Advocate of the Common Man

Andrew Johnson was the 17th president of the United States. He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1808. He was born into poverty and ran away to Tennessee at an early age. After starting his own tailor shop, he married Eliza McCardle. He soon entered politics and became known as an adept speaker. He frequently spoke against the Southern aristocracy and was an advocate for the common man and poor farmer.

Southerner Against the South

Johnson was elected to the House of Representatives in 1835, and later, to the Senate in 1841. In 1853, Johnson became governor of Tennessee. He then served as a Democrat in the United States Senate until 1862. During secession and the Civil War, Johnson was the only senator from a seceded state that continued to participate in Congress. President Abraham Lincoln appointed him military governor of Tennessee after the state fell into Union hands, and he became Lincoln’s vice president in 1864. After President Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, Johnson was sworn in as America’s 17th president.

Johnson's Actions in Reconstruction - NPS.gov video

Clashes with Congress; Impeachment

During his term in office, Johnson presided over Reconstruction, the period after the Civil War in which the Southern states were reintegrated into the Union. Johnson and Congress argued over the specifics of Reconstruction. Johnson favored a quick restoration of rights and privileges, whereas Congress favored a more gradual approach. Tensions grew when Johnson replaced Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Republicans claimed Johnson violated the newly passed Tenure of Office Act. The House of Representatives passed a resolution to impeach Johnson. Although he was acquitted (19 votes to 18), he was the first president to be impeached.

Discussion Questions

1. How did Andrew Johnson’s background influence his political beliefs?
2. Why did Johnson remain in the U.S. Senate after Tennessee seceded?
3. What were the major disagreements between Johnson and Congress during Reconstruction?
4. How did Johnson avoid removal from office after being impeached?

Glossary

• Aristocracy: A class of people with high social status and power, often inherited.
• Secession: The act of withdrawing from a political union, like the Southern states leaving the U.S. in 1860–61.
• Reconstruction: The period after the Civil War when the U.S. worked to rebuild and reunite the nation.
• Impeachment: The process of charging a government official with wrongdoing.
• Tenure of Office Act: A law passed in 1867 to limit the president’s power to remove certain officeholders without Senate approval.

Five Interesting Facts

• Johnson never attended school and taught himself how to read.
• He began his career as a tailor before entering politics.
• He was the only Southern senator to stay loyal to the Union during the Civil War.
• Johnson was the first U.S. president to be impeached.
• He narrowly avoided removal from office by just one Senate vote.

High Point in Career

Johnson's high point was likely his appointment as Lincoln’s vice president and his rise to the presidency after Lincoln’s assassination, a dramatic shift for someone who began life in poverty.

Low Point in Career

The low point of Johnson’s career was his impeachment by the House of Representatives and near-removal from office, reflecting the deep conflict between him and Congress.