How Did Andrew Johnson’s Behavior In Office Influence The Events of The Reconstruction Era?

Andrew Johnson’s behavior during his presidency had a major impact on the events of the Reconstruction Era. The most notable example was his decision to veto the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, which would have granted African Americans the right to vote in federal elections.
This caused great consternation among the Radical Republicans, who were already opposed to Johnson’s policies towards the south. They had been pushing for harsher penalties for former Confederates and more civil rights for African Americans, but Johnson was seen as favoring leniency towards them. This led to growing opposition from the Radical Republicans, who wanted stricter penalties for the south and more civil rights for African Americans.
The conflict between these two factions came to a head in 1866, when Johnson vetoed a bill that would have given African Americans the right to vote. The Radical Republicans responded by passing a series of laws over Johnson’s vetoes (known as “Reconstruction Acts”) which would give Congress oversight over reconstruction policy and expand suffrage rights across all states after they had been readmitted into the Union under new constitutions ratified by voters there themselves.
This led to his impeachment by the House of Representatives in 1868. The Senate acquitted Johnson, but the damage to his presidency was severe.
The Reconstruction era continued after Johnson’s presidency, with further civil rights laws passed and African Americans elected to Congress for the first time ever (the Fourteenth Amendment). This legacy remains evident today in American society through ongoing efforts to ensure equality among all citizens regardless of race or gender.