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1- April, 15 1865: Why did Lincoln choose Andrew Johnson to be vice president, and how did his background influence his thinking about Reconstruction?

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Abraham Lincoln chose Andrew Johnson to be his vice president for the 1864 presidential election in order to appeal to pro-Union Democrats and War Democrats. Johnson was a senator from Tennessee and had been the only senator from a seceded state who had remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War.

Johnson's background as a Southerner who had remained loyal to the Union influenced his thinking about Reconstruction. He believed in a lenient Reconstruction policy that would allow Southern states to rejoin the Union as quickly as possible. Johnson felt that the South should be allowed to rebuild its economy and social order without excessive interference from the federal government.

Johnson's views on Reconstruction put him at odds with many members of the Republican Party, including Lincoln's closest advisors. After Lincoln's assassination, Johnson became president and implemented a Reconstruction policy that was more lenient than what many Republicans wanted. This led to conflicts with Congress and ultimately to his impeachment by the House of Representatives in 1868.

In summary, Lincoln chose Johnson to be his vice president in order to appeal to Democrats and because of his loyalty to the Union during the Civil War. Johnson's background as a Southern Unionist influenced his thinking about Reconstruction, leading him to favor a more lenient policy than other Republicans wanted.
User Samik R
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Appointed him as s millitary Governor.

Step-by-step explanation:

In 1862, Lincoln appointed him as Military Governor of Tennessee after most of it had been retaken.

User TobiHeidi
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