Andrew Johnson (1808 – 1875) was the 17th President of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. Johnson (who was Lincoln's Vice President) became president after Lincoln's assassination. He was born in poverty in Raleigh, North Carolina. Before becoming president, he was a congressman and governor of Tennessee. As Southern states, including Tennessee, seceded, Johnson remained firmly with the Union. He came to office as the Civil War concluded. The new president favored quick restoration of the seceded states to the Union. His plans did not give protection to former slaves, and he came into conflict with the Congress, culminating in his impeachment by the House of Representatives. He opposed the Fourteenth Amendment, which gave citizenship to African-Americans.The first American president to be impeached, he was acquitted in the Senate by one vote. He is generally considered among the worst American presidents for his opposition to federally guaranteed rights for African Americans.
