Andrew Johnson was the 17th president of the U.S., and despite being known as one of the unluckiest of presidents, has still been honored with memorials.
Presidency
Stacked up against Johnson entering his first term was the rebuilding of Southern states and the control of the Radical Republicans in
Congress, History noted. While Johnson was focused on rebuilding Southern states, pardoning those who would pledge allegiance and attempting to give free farmland to poor farmers; the Radical Republicans in Congress had their own plans.
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While Congress passed the 14th Amendment granting citizenship to blacks, Johnson urged Southern states not to ratify it. He also vetoed the Freedmen’s Bureau bill and the Civil Rights bill, which would have helped protect blacks. Flares really came to a head between Congress and Johnson in February of 1868, when the House of Representatives voted to impeach Johnson. They claimed, among other things, that he violated the Tenure of Office Act by suspending the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton for not agreeing with his Reconstruction policies. The Senate acquitted Johnson of the charges in one vote.
Early Life
Andrew Johnson was born Dec. 29, 1808, in Raleigh, North Carolina, to Jacob and Mary Johnson. Jacob Johnson died when Andrew Johnson was only 3 years old. Johnson grew up very poor and never had a formal education, and by his early teens, he was apprenticed as a tailor and eventually moved on to Tennessee to practice his craft. Johnson married Eliza McCardle, who was instrumental in teaching him basic educational skills, and they had five children.
Monument
The Andrew Johnson National Historic Site & Cemetery located in Greenville, Tennessee, explains the life and legacy of Johnson and his four-year presidency. The National Historic Site consists of four parts, including the Early Home, the Visitor Center, the Homestead, and the Cemetery,
according to the National Park Service.
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Additionally, there is a bronze statue of Johnson and a replica house. The statue, which was sculpted by Jim Gray, was also provided through Johnson's estate. The inspiring and imposing figure of Johnson is mounted on the corner of College and Depot Streets in downtown Greeneville. Another casting of the same statue stands at the Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee.
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