Andrew Johnson 17th President of the United States Date of Birth: 29.12.1808 Country: USA

1. Biography of Andrew Johnson
2. Political Career
3. Governor of Tennessee and Reconstruction
4. Later Years and Death

Biography of Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, was born on December 29, 1808, in Raleigh, North Carolina. From an early age, Johnson worked as a tailor's apprentice and began educating himself. In 1826, he moved to Tennessee where, despite opposition from the upper class in Greenville, he was elected alderman and later became the mayor of the city in 1830. In 1835, he was elected to the state legislature.

Political Career

In 1843, Johnson became a member of the House of Representatives and remained in Congress for ten years until his district was re-drawn. In 1853, he was elected as the governor of Tennessee and was re-elected in 1855. As a Democrat, Johnson defended slavery, but unlike many party leaders, he opposed the oligarchy of slaveholders. His popularity grew among small farmers and workers nationwide due to his efforts to pass the Homestead Act, which proposed granting free land to settlers. In 1857, Johnson was elected to the Senate, where he supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the principle of popular sovereignty. He fiercely debated President James Buchanan over vetoing the Homestead Act and condemned the idea of the government banning the importation of slaves into certain territories. In 1860, Johnson was mentioned as a possible compromise candidate for vice president alongside Stephen Douglas. When the Democratic Party split, he reluctantly supported John Breckinridge, the candidate of the South, but refused to support secession.

Governor of Tennessee and Reconstruction

In March 1862, President Lincoln appointed Johnson as the military governor of Tennessee. A significant part of the state remained under Confederate control, and it took him a year to form a government. Overcoming tremendous difficulties, Johnson demonstrated the reasonableness of Lincoln's Reconstruction plan. He successfully established an efficient government, and by January 1865, he ensured the legislature's approval of a new constitution that abolished slavery in the state. This decision was later endorsed by the state's voters. In 1864, Johnson was nominated as the vice-presidential candidate and soon after, following Lincoln's assassination, he assumed the presidency. Initially, even the most radical Republicans supported him, believing that he would help punish the South for its actions during the war. However, Johnson decided to implement Lincoln's plan, sparking a fierce dispute with Congress. His 1865 amnesty proclamation, which called for the formation of civilian governments in the South, was coldly received by radical Congressional leaders. In response, they passed their own Reconstruction laws, forcing Johnson to veto them. The President accompanied his vetoes with sharp replies, which turned even more moderate Republicans against him. After the 1866 Congressional elections, supporters of radical reconstruction overcame Johnson's vetoes and attempted to significantly limit the president's powers by passing a series of laws, including the Tenure of Office Act. When Johnson ignored this law by dismissing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, the impeachment proceedings against him began in February 1868. However, they failed to garner the required two-thirds majority. The Supreme Court of the United States later confirmed Johnson's view on the unconstitutionality of the Tenure of Office Act.

Later Years and Death

Johnson was not nominated for another term as president and returned to Tennessee. He ran for the U.S. Senate and was finally elected in 1874. Andrew Johnson passed away on July 31, 1875, in Carter's Station, Tennessee.