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Andrew Johnson: The 17th President of the United States Essay examples

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Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson was a self-taught Democrat from Raleigh, North Carolina. He spent his entire life in politics. Before becoming the Seventeenth president of the United States of America he was in the Tennessee legislature and a member of the U.S Congress. He was also the Governor of Tennessee and was Vice President behind Abraham Lincoln. He was the first president to be impeached. Andrew Johnson was born on December 2, 1808 in a log cabin in Raleigh North Carolina. His dad was Jacob Johnson; unfortunately he died when Andrew Johnson was only three years old. His mother, Mary “Polly” McDonough was a constable of Raleigh North Carolina in 1801. When he was fourteen years old his brother William and himself apprenticed under …show more content…

This party called Johnson “the vilest radical and most unscrupulous demagogue in the Union”. After winning his election and becoming Senator he presented the Homestead Act. This act gave one hundred and sixty acres of land to any applicant who was the bread winner of the house. This act was planned to help out poor farmers. He bill was passed by both houses but unfortunately vetoed by the president, James Buchanan. After Lincoln moved in as president the bill was immediately put on his agenda and passed on May 20, 1862. On April 14, 1865 Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s theater by John Wilkes booth. Only three hours later Johnson was made the 17th president of the United States of America. With Lincoln gone and Congress in recess Johnson practically full rain over the government. Johnson had to pick up were Lincoln left of in the reconstruction of the south. Since he was from Tennessee he was way more lenient to the southerners when making the reconstruction plan. He granted pardons to anyone that came to the white house. When Congress came back they were completely outraged in how lenient Johnson was to the southerners. Since Johnson was a southerner he did not have strong beliefs in rights for African Americans Congress passed many acts protecting the rights of the now freedmen, these acts where the Freedmen’s Bureau Bill, the Civil Rights Act, and the 14th amendment. All of these laws gave all African Americans the rights they needed

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