The Andrew Johnson Presidency

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President Johnson was thrown into the presidential seat at a crucial turning point of American government. Johnson took a strong anti-Confederate stand, and sought to destroy the planter aristocracy. He was a spokesman for nonslaveowning whites and rose rapidly to political fame, but he reversed his position on slavery during the war. Johnson neither adopted abolitionist ideals nor challenged racist sentiments. The Civil Rights of blacks was not his main concern. Johnson had the difficult task of reconstructing the South after the Civil War. Although most of his reconstruction policies were later replaced by congressional policies, Johnson did make some achievements in the Southern governments. Johnson allowed Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas to return to the Union. Those who took an oath of allegiance could elect delegates to state conventions, receive a pardon, and all their property, except slaves, would be restored. Johnson disqualified all ex-Confederate military and civil officers and those with $20,000 in taxable land. However...

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