Andrew Johnson - the seventeenth president of the United States of America: biography, career

Andrew Johnson was elected to the presidency of the United States in 1865. He ruled one term and was able to forever write his name into history.

He was a rather contradictory figure. Even now in American society there is no consensus on the evaluation of this person's activities. Many of his decisions forever changed the domestic and foreign policy of the United States. And legal precedents survived Johnson for dozens of years.

Andrew Johnson: Biography

Born the next president on April 15, 1865 in North Carolina. His parents were ordinary farmers. Little Andrew worked with them, helping to care for the harvest. After the death of the elder Johnson, the provision of the family rests on the shoulders of the mother, who works as a laundress. Because of the difficult financial situation Andrew gets a job at the tailor. While working as an apprentice, he also receives basic writing and reading skills. Thus, the workshop replaced him with a school. After the age of majority, Andrew Johnson leaves his home and moves to Grenville. There he opens his own business - a workshop. He takes as his wife the daughter of a local shoemaker.

Early Career Policy

In his spare time he is constantly engaged in self-education. He studies basic sciences. His entrepreneurial grasp and the skills acquired during his training allow him to go up. The profit from the workshop allows Johnson to invest. In Tennessee, he goes to a local college. Begins to be interested in politics. He often communicates with influential people in the state.

In 1943, Andrew Johnson was elected to the congress. Being in the government, he begins to actively spread his influence. The profit from the business grows, which allows you to influence the economic processes throughout the state. Ten years later Johnson was elected governor.

A. Lincoln personally comes to a meeting with the new head of state. At this time, the commotion is already beginning in the south of the country. Conflict of interests threatens to escalate into an armed confrontation, so the president holds talks with all the influential people of the South.

The Beginning of the Civil War

Andrew Johnson represented Tennessee - the slave state. The basis of his economy was the agrarian sector. The southern lands were very fertile, the climate was suitable for the cultivation of cotton, tobacco and various cereals. However, there was a serious shortage of industrialization. Almost all of the country's industry was concentrated in the North. The most influential people in Tennessee were slave owners. The shortage of labor (almost all emigrants from Europe settled in the North) was compensated for by slaves brought from Africa. By the sixtieth year of the nineteenth century, more than three million slaves lived in the South of the United States .

Industrial North had more seats in the Senate and carried out its own laws, which were not beneficial to the slaveholders. Therefore, trying to preserve the socio-economic life of its states, the South withdraws from the Union. This leads to the outbreak of the Civil War. A. Lincoln immediately announces mobilization and begins the blockade. Johnson remains loyal to the president. Unlike the other governors of the South, he does not support the Confederation and secession.

And at the same time he retains his post. In April, the sixty-first Andrew participates in the development of the Crittenden-Johnson resolution. It states that the Union's troops pursue peace-loving goals and wage war for the sake of preserving the state, and not for the abolition of slavery.

A defector or a patriot?

After the outbreak of hostilities, Johnson flees to the territory controlled by the northerners. He receives from Lincoln the post of vice-president. Many contemporaries believe that this appointment is connected with the populist aspirations of Lincoln. As if he believed that the appointment of such a high post southerner will reduce the wave of hatred in the rebel states. It is noteworthy that the new vice-president of the United States of America was drunk drunk at his inauguration. Johnson gave a "fiery" speech in which he bragged about his origins (supposedly "popular") and criticized the political system in the Russian Empire.

After the appointment, Andrew received a military rank. However, he did not take direct part in the hostilities. On the fifteenth of April, Lincoln is murdered.

The murderers also planned to remove Johnson, but could not reach him. As a result, 17 the US president receives a post not as a result of elections, but because of the death of his predecessor.

Johnson's Board

As president, Johnson continued a consistent policy, the course of which was worked out, being still the governor. However, immediately after taking office, he began to have problems. His support was denied by the Democratic Party. Moreover, he began to review the policy of the defeated states. Andrew made major concessions to secessionists. Many even began to suspect him of sympathy for the Confederation. After a quarrel with the party, Johnson began to have problems with the Congress. One of his first decrees, 17 the US president vetoed a bill that established the obligations of the southern states.

Conflict with the executive

After that, Congress voted for a bill that establishes the equality of all US citizens, regardless of race. His Johnson also blocked. The crisis intensified after a direct confrontation with the Cabinet. One of the most ardent opponents of the president was Defense Minister Stanton. He refused to comply with many of the orders of the White House.

The administration was not able to find a common language on this issue with the Congress, so Stanton is dismissed by Andrew Johnson. The US President personally issues an appropriate order. However, the Senate does not support such a decision. Almost unanimously, the minister is returned to his post. Such an open speech against the White House worsened Johnson's position.

He decides not to surrender and enter into an open confrontation. In place of the allegedly fired defense minister, Andrew appoints his protege, General Thomas. This decision agitates the Congress. Stanton refuses to leave his post, a unique situation arises in the country. Two branches of power issue contradictory decrees. In response to the actions of the president, the Senate appeals to the House of Representatives. The latter initiate an impeachment procedure. However, Johnson manages to negotiate with some senators, and he remains in his post.

End of the Board

In the sixty-seventh year, Andrew concludes a fateful deal with the Russian Empire over Alaska.

For relatively little money, the US is buying a huge territory that will pay back all the costs for its acquisition in the future. However, at that time this event went unnoticed. The President of the United States of America finally lost the confidence of the people and did not even run for a new term.