Essay on Lincoln’s Successor Andrew Johnson

1. What are the problems that existed after the Civil War? How did the North and South try to alleviate them?

The South still tried to do its own thing and the violence continued. The biggest problem was racism and the power struggle. The South made Black Codes to continue having power over African Americans and Johnson did nothing to intervene or stop them. Johnson, a staunch defender of states’ rights, believed that citizens of every state should be free to write their constitutions and laws. Moreover, Johnson was as eager as other white Southerners to restore white supremacy. “White men alone must manage the South,” he declared. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp. 447) Having Johnson not do anything to stop what the Southern states were doing only made them feel more powerful and led the way for racist groups like the Ku Klux Klan.

The men of the North, Republicans and Radical Republicans were not going to let the South continue to “restore all of the slavery but its name”. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp. 447) The moderate majority of the Republican Party wanted only assurance that slavery and treason were dead. They did not champion black equality, the confiscation of plantations, or black voting, as did the Radical minority within the party. But southern obstinacy had succeeded in forging unity (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp. 447) With the South making their own rules and following their laws, the men of the North were able to come together to stand against the South. The moderates designed their second measure, what would become the Civil Rights Act of 1866. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 nullified the black codes and affirmed that black Americans should have equal benefits from the law. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp. 448) Another bill congress passed was the Freedmen’s, Bureau Bill. The Freedmen’s Bureau was responsible for the general welfare of newly freed slaves, it was the first relief agency. The bureau created schools and helped African Americans obtain their land. The Freedmen’s Bureau distributed food and clothing to destitute Southerners and was there to ease the transition of slaves to free persons. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp. 442)

2. What is your definition of Reconstruction? Describe the passing of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. What did each Amendment do? How did the South challenge these Amendments? Give details on how they challenged them.

When I think of reconstruction and the reconstruction era, I think it means to try and improve something and make it better because it wasn’t effective or practical. The way this country was back then and what it was formed on, meant that reconstruction was an uphill battle for anyone trying to bring change to the country. Reconstruction in this era was to reconstruct people’s feelings and thoughts toward African Americans. When people are brought up on hate and are made to believe that it is ok to enslave someone and be superior to them, it is hard to deconstruct and reconstruct their thought process at the same time. Lincoln began contemplating how “to bind up the nation’s wounds” and achieve “a lasting peace.” While deep compassion for the enemy guided his thinking about peace, his plan for reconstruction aimed primarily at shortening the war and ending slavery. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp.440) Lincoln was a pioneer of the Reconstruction Era, I think he was on the right path to improving the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were groundbreaking amendments for African Americans, the Amendments abolished slavery, granted citizenship, granted equal civil and legal rights to African Americans, and gave African Americans the right to vote. The South challenged the Amendments by making it difficult for African Americans to vote, white Southerners would devise tests of literacy and property and other nonracial measures that would effectively disfranchise blacks yet not violate the Fifteenth Amendment. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp.452)

3. Describe the Black Codes. Why did the Southern States feel the need to pass these codes?

State governments across the South adopted a series of laws known as black codes, which made a travesty of black freedom. The codes sought to keep ex-slaves subordinate to whites by subjecting them to every sort of discrimination. Several states made it illegal for blacks to own a gun. Mississippi made insulting gestures and language by blacks a criminal offense. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp.446) Black codes were harsh laws enacted to regulate the lives of African Americans control their movements and force them back onto the plantation. African Americans couldn’t buy alcohol or firearms and they could not own land. African Americans were beaten or killed if they were trying to have the same rights as whites. Black Codes were just another way to oppress black people in the South as the Southern states had no intention of having blacks as freedmen equal to them. White Southerners began to think that by standing up for themselves they could shape the terms of reconstruction. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp.446) The Southern States felt the need to pass these codes because it kept them in control, and it was a way to stick it to the federal government.

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4. How do you think Andrew Johnson and Lincoln differ? Describe the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson. What happened to him? Has he been forced out of the office or allowed to remain in office? Why is the process of impeachment crucial for our government? We will see impeachment in our history.

Johnson was the first American president to be in office because of an assassination. (The presidents: 1865 - 1885, 2005, 2:04) Johnson was a democrat who owned slaves, and was the only senator with a seceding state to stay in the Union (The presidents: 1865 - 1885, 2005) Lincoln picked Johnson as his running mate to broaden the tickets appeal to democratic states. Johnson vigorously defended states’ rights but not secession and opposed Republican efforts to expand the power to the federal government. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp.446) Johnson was regarded as stubborn or principled, closed in personality, and didn’t have a lot of friends. (The presidents: 1865-1885, 2005) Johnson had no formal education and was inflexible, once he made up his mind, he stuck with it. (The presidents: 1865-1885, 2005) Johnson made it easy for southern states to return to the confederate governments because he did not enforce or support African Americans, he just did not like slavery because of the power it gave people in the south. Johnson believed he was the voice of the common white man and that he was the most racist president. Johnson thought blacks should only work on the plantation and did not care about the Black community.

Lincoln was not the great emancipator; he becomes the great emancipator. (The Presidents: 1849-1865 25:25) Lincoln was known as a great president. Honest Abe, the rail splitter. He appealed to the common man, loved politics, and was very ambitious. Lincoln believed in equality among all human beings, without any discrimination, based on color, caste, race, or religion. He also believed in the universal franchise. Lincoln defined democracy as a 'government of the people, by the people, for the people.’

Lincoln and Johnson differ because Lincoln was about equality amongst all human beings regardless of skin color. Lincoln wanted a better country for everyone. Johnson did not care about African Americans and did everything he could to keep them oppressed in the South. Johnson empathized with the Southerners because he was from the South, he was racist, and he was a slave owner before. Lincoln cared about politics and the federal government. Johnson only cared about himself, and his power and did whatever he wanted to do.

Johnson was unwilling to work with anyone including congress. Johnson sabotaged Congress’s will and encouraged southern whites to resist, he issued a flood of pardons, waged war against the Freedmen’s Bureau, and replaced Union generals eager to enforce Congress’s Reconstruction Acts with conservative officers eager to block them. (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann, 2017, pp. 451) Johnson was impeached because he violated the Tenure of Office Act, he removed an appointee without the senate’s consent, and he suspended and then dismissed his Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, whom the Act was largely designed to protect. (“Impeachment of Andrew Johnson,” n.d.) The impeachment trial was big news, The House adopted eleven articles of impeachment against Johnson. (“Impeachment of Andrew Johnson,” n.d.) Johnson was allowed to stay in office because of only one vote, and he was allowed to finish his term.

Impeachment is a constitutional remedy addressed to serious offenses against the system of government. (Impeachment, n.d.) The constitution defines the grounds for impeachment and conviction as “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” (Impeachment, n.d.) If a federal official commits a crime or otherwise acts improperly, the House of Representatives may impeach-formally charge that official. If the official subsequently is convicted in a Senate Impeachment trial, he is removed from office. (U.S. Senate: Impeachment, n.d.) The process of impeachment is crucial for our government as it holds those in office accountable for their actions. It is a checks and balances system and makes sure our government is “doing the right thing”. I think we may see impeachment, the public will never know all the facts about our current political situation and to call for impeachment, there would have to be significant proof of wrongdoings. I can only go off what is in the news and media and I can’t take that for face value as the media is run by different people with their agendas.