Andrew Johnson
1808 - 1875
Biography
Andrew Johnson was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869 after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Born in North Carolina in 1808, Johnson rose to political prominence as a senator and governor of Tennessee. He became president amid the tumultuous Reconstruction era following the American Civil War. Johnson's presidency was marked by clashes with Congress over Reconstruction policies, leading to his impeachment by the House of Representatives in 1868; he was acquitted by one vote in the Senate. Johnson's approach to Reconstruction left a complex legacy, as he aimed to reconcile the North and South while facing opposition from both sides.
Famous Quotes (5)
Honest conviction is my courage; the Constitution is my guide.
I have performed my duty to my God, to my country, and to my conscience. I stand acquitted before God of any intentional wrong.
The goal to strive for is a poor government but a rich people.
Legislation can neither be wise nor just which seeks the welfare of a single interest at the expense and to the injury of many and varied interests.
I feel incompetent to perform duties that have been so unexpectedly thrown upon me.