He taught himself reading and writing and trained himself as a public speaker. Johnson himself owned a few slaves and loyally defended slavery and "states' rights," His mistake of drinking whiskey to help from feeling ill he was sworn in and his inaugural address was almost incoherent led to rumors of alcoholism that followed him for the rest of his life. After Lincoln's death, President Johnson proceeded to reconstruct the former Confederate States while Congress was not in session in 1865. He pardoned all who would take an oath of allegiance, but required leaders and men of wealth to obtain special Presidential pardons. He tried to unite the country during Civil War era creating a policy for restoring the Union. One of his policies was Amnesty to Southerners Act.

The Tenure of Office Act passed over the veto of President Andrew Johnson on March 2, 1867, provided that all federal officials whose appointment needed Senate confirmation could not be removed without Senate approval. As he became more in support of a strong union other in power did not agree with his policies. I was also under his leadership that 14th Amendment was ratified. When Johnson tried to gain control of the Army by removing the secretary of war in apparent violation of law, he was impeached by the House of Representatives and tried before the Senate. The verdict was brought forth to his favor of "not guilty." and he served out the remainder of his term quietly. Also during his term the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 was accomplished. In 1875, Tennessee returned Johnson to the Senate. He died a few months later.