David Donald The rode to achieving reconstruction after the Civil War would establish a series of daunting troubles for the United States of America. In the reading “Why They Impeached Andrew Johnson” David Donald revisits the events that led up to Andrew Johnson's impeachment and the nations struggle to attain reconstruction under his presidency. The outcome of the Civil War issued the Union Government victorious over the former Confederate States. The Civil War left the nation in a frantic state to establish a form of government in order to preserve order. Many questions arose regarding the actions that would be taken against the defeated southerners and the civil rights of the now free slaves. Then President, Abraham Lincoln was carefully devising a plan towards the restoration of government. As a result of his victory in Civil War “he was able to promise freedom to all the blacks, charity to the southern white, security to the North.” Southern whites were not in agreement with newly granted rights to former black slaves and in return “rejected moderate leaders, and inveterate racist spoke for the new South.” Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, shortly after the end of the Civil War, leaving the executive office to his successor Andrew Johnson. Shadowing the war, plans were made for the reconstruction of the United States. Lincoln's plans for reconstruction would eventually be over written by Johnson's poor leadership in office. Andrew Johnson had many weaknesses, his greatest one of all was his “sensitivity to public opinion” as well as failing to recognize that he had no political base or his lack of understanding of how to fulfill the role of party leader. Johnson’s faults during his term were direct examples of poor leadership and would result in a disgraceful presidency. In May, 1865 would mark the beginning of Johnson’s dishonorable and poor leadership. Johnson took matters into his own hands and disregarded public opinion concerning the restoration of the Southern states to Union. He issued a proclamation of amnesty, therefore granting forgiveness too approximately millions of former rebels. Johnson was pardoning ex- Confederate officials and entrusting them with the formation of new government in the South to them. The Confederates were given rein over provisional governments under Andrew Johnson. Johnson’s favoring actions towards the South were angering the Northern states. They were not in agreement with Johnson’s haste decision to restore the Confederate states without punishment. They did not approve of the ex-Confederate’s influence in government. Andrew Johnson had no political base
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
The Reconstruction was the period during which the United States began to rebuild after the Civil War, lasting from 1865 to 1877. It was to repair the North and the South politically, economically and socially. After the Civil War, the South’s economy was completely ruined and needed help from the Union government; which they were trying to stay way from. The Reconstruction can be evaluated both as a success and a failure. Its successes were the restoration of the eleven confederate states back to the union, giving African-Americans (ex-slaves) their freedom and rights and providing aid to the freed slaves and poor whites. Its failures were the Anti-African Americans groups such as the KKK, the Black Codes, not protecting the rights of the freedmen and the southern corruption. Although African-Americans were freed and gained their rights because of 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, and the ex-eleven confederate states came back to the union, the Reconstruction was more of a failure than a success.…
- 653 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
As the only President to preside over an American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln entered the office of the presidency with mounting challenges ahead of him. The country’s overwhelming divide regarding the issue of slavery proved to be the central issue in the 1861 elections. President Lincoln’s strong resolve to reunite the union catalyzed a sharp shift in his beliefs regarding the weight of power in the executive branch, helping Lincoln strengthen the office of the Presidency like never before. This set a precedent for future Presidents, notably Theodore Roosevelt, whose legislation on big business and “speak softly and carry a big stick” methodology to foreign relations, while thoroughly of his own design, most certainly finds its roots in the empowered President Lincoln.…
- 1999 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Abraham Lincoln, a man renowned for his involvement in the civil war and the reconstruction that followed the war’s lambasted segregation of brotherly blood, held an ideology regarding reconstruction that he wished to be upheld nationally. Lincoln’s bias, with its roots in the core of early humanistic values and union preservation, called for the national synthesis of the North and the South in the presence of benevolent and humanitarian efforts that would strive to “bind up the nation’s wounds.” However, regardless of Lincoln’s idealistic view of reconstruction, the events that followed his assassination, whether they were of political or social affiliation, generally served to contradict Lincoln’s peaceful philosophy on a grand scale.…
- 644 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Andrew Johnson, the 17th U.S president, born on December 29, 1808, at Raleigh, North Carolina elected to be president on April 15, 1865 and his term was up March 4, 1869. Andrew Johnson was the first president to be impeached. He began office after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He grew up in a poor family with a lousy education. Andrew Johnson was a democrat and he was the governor of Tennessee. His father passed when he was 3, his dad worked at a local…
- 86 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
