Politcal Developments: Andrew Johnson's time as President Flashcards
When was Andrew Johnson President?
1865-1869
What wa Johnson’s previous position in the government before becoming Prime Minister?
He was Lincoln’s Vice President
What was Johnson’s position in governments before associating with Lincoln?
He was a member of The Senate in Tennessee
What did Johnson do when all of the southern states left the USA?
He stayed on the side of the Union
How did Johnson feel towards the Southern states?
He was more sympathetic towards them and wanted to let them handle their own governments
What was an issue with Johnsons Reconstruction policies?
They conflicted with those proposed by Radical Republicans
What was the process of Reconstruction that Congress wanted to make?
Giving African Americans equal voting rights to white citizens
What did the 1867 Reconstruction Act do?
It put military troops into the South
What positive impact did the 1867 Radical Reconstruction Act have on African Americans?
There were eventually over 2000 African Americans present in governmental positions by 1868
What Bill did Johnson pass that Lincoln vetoed?
Wade-Davis Bill
What did the Wade-Davis Bill do?
Made it so that ex-Confederate associates were not able to get in to Congress
What was a limitation with Johnson’s attempt to keep ex-Confederates out of governments?
The new governments were still dominated by Southern ex-confederate members
What decisions did the White Politicians make during Andrew Johnson’s Presidency?
They enforced segregation and racism
What racism legal structure did the Southern states adopt?
The Black Codes
What did the Black Codes attempt to do to all African Americans?
Criminalize them
Why would there be an attempt at criminalisation of all African Americans in Southern states?
So that they could be punished and given the punishment of slavery
What Constitutional Amendment loophole were the Southern States using to their advantage?
The 13th Amendment did not ban slavery as a punishment
What act was created to try and prevent the Southern states from re-creating slavery? What year was it passed?
1866 Civil Rights Act
What did the 1866 Civil Rights Act say? Which group of people did it exclude?
Anyone born in the United States was a citizen of the United States. Except Native Americans
Which Reconstruction Act was passed that was overriding the President?
1867 Radical Reconstruction Act
How did Johnson feel about the power had with enforcing Reconstruction?
He felt that they had too much power
Who became President in 1869?
Ulysses Grant
What did Johnson say about the conditions of Southern States rejoining the USA?
They would have to accept the new Constitutional Amendments
Name a Black Code restrictions in the South
Black and White people would remain segregated
Name 2 sections of the Republican Party that were against Johnson as of December 1865?
Conservative Republicans, Radical Republicans
What piece of Power did Johnson use to try and go against lots of Bills which other parties proposed?
Presidential Veto
Why did Johnson veto so many bills?
Because he did not like the way that all of the other parties wanted to handle Reconstruction
What was the impact of Johnson vetoing so many bills?
It alienated all of the other political parties
What did Congress attempt to do to the Freedmen’s Bureau in 1866? How did Johnson respond?
Congress attempted to extend the Freedmens Bureau by 3 years, Johnson vetoed it.
Why did Congress want to extend the life of the Freedmens Bureau?
So that they could get more power in convicting people who were discriminatory or racist
Which Civil Rights Act did Johnson veto and in what year?
Civil Rights Act, 1866
What did Congress try to do after Johnson vetoed the Freedmen’s Bureau renewal the first time?
Congress tried to make a new Freedmen’s Bureau
What did the 14th Amendment do? When was it ratified?
Gave African Americans citizenship. It was ratified in 1868
What did the 15th Amendment do? When was it ratified?
It made it so that citizens could not be denied the right to vote on the grounds of race, ratified in 1870
What did not help with the Johnson’s Southern Relations in terms of what he did with the 14th Amendment when he passed it?
He refused to compromise
What initially happened to the Radical Reconstruction Act with Johnson?
He vetoed it
What happened with the Radical Reconstruction Act after Johnson vetoed it?
It was re-voted on in Congress and passed
How would the Southern States be allowed back in to the Union?
If they accepted the new Constitutional Amendments
Who wanted to confiscate Southern estates and redistribute the lands to liberated slaves? Which group of Republicans were they a leader of?
Thaddeus Stevens, leader of the Radical Republicans
What did Johnson oppose with the 1867 Reconstruction Act?
He opposed military intervention
When was the KKK formed? (To the month)
December 1865
How was the KKK evidence of disunity over Reconstruction even early on?
The KKK was created only 8 months after the Civil War ended
Name an Act Congress passed which limited Andrew Johnson’s power
The 1867 Tenure Act
What did the Command of Army Act do?
It limited Johnson’s control over the military
What did the 1867 Tenure Act do?
Limited people that Johnson could dismiss from his cabinet
What did Johnson do which resulted in him being impeached?
He attempted to dismiss the Secretary of War who had been in that position since Lincoln’s cabinet
What happened after Johnson tried to dismiss the Secretary of War?
The impeachment process started
What was the result of the vote for Johnson’s impeachment?
They were 1 vote off the impeachment going through
What was the purpose of the 1867 Tenure Act?
To catch Johnson doing something criminal so that he could be impeached
