why did andrew johnson veto everything?

Question

i have a test tomorrow, and im trying to understand why johnson wouldnt pass any laws. why was he opposed to black rights? My teacher said that booth shooting lincoln hurt the south because lincoln wanted to go easy on them, but didnt johnson also try to go easy on them too? please answer asap.

Answer 1

what a coincidence.
I just read that passage yesterday.
In one word, Andrew Johnson and the Congress held completely different opinions.The congress at that time were radical,they were eager to reconstruct south,to emancipate black and give them suffrage. But Andrew Johnson is actually a racist. It's hard for him to accept black people. And Andrew Johnson indulged southern leaders.He wasn't that willing to change south sharply and completely.
by the way, andrew johnson didn't veto everything. He veto anything related to black suffrage,southern reconstruction,confiscation....like that.

Answer 2

When you have all of Washington D.C. looking to exact punitive measures on the south you really have to follow up on what the measures were and the impact they might've had. A freed slave in the south was a constant reminder of defeat and now an enforced elevated status to the southerner. While others are trying to work at reconcilliation. Johnson did go easy on them. Lincoln would've worked a reconcilliation. Here's the rub. The south shouldn't have fired on Fort Sumter. It was an arrogant and lawless display against the established government. Mister Lincoln, difficult as his position was, and it really really was, ought to have opted for a stay of a declaration of war. Now the question has been rendered academic. It happened. It is up to you to find these things out to form a world, or national view. Which, in turn, becomes part of your character.

Answer 3

That was his problem. The congress did not want to go easy on anyone; the wanted the South to pay heavily. He was not that opposed to Black rights, but he was a Southerner, by birth, if not by inclination. Highly underrated president.

Answer 4

This might help:

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/impeach2.html