U.S. History Ordeal by Fire

U.S. History Ordeal by Fire - Reconstruction After Lincoln's assassination, President Andrew Johnson took office, and his ideals often differed from those of Lincoln. Johnson was at the heart of much of the struggle between executive, legislative, and judiciary control of the South during Reconstruction, and this ultimately led to his impeachment. Johnson alienated Republicans with many of his actions and then he began to defy Congress by vetoing many of the bills they created to help guide Reconstruction.

His argument stated that Congress could not make rules over Southern states because they had excluded the Southern states' congressmen from membership in the House and Senate. Thus, any legislation the Congress passed regarding the South, Johnson would veto. It began an intense struggle for leadership that alienated just about every Republican in Congress. It also threatened the balance and separation of powers the country was founded on. When Congress passed the Fourteenth Amendment, Johnson actually worked against them by urging Southern states not to ratify the Amendment.

The struggle for control became so intense that Johnson seemed to veto every bill Congress worked to pass, and then, Congress began to take strong measures. Driving the wedge between the President and Congress even deeper, Congress began to take steps to limit the President's power. They passed three measures that would limit the power Johnson held over government officials, the cabinet, and created a special session so they could maintain control of their own reconstruction policy.

The Congress had also put the South under military rule, and they compelled the Army to register voters and prepare the South for elections that would allow them to create constitutional conventions that would eventually allow them to send elected delegates back to Congress. Johnson attempted to keep his control by appointing sympathetic generals in the South to handle voter registration, and in many other ways to block the reformation of Southern politics that would include empowering the blacks and reapportioning many of the lands owned by Southern planters.

Johnson rebuked generals and Congress continued to pass into legislation laws Johnson had vetoed. Johnson's antics caused more and more supporters to abandon him, and impeachment became a very real concern. Congress voted to impeach Johnson in 1868 after he violated the Tenure of Office Act and tried to remove Secretary of War Stanton, but the Senate did not convict him.

During this time, a struggle between the court system and Congress also developed, which in effect allowed the court to send a message that Reconstruction was not a constitutional problem but a political one. Ultimately, the power struggle showed the viability of the Constitution and American federalism. While the struggles were great, the Supreme Court, Congress, and the President all survived the crisis and supported the separation of power that separate the three branches of government.

By driving a wedge between the Congress, the judiciary, and the presidency, Andrew Johnson created a terrible atmosphere in the American government. His constant argument.