President Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 because he believed that the legislation gave too much power to the federal government and encroached upon the rights of individual states to regulate civil rights within their borders. He also argued that the Act was unconstitutional and that it exceeded the powers granted to Congress by the Constitution. Additionally, Johnson was opposed to granting equal rights and protections to African Americans, as he believed that such actions would upset the social order and infringe upon the rights of white Americans.
