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I think that detail was probably abstracted away due to the limited time in high school history classes. Andrew Johnson was impeached because he failed to adhe
by linkregister 10y ago
I think that detail was probably abstracted away due to the limited time in high school history classes.
Andrew Johnson was impeached because he failed to adhere to law passed by Congress. Before that, he conflicted with Congress on the fundamental way Reconstruction was to be conducted. He single-handedly undermined newly-freed slaves' chances to secure suffrage and have refuge from oppressive codes in Southern states.
It's all in the wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson
- ghaff 10y agoYes. But since we're quoting Wikipedia, here's the summary in Wikipedia of the chapter from JFK's Profiles in Courage about the senator who opposed Johnson's impeachment trial in the senate: Edmund G. Ross, from Kansas, for voting for acquittal in the Andrew Johnson impeachment trial. As a result of Ross's vote, along with those of six other Republicans, Democrat Johnson's presidency was saved, and the stature of the office was preserved. The point is that the fact that Johnson was able to stay in office was until quite recently widely viewed as a positive outcome. (ADDED: And the fact that it was in Profiles of Courage in this manner may well have influenced how I learned about the event.)
- linkregister 10y agoI don't think we're presenting conflicting facts. It's possible for a president to be terrible but ultimately better to not be removed from office.