Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) was the 17th President of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was the first American president to be impeached, although he was not removed from office. Before his political career, he was a tailor and he grew up in poverty without formal education.As a politician, Johnson was known for his support of populist measures and states’ rights. During the U.S. Civil War, he was notable for being the only Southern senator to remain loyal to the Union. His presidency was marked by his moderate approach to restoring the South to the Union after the Civil War, which led to conflicts with the Radical Republicans in Congress. Johnson’s term did not see him run for a second term, and his legacy includes the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, known as “Seward’s Folly” at the time.
