Reference no: EM131442866

Compare and contrast some of the civil rights issues since 1992 with those from earlier in the 20th century? (MINIMUM 700 WORDS, MLA FORMAT, NO PLAGIARISM) The only allowed source is the one below, no other sources permitted!

QUESTION MUST BE ANSWERED USING A SPECIFIC FORMAT SHOOWN BELOW.

MODEL RESPONSE
Question: Why was President Andrew Johnson impeached and what impact did it have?

FACT/ANALYSIS: The textbook reveals that Johnson was charged with "high crimes and misdemeanors" on "eleven counts of misconduct" (452-453). We learn this week that Johnson opposed black suffrage and vetoed the Reconstruction Act of 1867, but that Congress overrode his veto. The Reconstruction Act of 1867 divided the country into military districts and provided specific instructions on how freed blacks would be allowed to vote in elections, but prevented ex-confederate leaders from voting.

Johnson also suspended Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. The impeachment did not bring down the president because Congress fell short of convicting him. The book states that the "dissenting Republicans felt that removing a president for defying Congress was too damaging to the constitutional system of checks and balances" (452-453).

The impeachment did open the door for Ulysses S. Grant to become the next president (1). OPINION/REFLECTION: Although the book does not specifically state what charges were brought against Johnson, it seems as though Congress wanted to punish him for his anti-suffrage views. It is clear that tensions were high during this period, and that the country was still trying to grapple with all the difficulties of the post-Civil War period.

I am wondering if Congress was trying to get revenge on Johnson or whether there were actually any real crimes or misdemeanors. It's interesting how the ex-confederates were prevented from voting, but I guess this was necessary to keep them from coming back into power. I learned from the reading that during an impeachment, the House of Representatives serves as the prosecutor and the Senate is the court.

I also find it interesting that the southern states were divided into military districts, but I guess this is what they needed to do to ensure that freed blacks could vote. It is amazing how many changes took place during the country at this time. To think that people who were slaves right before the war would be voting in just a few short years is amazing. QUESTION FOR THE CLASS: My question for the class this week is: Do you think there is any connection between the black suffrage movement and the women's suffrage movement that came later?

Works Cited

1. Edwards, Rebecca; Henretta, James A; and Self, Robert O. America: A Concise History. Volume 2: since 1865. (New York, NY: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2012).