Why did the House of Representatives impeach President Johnson?
a- He had not been elected by the voters.
b-He had fired the Secretary of War illegally.
c-He had appointed temporary southern governors.
d-He had required states to approve the Thirteenth Amendment.
I think it is b. Please let me know if I am correct ASAP. Thank you :)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Andrew_Johnson
Yes, B.
To determine the correct answer, we need to evaluate each option and see which one aligns with the reason why the House of Representatives impeached President Johnson:
a) He had not been elected by the voters: This is not accurate. President Johnson was elected as vice president in 1864 and assumed the presidency after President Lincoln's assassination in 1865. He then was reelected in 1868.
b) He had fired the Secretary of War illegally: This is the correct answer. President Johnson dismissed Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton without the approval of the Senate, which violated the Tenure of Office Act, leading to his impeachment.
c) He had appointed temporary southern governors: While President Johnson did appoint temporary military governors to oversee the reconstruction of the Southern states, this alone was not the reason for his impeachment.
d) He had required states to approve the Thirteenth Amendment: President Johnson did oppose and try to obstruct the implementation of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery. However, this was not the primary reason for his impeachment.
Therefore, b) He had fired the Secretary of War illegally is the correct answer. President Johnson's impeachment was largely driven by political disagreements and strained relations between the executive and legislative branches.