Effects of the Civil War

Andrew Johnson from Raleigh, North Carolina received his Presidency at a time where America had experienced the assassination of his forerunner, President Abraham Lincoln. The nation was also reeling from the effects of the Civil War. Johnson managed to establish “Political Reconstruction” in the turbulent Southern States. This was to facilitate reacquainting the people with a refined governmental system. As for the North, Johnson’s implementation had been met with approval asserts,(Mckitrick,1988).However, things took a turn for the worst “Johnson’s relations with an increasingly radical house and Senate had deteriorated; by spring of 1866 his position as leader of the Union party had become meaningless; and by fall elections of that year his influence in the country at large had all but collapsed” writes, (Mckitrick,1988).

Johnson’s ‘fall from grace’ had been a result of The Republican’s disapproval of his policies regarding the rebuilding of government. “The man who botched reconstruction, who energized and gave aid and comfort to the recently defeated enemies of the United States, the first President to be impeached by the House Of Representatives, escaping conviction by a hairsbreadth, one vote, in the Senate.” Reports, (Gordon-reed, 2011). Johnson had a lot of issues during his tenure in office post-civil war era and was the first ever impeachment in the history of Presidencies’. He indeed left his mark on the post-civil war era in US history.

Andrew Johnson had a zeal for learning. He knew he wanted more from life. He was not very educated but made steady strides towards improving himself in areas such as reading, which he did as much as he could. He started out as tailor, and then took it a step further by joining a debate society at Greeneville College. “Now he was an established citizen with property, a tailor shop, a farm, houses and other goods. He had earned the trust of his neighbors, who had elected him to the village Board of Aldermen, to mayoralty and now to assembly” writes, (Trefousse, 1997). These are some of the factors that helped to shape or prepare Johnson for his role as President. He also knew his ability to speak well, so he took advantage of that asset as well.

In addition, with Johnson receiving one of the two Presidential constituents by the Democratic State Convention at Nashville in 1840, had given Johnson the opportunity to make his presence be known in these areas. It would become the catalyst for the platform he needed within the Democratic Party comments, (Trefousse, 1997). Some of Johnson’s accomplishments included creating the gateway for the Homestead Act comments, (Gordon-reed, 2011). During Johnson’s tenure, the purchase of the State Alaska from the Russian Fur Traders was made. Johnson facilitated the purchase by appealing to congress for the monetary means to acquire Alaska reports, (Schroeder-Lein, Zuczek, 2001). 

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