Understanding Checks and Balances

Understanding Checks and Balances book cover — what's up with your government press powerkids CHECKS AND Understanding BALANCES Amie Jane Leavitt New York

Understanding Checks and Balances — page 1 — A BALANCING ACT AFTER LINCOLN On April 15 1865 Andrew Johnson was sworn in as president of the United States after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated Johnson led the country through a challenging period known as Reconstruction The Civil War was over but the nation had to be rebuilt There were many questions that the government needed to answer how would the Southern states be The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was one of the first official African American fighting units in the United States Nicknamed the Swamp Angels they fought alongside the Union Army during the Civil War treated What would happen to the freed slaves Johnson was a Southern Democrat The Republican-held Congress assumed he would go easy on the South and they were right He certainly tried He started reconstructing the South and let the states rejoin the Union with few consequences He even allowed the Southern states to limit the rights of freed slaves 4

Understanding Checks and Balances — page 2 — IMPEACHED Many in Congress disagreed with Johnson’s stance When they came back to session they passed bills to overturn the president’s actions Yet every time these bills were sent to Johnson he would veto them and send them back to Congress Congress would then get enough votes to override the presidential vetoes and pass the bills anyway In 1867 Congress felt Johnson had crossed the line by abusing his executive powers and wanted to impeach him The House of Representatives voted against Johnson but the Senate narrowly voted to acquit him His presidency was saved by one vote fast fact allowed to stay in office to Andrew Johnson was finish out his term After Andrew Johnson served as president he returned to Washington DC in 1875 to represent his state of Tennessee as a senator He died only a few months into his Senate term 5

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