Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson

Early Life

Andrew Johnson was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. His parents were Mary Johnson and Jacob Johnson. He had 2 siblings, William and Elizabeth. Andrew Johnson could not afford to go to school. When he was the age of 14 he became a Tailor’s apprentice and then eventually learned how to read. When he was 15, he was throwing wood at Mrs. Well’s house. He then ran away and never came back because he was ashamed of what he had done. Soon after he moved to South Carolina.

Adult Life before Presidency

Andrew Johnson fell in love with Mary Wood, but her mother didn’t want her marrying a poor tailor.  He went back to his home in Raleigh to ask the tailor, Selby to take him back as an apprentice but he refused. He left home again and traveled to Columbia, Tennessee. Then again he went home to ask his family to come back with him. In September of 1826 they arrived in Greenville, Tennessee. He married Eliza McCardle and ran his own tailor shop. His wife gave birth to Martha who was born in 1828. In 1829 he was elected town alderman. His wife gave birth to a second child, Charles in 1830, followed by Mary in 1832 and Robert in 1834. Following the birth of his children, Andrew Johnson was elected mayor of Greenville and elected to state legislature. Eliza, his wife, gave birth to Frank. Frank’s nick name was Andrew Jr. who was born in 1851. Andrew Johnson was in congress for 10 years. Then he was elected Governor of Tennessee and U.S. Senator. The civil war began in 0000. Andrew Johnson was elected vice president because he made a foolish speech when he was drunk. On May 23, 1865 Abraham Lincoln was assassinated so Andrew Johnson had to step in as President.

Presidential Years

Andrew Johnson was President from 1965-1968. He had no vice president during his term. During his Presidency and the Civil War, he partnered with the Confederate South so they would vote for him. Andrew Johnson tried to get rid of the 14th amendment, but it didn’t work. Andrew Johnson was impeached because ten years of the office act he violated restrict the power of the president of the United states to remove certain office holders without the approval of the senate. He bought Alaska from the Russian Empire on March 30, 1867, by a treaty ratified by the United States Senate, and signed by President Andrew Johnson. Russia wanted to sell its Alaskan territory, fearing that it might be seized if war broke out with the United Kingdom. Alaska became our 00th state