美国总统16 安德鲁·约翰逊.docx

美国总统16安德鲁约翰逊AndrewJohnson:ImpeachedByKellyJeanKelly25June,2017TodaywearetalkingaboutAndrewJohnson.JohnsonwasvicepresidentunderAbrahamLincoln,andbecamepresidentin1865afterLincolnwaskilled.5ivAHisnamesoundslikethatofanearlierpresident,AndrewJacksonzandalsolikealaterpresident,LyndonJohnson.ButAndrewJohnsonservedintheyearsjustaftertheCivilWar.YoucanrememberJohnsonthisway:HewasthefirstU.S.presidenttobeimpeached.EarlylifeAndrewJohnsongrewupinapoorfamilyinthesouthernstateofNorthCarolina.Asachild,Johnsonhadlittleformaleducation.Instead,hetrainedtobeatailor.Whenhewasayoungman,JohnsonmovedtoTennessee,anothersouthernstate.Heopenedatailoringbusiness,wherehemade,repairedandsoldclothing.Whenhewas18yearsold,hemarried.Hiswife,ElizaMcCardIezwasonly16.Theywentontohavefivechildrentogether.ElizaMcCardIeJohnsondidnotcomefromawealthyfamily,either.Butshewasbettereducatedthanherhusband,andshehelpedhimdevelophisreadingandwritingskills.Shealsosupportedhisgiftforpublicspeaking.Johnson'sspeecheswereespeciallypopularwithworkersintheircommunity.Theylikedhiscriticismofthestate'swealthyplanters.Theworkersalsolikedhispolitics.Atthetime,Johnsonsupportedmeasuresthatpermittedslaverytoexpandacrossthecountry.HewasclearinhisspeechesthathedidnotsupportequalitybetweenwhitesandAfrican-Americanszwhetherenslavedorfree.Intime,Johnsonheldmanypoliticaloffices:mayor,Tennessee'sgovernor,statelegislator,andmemberoftheU.S.HouseofRepresentatives.WhentheCivilWarbegan,hewasamemberoftheU.S.Senate.AlthoughhewasaSoutherner,hedidnotbelievetheSouthernstateshadarighttowithdrawfromtheUnion.WhentheotherSouthernsenatorsresignedfromtheU.S.Congress,Johnsonstayed.Asaresult,mostSouthernersconsideredhimatraitor.ButmostNorthernersconsideredhimahero.Electionof1864By1864ztheAmericanCivilWarwasthreeyearsold.Theconflictwasbecomingincreasinglyfierceandbloody.Thatyear,thestatesthatremainedintheUnionheldtheirpresidentialelection.Thepresident,AbrahamLincoln,wantedtowinre-electionandcontinuedirectingtheUnion'swareffort.ButhewasnotsurethatvotersintheoppositionDemocraticPartywouldsupporthim.SoheturnedtoAndrewJohnsontobehischoiceforvicepresident.Johnsonwasapro-slaveryDemocrat.Lincolnwasananti-slaveryRepublican.IntheU.S.tradition,presidentialcandidatesdonotusuallychoosesomeonefromadifferentpartytoserveasvicepresident.Butinthiscase,Lincoln'sRepublicansdid.TheycalledtheLincoln-JohnsonpartnershiptheNationalUnionParty.PoliticalleadershopedJohnsonwouldappealtoDemocratswhosupportedthewareffort,toworkersandtosmallfarmers.Theplan-alongwithseveralmilitarysuccessesfortheUnion-helpedcarrytheNationalUnionPartytovictory.Theswearing-inceremonythefollowingMarch,however,suggestedsomeofthedifficultiesahead.Johnsonwassick.Tofeelbetter,hehadalotofalcoholicdrinksthenightbeforetheceremony.Thenextmorningzhedranksomemore.WhenJohnsonstoodtogivehisspeech,heappearedunsteady.Hetalkedabouthispoorfamilyandhissimplebeginnings.ThenhespokeangrilyaboutwealthySouthernplanterswhohadwithdrawnfromtheUnion.Hebecameincreasinglyconfused.OtherpeopleinthecrowdwrotelaterthattheyfeltembarrassedbyJohnson'sbehavior.AndsomeRepublicansbegancallingalreadyforhisresignation-orevenimpeachment.Thosecriticscouldnothavepredictedthatinafewweeks,Johnsonwouldbethepresident.PresidencyAfewveryimportanteventshappenedintheweeksafterLincolnandJohnsonweresworn-in.InApril,Lincolnwasshotandkilled.Johnsontookofficeasthenewpresident.Thefollowingmonth,theCivilWarofficiallyended.TheConfederateStatesOfAmericawasnomore.AndthatDecember,amajorityofstatesapprovedthe13thAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution.Thatamendmentendedslaveryacrossthecountry.PresidentJohnson,therefore,guidedtheprocessofre-unitingtheNorthandSouth,andsupervisedthetransitionofmanyAfrican-Americansfromslaverytofreedom.ThatperiodinU.S.historyiscalledReconstruction.MembersofCongressfromtheNorthernstateshadbeenthinkingforalongtimeabouthowtocarryoutReconstruction.Themostextremelawmakers,theRadicalRepublicans,wantedtopunishformerConfederateofficialsandextendpoliticalandcivilrightstoAfrican-Americans.Johnsonhaddifferentideas.Inthefirstmonthsofhispresidency,beforeCongresshadmet,JohnsonpardonedmanyformerConfederateofficials.HealsoletSouthernersrebuildtheirstategovernmentsastheywished.ThosegovernmentsquicklypassedlawscalledBlackCodes.BlackCodesrestrictedthefreedomandrightsofAfrican-Americans.TheypermittedwhitelandownerstocontrolAfrican-Americans'labor,muchastheyhadwhentheworkerswereslaves.Thelawswereenforcedbyall-whitepoliceandmilitia.RadicalRepublicansinCongress-aswellasAfrican-Americans-objectedstronglytotheBlackCodes.WhenCongressfinallydidmeet,Republicanlawmakersvotedforameasuretohelpandprotectformerlyenslavedpeople.ButJohnsonvetoedthemeasure.Hesaidthebillwouldgivethefederalgovernmenttoomuchpower.Johnson'svetowasonemoveinapoliticalwarbetweenthepresidentandmanyRepublicans.Intime,lawmakersgottheupperhand.TheRepublicanCongresssoontookcontrolofReconstruction.AgainstJohnson'swishes,theysucceededinpassingseveralmajorpiece