U.S. History Bell Ringer

The Constitution gives Congress the power to remove a President from office for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”. The first two are straight forward, but the last is a bit ambiguous. Explore that ambiguity by giving two examples:– Something just bad enough to justify removing the

President from office.– Something almost, but not quite, bad enough to justify

removing the President.

True or FalseIt is correct for Congress to remove a President for:• Lying?• Being aware of and not stopping illegal

activities, like breaking in to someone’s office?• Breaking a law Congress passed?• For constantly vetoing laws passed by Congress

which the majority of the public support?

Today’s Theme and Central Questions

How are we governed?◦When should (and shouldn’t) Congress remove a President from office?

States re-admitted by Johnson sent to Washington as congressmen representing their states:

• 9 Confederate generals• 2 Confederate cabinet members, including the

vice president of the Confederacy

Amphitheatrum Johnsonianum - massacre of the innocents at New Orleans, July 30, 1866s

Civil Rights Act of 1866

Freedmen’s Bureau Act of 1866

Party Total Seats Change Total Percentage

Republican 173 +37 77%

Democrats 47 -9 21%

Reconstruction Acts

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SENATE SITTING FOR

THE TRIAL OF ANDREW JOHNSON

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

On Articles of Impeachment exhibited by the

House of Representatives

Closing Question

Please respond in your journal to the following closing question:

Create a question concerning Presidential Reconstruction that you could research to find out more about.

Course Themes1. How do we know?2. Why do we change?3. How do we govern

ourselves?4. What does it mean to be

an American?5. How do we live?

Read pages 416-422.

Reading Focus- How did reconstruction in the South change under Republican leadership?

Homework

BibliographySlide 6- http://www.impeach-andrewjohnson.com/ListOfCartoons/AmphitheatrumJohnsonianum.htm Slide 15- http://www.legendsofkansas.com/people-r.html