During Lincoln’s presidency, he planned on bringing back the South into the Union, but it was not easy as he thought. Lincoln wanted a short and easy way for the states to reenter the nation by having ten percent of the state’s voters to take the oath and required to abolish slavery and that way they could avoid a crucial punishment. The Republicans in Congress were against Lincoln’s lenient plan in bringing the Southern states back into the Union, so they passed the Wade-Davis Bill and iron-clad oath which made it difficult for the states to enter or hold an office position. Although Lincoln was against the bills and vetoed them, the debate against the Reconstruction plans continued. After Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson hold the presidency…
- 350 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Throughout the United States history of Presidents, only three presidents have been impeached. President Andrew Johnson, President Bill Clinton, and President Richard Nixon. Although, Richard Nixon resigned before his impeachment took place. Impeachment is a criminal process against a public official. Officially, the House of Representatives conduct the actual impeachment and the Senate determines if the impeachment is necessary.…
- 379 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
From the time of Lincoln's inauguration in 1860 to the final withdrawal of union troops from the South in 1877, the nation of America had been one of great revolutions. There was constant development in this time both socially and constitutionally. For instance, some constitutional developments that irrupted conflict were the secession of the confederate states, the Emancipation Proclamation, the three civil rights bills, and the reconstruction. Some social developments that caused conflict were the Freedmen's Bureau, the Black Codes, and the Ku Klux Klan. It was a result of these developments that the Revolutions of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Redeemers would take place. The great change these revolutions brought about were vital in the development of this country…
- 447 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In 1864 Abraham Lincoln ran for President with Andrew Johnson as his running mate. Though they were in different political parties, Lincoln was impressed with the former Governor of Tennessee. Lincoln chose Johnson as his Vice President to gain support from the South. Johnson was a racist Democrat from North Carolina who became president in 1865 when Lincoln was assassinated. During his presidency Johnson was put on trial for impeachment. While in office he violated the Tenure of Office Act by replacing the Republican Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, chosen by Lincoln. After a grueling trial, Johnson was acquitted by one vote and is known as the first president in American history to have an impeachment trial…
- 1768 Words
- 8 Pages
Better Essays -
The Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson Reconstruction was one of the most pivotal events in American history. After the Civil War, politicians, social activists, and ordinary citizens had to adapt in order to mend back the Union. A predominately Radical Republican Congress during the Reconstruction era understood the vital nature of Reconstruction. Therefore, they were willing to remove anyone who was a roadblock into their efforts.…
- 1080 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
Throughout the course of the United States, politicians from both sides neglect or twist the law of the land to bolster their own agendas. This problem became prevalent during the impeachment of Andrew Johnson. Despite Johnson’s flaws in his policies, he had done nothing to qualify for impeachment according to the Constitution, which include “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors (Article II, Section 4).”…
- 133 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
Following the culmination of the Civil War, issues regarding the restoration of seceded states to the Union, the emancipation of slaves, and the overall re-development of political institutions in the nation prevailed. The idea of Reconstruction was proposed to political officials in late 1865, when the effects of the tumultuous Civil War were at its most devastating. The various enactments of the period were deemed void and not actively enforced. Democratic and Republican political parties refused to meet resolutions, imperative to the reconstruction of the nation’s governmental structure. The economy was in an absolute distress, and emancipated blacks faced considerable amounts of opposition. Social, economic, and political policies instituted during the Reconstruction Era are deemed failures due to the burden of racial segregation, economic distress, party discrepancies, and the lack of effective enforcement.…
- 1142 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Legally, the impeachment is not as self-evidently insupportable as it once seemed. Scholars and public officials now generally agree that impeachable offenses need not be indictable crimes.…
- 4136 Words
- 17 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Returning to Tennessee after his presidency, Johnson sought political vindication, and gained it in his eyes when he was elected to the Senate again in 1875 the only former president to serve there, just months before his death. Many historians rank Johnson the worst American presidents in the world for his strong opposition to federally guaranteed rights for African America, while some historians admire Johnson for his strict constitutionalism.…
- 636 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
After Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, his Vice President, Andrew Johnson, had no other choice but to accept the Presidential position. While he was president, Andrew Johnson failed to act as a partly leader which eventually led to his impeachment. Andrew Johnson’s worst quality as president was his lack of care for the public’s opinion. Johnson ignored the public and pardoned the Confederates, rather than punishing them, causing people to distrust him.…
- 410 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
As time passed confederate states came under the control of the Union army, Abraham Lincoln setup reconstructed government in several southern states during the war, which Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Following Lincolns assassination in April 1865, President Andrew Johnson tried to follow Lincoln policies and appointed new governors in summer of…
- 747 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays