WK7, Day 3 - "Johnson & Impeachment / Johnson's Impeachment & The Election of 1868"

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Where’s Andrew Johnson, Lincoln’s former VP, from?

Tennessee

Why did people have problems with Andrew Johnson filling in for Lincoln?

They believed he was uneducated and unprepared for the Presidency

Which political beliefs was Johnson supposed to have? Which political party’s beliefs did he lean more into?

Republican (active change), but he liked restoration like Democrats

What’s special about Andrew Johnson?

He was the first President to be impeached

Whenever Congress tried to pass something that aligned with Republican ideals, what would AJ do?

He would veto them

What four things led to AJ’s impeachment?

• vetoed the Freedmen’s Bureau

• vetoed the Civil Right’s Bill

• said ‘states rights’ should determine whether states follow Military Reconstruction Act of 1867

• went against the Tenure of Office Act

What’s the Freedmen’s Bureau?

A (failed) gov. agency that helped formerly enslaved people and poor whites after the Civil War. It hoped to provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care, establish schools, and help people locate lost family members.

AJ vetoed the Civil Right’s Bill of 1867, but it got passed anyway. How did this happen?

Congress overrode his veto by passing the bill with a 2/3 majority vote in the House and the Senate

What was the Civil Right’s Bill of 1867?

A piece of legislature that prohibited discrimination based on race or former slavery. It former slaves the right to own property, make contracts, and sue in court.

In 1867, Congress passed something called the Military Reconstruction Act. What was that?

Congress allowed Union soldiers to enter seceded states and watch as they made their new state constitutions

What did AJ think about the Military Reconstruction Act?

He wanted to leave the seceded states alone

In 1867, Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act. What was that?

A federal law that limited Pres. AJ’s power to fire Cabinet members w/o approval from other members of Congress

How did AJ respond to the Tenure of Office Act in 1868?

He fired the Secretary of State, Edwin Stanton, to anger Congress

What word could we use to describe the 1st impeachment trial? Why?

vague / The Cons. was written vaguely b/c the writers wanted to be relevant in the future

What’s the 1 key phrase written in the Cons. for impeachment?

“A Pres. can be impeached if they commit “high crimes” & “misdemeanors””

How many articles did the House of Reps. write to specify the alleged “high crimes and misdemeanors” committed by Pres. Andrew Johnson?

11 articles

What percentage of House members need to vote for a Pres. impeachment trial to advance to the Senate level?

51% (simple majority)

Where are impeachment trials held?

The Senate

Why’s it so difficult for presidents to get impeached once their trial reaches the Senate?

2/3 majority of Senate members have to vote for the Pres. to be impeached

What were the final results of AJ’s impeachment trial? What did this mean?

35-19, AJ survived by 1 vote

How many impeachments have occurred in the last 27 years and when did they happen?

3 (AJ - 1998, Bill Clinton - 2016, Trump - 2019 & 2021)

Why’s 3 impeachments in 27 years terrible?

That’s 1 impeachment every 9 years