 "President of the United States: Andrew Johnson, the accidental US president post-Civil War")
Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of profiles taking a closer look at US presidents ahead of the 2024 presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, ascended to the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
A Southerner and a Democrat who remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War, Johnson faced the daunting task of leading the country during the tumultuous period of Reconstruction.
His lenient approach to reuniting the nation and his clashes with Radical Republicans in Congress led to the first impeachment of a US president. Despite his controversial presidency, Johnson’s time in office played a critical role in shaping post-war America.
Early life and rise in politics
Andrew Johnson was born on December 29, 1808, in Raleigh, North Carolina, into a poor family. Orphaned at a young age, he received no formal education and was apprenticed to a tailor at age 10.
However, Johnson taught himself to read and write and eventually became involved in local politics. In 1826, he moved to Greeneville, Tennessee, where he started his own tailor shop.
Johnson married Eliza McCardle in 1827, and the couple had five children: Martha, Charles, Mary, Robert, and Andrew Jr. Eliza played a quiet but supportive role throughout Johnson’s political career, although she was in poor health during his presidency.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsJohnson’s political career began in 1829 when he was elected alderman in Greeneville. He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming mayor of Greeneville, a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and later serving in both the Tennessee Senate and the US House of Representatives.
A champion of the common man, Johnson advocated for populist policies and opposed the interests of wealthy Southern elites, gaining a reputation as a defender of poor white farmers.
In 1853, Johnson was elected Governor of Tennessee, where he focused on policies benefiting the working class, such as expanding public education.
In 1857, he became a US senator, aligning himself with Southern Democrats who supported states’ rights but opposed secession.
Civil War and the US vice presidency
When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Johnson remained loyal to the Union, making him a unique figure in the South. As a US senator, he was the only Southern senator who refused to join the Confederacy.
His loyalty earned him national recognition, and in 1862, US President Lincoln appointed him as Military Governor of Tennessee after Union forces regained control of the state. In this role, Johnson supported Lincoln’s efforts to reunite the country and restore Southern states to the Union.
In 1864, Lincoln, seeking to broaden his appeal to Southern Unionists and to signal a desire for reconciliation, selected Johnson, a Democrat, as his vice-presidential running mate.
The Lincoln-Johnson ticket won the election, but Johnson’s role as vice president was short-lived. Just six weeks into his second term, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, thrusting Johnson into the presidency.
Johnson presidency
Andrew Johnson became president at one of the most challenging times in US history. The Civil War had ended, but the country was deeply divided, and the South lay in ruins. Johnson’s main task was overseeing the Reconstruction of the Southern states and their reintegration into the Union.
Johnson’s approach to Reconstruction was lenient and conciliatory toward the former Confederate states. He implemented a plan known as Presidential Reconstruction, which allowed Southern states to rejoin the Union relatively easily.
Johnson granted pardons to many former Confederate leaders and permitted the Southern states to form new governments with minimal interference from the federal government.
His plan did not include significant protections for the newly freed African Americans, and Southern states quickly enacted Black Codes — laws that severely restricted the rights of African Americans.
Johnson’s leniency toward the South and his opposition to civil rights for freed slaves put him at odds with the Radical Republicans in Congress, who sought to impose stricter conditions on the South and ensure the civil and political rights of African Americans.
This conflict led to a power struggle between the executive and legislative branches.
First impeachment in American history
Johnson’s presidency is most famously remembered for his impeachment — the first in American history.
The conflict between Johnson and the Radical Republicans came to a head over the Tenure of Office Act, a law passed by US Congress in 1867 to restrict the president’s power to remove certain officeholders without Senate approval.
When Johnson attempted to fire US Secretary of War Edwin M Stanton, a Radical Republican ally, he violated the Tenure of Office Act.
In response, the House of Representatives impeached Johnson on February 24, 1868, charging him with “high crimes and misdemeanours.” The trial moved to the Senate, where Johnson narrowly avoided removal from office by a single vote.
Johnson’s presidency was severely weakened by the impeachment trial, and he had little influence over policy for the remainder of his term.
Johnson’s domestic and foreign policy
While Johnson’s Reconstruction policies dominated his presidency, his administration also dealt with foreign and domestic affairs.
One of the key achievements of his presidency was the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, negotiated by US Secretary of State William H Seward. The acquisition was initially ridiculed as “Seward’s Folly” but later proved to be a valuable addition to the United States.
Domestically, Johnson attempted to veto several key pieces of legislation aimed at protecting African American rights, including the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Reconstruction Acts.
However, Congress overrode his vetoes, and these laws laid the foundation for greater federal intervention in the South to enforce civil rights.
Johnson post-presidency and legacy
After his term ended in 1869, Johnson returned to Tennessee, where he remained active in politics. In 1875, he became the only former president to be elected to the US Senate, a testament to his enduring popularity in his home state.
However, his time in the Senate was short-lived, as he died just a few months after taking office, on July 31, 1875, at the age of 66.
Andrew Johnson’s legacy is a subject of intense debate. His efforts to quickly reunify the country after the Civil War were overshadowed by his failure to protect the rights of newly freed African Americans and his lenient policies toward the former Confederacy.
His presidency, marked by impeachment and conflict with Congress, is often seen as one of the most tumultuous in American history.
Johnson was known for his simple, rustic background and his deep connection to his roots in Tennessee, a factor that influenced his political views and approach to governance.
Despite his contentious presidency, Johnson’s rise from poverty to the nation’s highest office remains an extraordinary American story.
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