HY 104 Lecture 4: Presidential Reconstruction
29 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Presidential Reconstruction: 1865 – 1867
EVENTS
1865 - Lincoln is assassinated; Johnson becomes president Congress
establishes Joint Committee on Reconstruction
1866 - Johnson vetoes renewal of Freedmen’s Bureau charter Congress
passes Civil Rights Act of 1866 over Johnson’s veto Congress drafts
Fourteenth Amendment Johnson delivers “Swing Around the Circle” speeches
KEY PEOPLE
Andrew Johnson - 17th U.S. president; fought Radical Republicans in
Congress over key Reconstruction legislation
Reconstruction After Lincoln
Lincoln’s assassination seemingly gave Radical Republicans in Congress
the clear path they needed to implement their plan for Reconstruction. The
new president, Andrew Johnson, had seemed supportive of punitive
measures against the South in the past: he disliked the southern planter elite
and believed they had been a major cause of the Civil War. But Johnson
surprised Radical Republicans by consistently blocking their attempts to pass
punitive legislation.
Johnson, Laissez-Faire, and States’ Rights
Johnson, a Democrat, preferred a stronger state government (in relation to the
federal government) and believed in the doctrine of laissez- faire, which
stated that the federal government should stay out of the economic and social
affairs of its people. Even after the Civil War, Johnson believed that states’
rights took precedence over central authority, and he disapproved of
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Document Summary
1865 - lincoln is assassinated; johnson becomes president congress establishes joint committee on reconstruction. 1866 - johnson vetoes renewal of freedmen"s bureau charter congress passes civil rights act of 1866 over johnson"s veto congress drafts. Fourteenth amendment johnson delivers swing around the circle speeches. Andrew johnson - 17th u. s. president; fought radical republicans in. Lincoln"s assassination seemingly gave radical republicans in congress the clear path they needed to implement their plan for reconstruction. The new president, andrew johnson, had seemed supportive of punitive measures against the south in the past: he disliked the southern planter elite and believed they had been a major cause of the civil war. But johnson surprised radical republicans by consistently blocking their attempts to pass punitive legislation. Even after the civil war, johnson believed that states" rights took precedence over central authority, and he disapproved of legislation that affected the american economy.
