intentions for reconstruction. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were huge successes, even though women were still not given the right to vote. The black population began to organize publically in churches, clubs, schools, and even in government offices. Reconstruction was a double edged sword but ultimately impacted America in a good way. Without it America and the south would be totally different today.

**Conclusion**

At the end of his term America was better off for the most part. America had gained Alaska and the re establishment of the union, however getting there was a nightmare. Johnson receives the grade of a D for his behaviors. He was a drinker, and showed up drunk at Lincoln’s inauguration. He had to be escorted back to his seat. Johnson was an embarrassment to his family. He was also hated by many for not following congress and his unwillingness to work with congress. In a national ranking he received a 41 out of 43. Johnson may have helped in improving America, but he was still a terrible president.

Works Cited

"American President: Andrew Johnson: Domestic Affairs." //Miller Center//. Web. 03 Nov. 2011. <http://millercenter.org/president/johnson/essays/biography/4>.

"Andrew Johnson : Biography." //Spartacus Educational//. Web. 03 Nov. 2011. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAjohnsonA.htm>.

"Andrew Johnson Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com." //Famous Biographies & TV Shows - Biography.com//. Web. 03 Nov. 2011. <http://www.biography.com/people/andrew-johnson-9355722>.

"Historical Rankings of Presidents of the United States." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Web. 03 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States>.

Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, Thomas Andrew Bailey, and Thomas Andrew Bailey. //The American Pageant: a History of the Republic//. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Print.

