Not all presidents are equally trans formative and I certainly can't say I was all that excited about the Andrew Johnson National Park. Actually he turned out to be pretty fascinating.
Beginning his life as an apprentice Johnson ran away at 15 trying to escape some petty charges that had been lobbed at him. Later settling in Tennessee and marrying Eliza McCardle in a ceremony presided over by Abraham Lincoln's cousin, he opened a tailor shop and earned notice as a great debater.
In 1862 Johnson earned the title of Military Governor of Tennessee thus securing his place as future vice president. It was a very difficult position as he was the only Senator who remained in Congress following his state's succession and living in Confederate occupied Eastern Tennessee proved trying on him and his family.
Following the assassination of President Lincoln ,Johnson was thrust into the Presidency during the most difficult time in our nation's history. It became his job to unite the splintered country and restore peace. It seemed as if everyone had a reason to hate him; Northerners because he wanted to re-admit Southern states to the Union without any prosecution of war crimes and Southerns because he was seen as a traitor during the war. Congress impeached him, yet he retained his Presidency with one vote deciding his fate. Returning as a Senator in 1875, Johnson died just 6 months later.
The museum suggested that Johnson deserves credit for the country re-uniting following the war. His other legacy is not so positive. Congress' unsuccessful attempt to kick him out of office set the precedent for the Impeachment process ever since.
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