Question

The JASTA veto override was the only veto overridden during the Obama administration. President Andrew Johnson, who took power after President Lincoln's assassination, has had the most vetoes overridden by Congress. President Johnson vetoed twenty-nine bills and Congress overrode fifteen of those presidential vetoes. What does the high rate of congressional overrides under President Johnson tell you about the relative strength of the legislative branch and the executive branch at the time?

Answer 1

The high rate of congressional overrides during President Andrew Johnson's term reflects a strong legislative branch aggressively asserting its vision for Reconstruction over a relatively weaker executive authority.

Step-by-step explanation:

The high rate of congressional overrides under President Andrew Johnson indicates a period when the legislative branch held significant power over the executive branch. During Johnson's presidency, the legislative branch was particularly assertive, overriding a notable number of his vetoes, which included major legislations like the Civil Rights Act of 1866, and the First Congressional Reconstruction Act. This was a time of tension and conflict between President Johnson, who succeeded Abraham Lincoln and held a more lenient approach to Reconstruction, and the Radical Republicans in Congress who sought a more stringent reconstruction of the South and the protection of newly freed slaves. The large number of vetoes overridden by Congress suggests that the legislature was determined to impose its own vision of Reconstruction, reflecting strong congressional will and a weakened presidential authority, particularly in the context of the post-Civil War era.