ANDREW ONO.N
Andrew Johnson, who became President when Lincoln
was assassinated, was the only U.S. President ever to
be impeached. The fact that the U.S. Senate did not
convict him of the charges and remove him from office
(for lack of a single vote) no doubt saved the power of
the presidency for generations to come. Johnson was
merely trying to carry out the benevolent plan of
reconstruction designed by Lincoln. However, the Radical Republicans who controlled Con
gress had other ideas, wanting to severely punish the South for their disloyalties in seceding
from the Union. But Johnson lacked the political skills, the tact, and the humor Abraham Lin
coin had. As a result, he was unpopular with the people and unable to get across his pro
grams. But Johnson was an honest man, and he defended the Constitution faithfully and was
the only President to be elected to the U.S. Senate after serving in the White House.
He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1808, the son of a tavern handyman. His father
died when he was very young, and his mother was a maid who sewed and washed clothes to
support the family. Andrew became a tailor’s apprentice when he was 13, but he ran away
from his master and later opened his own shop in Greeneville, Tennessee. At the age of 18,
he married Eliza McCardle, the 16-year-old daughter of a Scottish shoemaker. She was a
teacher of sorts, and Eliza taught Andrew how to read and write in the back of their small
shop, which also was their home. He became skilled in public speaking by participating in
debates several times weekly at a nearby college. His political ideals were fashioned after
another Tennessean who fought for the common man—Andrew Jackson.
He was first elected as an alderman in Greeneville, then mayor and on to the Tennessee State
Legislature. Next was ten years in the U.S. House of Representatives. When it looked like he
would not win another term, he ran for Governor of Tennessee, where he served two terms
before being elected to the U.S. Senate. In 1860, Tennessee nominated him for the
Democratic presidential nomination, but he withdrew his name because he supported John
Breckinridge who won the nomination but lost the election to Lincoln. His support of the
Union in the face of Tennessee’s demanding secession caused Lincoln to appoint him military
governor of Tennessee. His loyalty to the Union caused the National Union Party to nominate
him for Vice President during Lincoln’s second term.
The job he inherited of restoring the South to the Union was difficult, if not impossible, but
Johnson was determined to succeed. Congress, however, felt otherwise. At his trial in the
U.S. Senate, it became obviously clear the charges were trivial and there was no solid case
against him. But the vote nevertheless came down to a single dramatic “acquittal” which
made the final decision. In foreign affairs, his administration was able to negotiate for the pur
chase of Alaska, which the people didn’t like at the time either, and Johnson was not asked
to. run again.
After trying unsuccessfully to win a seat in Congress twice, he was elected in 1874 to the
U.S. Senate. He suffered a stroke in 1875 and died a few days later.
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TOIINBON
ANDREW 1
Name
Presidential Trivia
1
The Radical Republicans who were against the policies of Andrew Johnson were led by
2
In Johnson’s impeachment trial, who cast the deciding vote in his favor?______________
3
Who presided over the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson?______________________
4
The specific charge against Andrew Johnson in his impeachment was a violation of the
Tenure of Office Act when he dismissed Secretary of War___________________________
5
Andrew Johnson gained the favor of Abraham Lincoln when he did an excellent job as
of Tennessee, a position to which Lincoln
had appointed Johnson
6
The disease which weakened Andrew Johnson’s wife, Eliza, preventing her from fuifill
ing
the
role
of
First
Lady
was
7
The only new state admitted to the Union during the administration of Andrew Johnson
was
8
The two amendments to the U S Constitution adopted during the administration of Andrew Johnson were
9
What political office did Andrew Johnson hold after being President, making him the
only
President
ever
to
do
so?
10
It became one of our states and was purchased from Russia during the Andrew Johnson
administration—referred to as Seward’s Folly
11
Who was the Secretary of State under Andrew Johnson—the man who engineered the
deal to purchase our forty-ninth state?
12
Who served as First Lady during the administration of Andrew Johnson?_____________
t********** ************* **** ****** ***
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Name
For Thinking and Discussing
1.
Why was Andrew Johnson nominated as Lincoln’s Vice President in the election of
1864?
2.
Why were the Radical Republicans so insistent on punishing the leaders of the Con
federacy?
3.
The trial of Andrew Johnson was very dramatic and may well have saved the power of
the presidency. Why?
4.
Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, once said of Andrew Johnson, “He had
the pride of having no pride.” What did he mean by this statement?
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