(becca swartz)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">President Andrew Johnson (by Vinny) Born: December 29, 1808 Died: July 31, 1875 (66 Years of Age) Term in Office: April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869 Political Party I: Democratic Party Political Party II: National Union Party (from 1864-1868) Vice President: None Grade: D- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">American Identity President Andrew Johnson was not who the typical American would picture as a well-organized and respected president in the first century of the United States’ independence, and they have good reasons why. For one, President Johnson was not voted into office, and became the first president to be so. Proceeding President Lincoln would be a tough task for anyone, but for a War Democrat whose main purpose was to attract votes for Lincoln, it was even more difficult because he did not fit the bill for the Republican Congress that Lincoln left behind. Johnson’s behaviors and actions crudely shaped the American Identity because as time trickled on after the Civil War, Americans found it difficult to go back to their old lifestyles of the pre-war era. As the country stepped into its future, its identity was altered. White-supremacist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) arose and civil service reform became a prominent topic among Americans from all corners of the country. All of a sudden, from the beginning to the end of the civil war, civilization changed as if glancing into a parallel universe. With reconstruction, two new Amendments, the Civil Rights Act, and the first Presidential impeachment, the Identity of America was developed into a photo printed on a broken glass plate.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Presidential Evaluation Andrew Johnson, the “wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time,” was the polar opposite of what the country required in its time of healing. Some scholars and historians claim that Andrew Johnson was the worst president in American history (one survey taken since 1948 has shown Johnson to actually be the third worst president in American history). Without the attention required from his Congress, and without the respect from the American citizens, Andrew Johnson was doomed to failure from the beginning of his short-lived presidency, which is why Andrew Johnson deserves a D- for his performance as President. Andrew Johnson’s goals were not specifically revealed to the country because he was never inaugurated and therefore never gave an inaugural speech outlining his goals as president. However, is seemed to America that Johnson’s goals were similar, if not the same, as Lincoln’s when it came to reconstruction. Although the Democrats during the post-war era were mostly opposed to unity, Johnson went against his party and supported re-admittance into the Union for the southern states. Johnson also supported Lincoln’s swift “10% Plan” which allowed the seceded states to once again annex into the Union with a 10% pledge of allegiance to the country. Against the will of the President, any of the Laws and Acts that Johnson vetoed, Congress overruled anyway. This back-and-forth describes how Johnson’s relationship with Congress was: terrible. The largely Republican Congress felt that, with the annexation of the Southern States, they would lose many of the powers they grew to love when the Democrats seceded from the Union. This fear, along with Lincoln’s assassination, leaving them without a Republican President, caused Congress (that was still mainly Republicans) to overrule Johnson’s veto to a handful of Bills and Acts like the Second Freedman’s Bureau Act, the Civil Rights Act, the Tenure of Office Act, and the Command of the Army Act. Unfortunately, Andrew Johnson could never find a foothold in the Legislative Branch. When he toured the country with Stephen Douglas in lieu of the 1866 Congressional election to persuade Americans to vote for candidates with a soft spot for the South, he ended up reeling in more votes for the radical Republican party. As his term as president began to wane, Congress became so disgruntled with Johnson that they set him up with the Tenure of Office Act. This act required the President to have Senate consent before firing or laying off any officials of government, so when Johnson fired his Secretary of War without the consent of the Senate, Congress impeached Johnson on terms of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Throughout his entire Presidency, Johnson was stoned with the harsh powers of the system of Checks and Balances. For the duration of his presidency, Andrew Johnson’s untimely placement in the Executive Branch impacted his credibility. However, Johnson oversaw many monumental steps towards total human suffrage within the time frame of his presidency. Several incredible and positive things that Johnson’s presidency brought to the Union were the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments which were ratified within three years of each other. Both the Thirteenth and the Fourteenth Amendments brought to light the fact that slavery was illegal and black males had every right that a white man had. With many other positive government intervention in things like the Civil Rights Act and the purchase of Alaska, Johnson’s presidency turned out to be not as bad as it seemed on the outside. As with every up, there has to be a down. With President Johnson, this was no understatement. The first bad thing to harm Johnson in his presidency was Abraham Lincoln’s death. Without Lincoln, Johnson was first in line to become President and from there, there was no turning back. Many of the prejudiced and supremacist acts took place during his presidency and it was difficult to maintain the peace and well-being of the country because only a minority of the Americans respected and liked Johnson. Sure, the Black Codes of 1865 may have seemed like a good idea to Johnson at the time, but there was no positive outcome of the laws to keep blacks in order. With sharecropping and intimidation alike, white supremacists held power over the newly-freed blacks and held a grudge against the government. Johnson, absorbing most of the force from the new feudalist society of free men, did nothing to stop the prejudiced behaviors. Many social and governmental issues arose during Johnson’s presidency, and for his incompetence or unwillingness to tend to the problem, Johnson’s negatives turned into maelstroms of disastrous damage which were heralded as the reason for Johnson’s unpopularity among the countrymen. Johnson’s decisions greatly impacted the whole country, and that includes his succeeding president, Ulysses Grant. Johnson took leaps and bounds towards reconstruction, further empowering his reign over the swaying American identity and the permanent step in the direction of “Unity.” Along with many precedents set while he was in office, Johnson’s sheer idiocy revolutionized the meaning of a bad President. For one, he was the first non-elected, non-inaugurated President which immediately cast a shadow over what light he shone as he rose to power and it let the country realize that the assassination of Lincoln was no small matter, no matter what beliefs somebody held. For every President delineating from the seventeenth President of America, it was simple to step into office without much haste and without a figurative bounty on their heads. After the poor political powers Johnson had were found useless at best, the country now had a new idea of what a bad President was and how lucky they were to find a new man to run the country. Quite unfortunately, the country was not better off after Andrew Johnson’s term had expired. For one, no matter how hard Congress tried, slavery seemed to be a boomerang topic, always returning for more play. The only improvements solidified during Johnson’s Presidency were the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments along with the Civil Rights Act in which Johnson technically never took part. So while some may argue that Johnson was an important milestone in the reconstruction era, they would be mistaken because the people of the Democratic Republic essentially ruled over Johnson, and so to the demise of order. With that said, Johnson, who deserves a D-, may have been one of the worst Presidents that the United States of America has ever seen.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bibliography

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