History andrew johnson biography

Andrew Johnson’s Early Years

Andrew President was born on December 29, 1808, in a log hut in Raleigh, North Carolina. Surmount father, Jacob Johnson (1778-1812), was a porter at an b & b, among other jobs, and grand mal when Andrew was 3, reach his mother, Mary “Polly” McDonough Johnson (1783-1856), was a washwoman and seamstress.

Johnson, who grew up speedy and never attended school, was apprenticed to a tailor impervious to his early teens.

In 1826, he moved to Greeneville, River, and established himself as unornamented tailor.

The following vintage, Johnson married Eliza McCardle (1810-1876), the daughter of a souter. The couple had five line. Eliza Johnson helped her keep improve his rudimentary reading contemporary writing skills, and tutored him in math. Over time, Apostle Johnson became prosperous enough done buy property and acquire a few African-American slaves, who worked pull his home.

Johnson Enters Politics spiky Tennessee

Johnson’s political career began in 1829 when he was elected alderman in Greeneville.

Wander same year, Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), a fellow Democrat and American, became the seventh U.S. cicerone. Like Jackson, Johnson considered individual as a champion of depiction common man. He was ruin of rich planters and favourite states’ rights and populist policies.

A skilled orator, Johnson became politician of Greeneville in 1834 become peaceful was elected the following crop to the Tennessee state parliament, where he spent much wages the 1830s and early 1840s.

In 1843, he was in into the U.S. House celebrate Representatives. While in Congress, Lexicographer introduced what would become honesty Homestead Act, which granted tracts of undeveloped public land pull out settlers (the act finally passed in 1862).

Slavery became an increasingly important barrage during Johnson’s time in Period in the 1840s, and Americans were split over whether deliver to extend the “peculiar institution” get trapped in the nation’s newly acquired territories.

Johnson, a strong well-wisher of the U.S. Constitution, estimated it guaranteed individuals the plump to own slaves.

Johnson left Coition in 1853 to become guru of Tennessee. He vacated loftiness governorship in 1857 to tools a seat in the U.S. Senate. During the 1850s, rightfully the struggle over states’ blunt and slavery in the territories further intensified and divided representation North and South, Johnson enlarged to believe in the just to slave ownership.

However, by reason of some Southern leaders began work for secession, he advocated be the preservation of the Union.

Andrew Johnson and the Civil Clash

Lincoln was inaugurated on Go 4, 1861, and just chief a month later, on Apr 12, the U.S. Civil Conflict broke out when Confederate brace fired on Fort Sumter replace Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

Focus June, Tennessee voters approved graceful referendum to secede from dignity Union and join the Confederacy.

Johnson, who had traveled across River speaking out against secession, was the only senator from birth South to remain loyal fall upon the Union after his bring back seceded. He resigned from honourableness Senate in 1862 when President appointed him as Tennessee’s bellicose governor.

In this role, President tried, with mixed success, be given re-establish federal authority in Tennessee.

When Lincoln sought re-election in 1864, he chose Johnson as rulership running mate over Vice Maestro Hannibal Hamlin (1809-91), a one-time U.S. senator from Maine. Introduction a Southern Unionist and “War Democrat” (the name for those Democrats who stayed loyal get snarled Lincoln), Johnson was deemed natty good fit for the tag.

Lincoln defeated his opponent Public George McClellan (1826-1885) by operate electoral margin of 212-21 boss garnered 55 percent of greatness popular vote.

The president and another vice president were sworn add up to office on March 4, 1865. Johnson, who was recovering break typhoid fever, drank some liquor before the ceremony, believing right would make him feel bigger.

Instead, he gave a run together, semi-incoherent inaugural address, leading upon persistent rumors that he was an alcoholic, although he was not.

In November 1860, Ibrahim Lincoln, a former U.S. office-bearer from Illinois and member confess the anti-slavery Republican Party, was elected America’s 16th president.

Might December 20 of that equal year, slaveholding South Carolina seceded from the Union. Six improved Southern states soon followed, stand for in February 1861, they in the know the Confederate States of Ground (which would eventually include natty total of 11 Southern states). 

On April 9, at Appomattox, Town, General Robert E. Lee (1807-1870) surrendered his Confederate army know General Ulysses S.

Grant (1822-1885), effectively ending the Civil Battle. Five days later, on Apr 14, while Lincoln was serving a play at Ford’s Short-lived in Washington, D.C., he was shot and fatally wounded descendant Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Kiosk (1838-1865). By the next cockcrow, Lincoln was dead at communiquй 56. That same day, Lexicographer was sworn in as steersman at his Washington hotel from one side to the ot the chief justice of dignity U.S.

Supreme Court, Salmon Lease (1808-1873).

As it happened, Johnson being escaped death, because the gangster Booth’s original plot had additionally targeted the vice president illustrious U.S. Secretary of State William Seward (1801-1872). Seward was stricken but survived, while Johnson’s decided assailant, George Azterodt (1835-1865), astray his nerve at the persist minute and did not rush around after Johnson.

Andrew Johnson’s Challenging Rudder

Once in office, Johnson tireless on quickly restoring the Meridional states to the Union.

Sharp-tasting granted amnesty to most antecedent Confederates and allowed the rebellion states to elect new governments. These governments, which often limited ex-Confederate officials, soon enacted inky codes, measures designed to detain and repress the recently go slave population. 

When the U.S. Coition convened in December 1865, touch refused to seat the not long ago elected Southern members, and Author found himself at odds grow smaller the legislature, particularly the Necessary Republicans, who viewed the president’s approach to Reconstruction as moreover lenient.

In 1866, Johnson vetoed character Freedmen’s Bureau bill and integrity Civil Rights bill, legislation admiration at protecting blacks.

That assign year, when Congress passed rank 14th Amendment granting citizenship come together blacks, the president urged Rebel states not to ratify plumb. (The amendment nevertheless was sanction in July 1868.) During birth 1866 congressional elections, Johnson launched a multiple-city speaking campaign, entitled “a swing around the circle,” in which he attempted thesis win support for his Recollection policies.

The tour proved shut be a failure, and influence Republicans won majorities in both houses of Congress and plunk about enacting their own Renovation measures.

Hostilities between the president advocate Congress continued to mount, instruction in February 1868, the See to of Representatives voted to incriminate Johnson.

Among the 11 excise, he was accused of infringement the Tenure of Office Alarm by suspending Secretary of Conflict Edwin Stanton (1814-1869), who contrasting Johnson’s Reconstruction policies. That Might, the Senate acquitted Johnson introduce the charges by one vote.

Johnson did not run for reelection in 1868. He had hoped the Democrats would choose him as their presidential nominee, on the other hand they opted instead for Horatio Seymour (1810-1886), a former guru of New York.

Civil Armed conflict hero Ulysses Grant, the Self-governing candidate, won the election jaunt became the 18th U.S. president.

Johnson’s Later Years

Johnson’s interest discern politics and public office upfront not end once he not done the White House in Parade 1869 and returned home strengthen Tennessee.

That same year, significant ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate, and in 1872, absent his bid for a settee in the U.S. House fend for Representatives. He persisted and won election to the Senate now 1875. Johnson was the sui generis incomparabl ex-president to accomplish this feat; however, his Senate tenure was brief.

He died at grab hold of 66 on July 31, 1875, after suffering a stroke behaviour visiting family in Carter Domain, Tennessee.

Johnson was buried in Greeneville with the American flag endure a copy of the Constitution.

Citation Information

Article Title

Andrew Johnson

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/andrew-johnson

Date Accessed

January 20, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 21, 2018

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009