Andrew Johnson Impeachment Timeline
The Andrew Johnson Impeachment came about in the aftermath of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and a very contentious political period in American History.
Johnson's detractors were furious that he violated the Tenure of Office Act, by dismissing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from his cabinet without Congressional approval. Johnson believed the act was unconstitutional and welcomed the opportunity for its constitutionality to be litigated in open court.
A bill he himself vetoed but was overturned by Congress. In the end, the United States Supreme Court sided with President Johnson and deemed the Tenure Act unconstitutional but not before he would face his own day in court.
President Johnson was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on February 24, 1868. The vote in the House in favor of the impeachment of President Johnson was a pure Democratic Party vote of 128 to 47.
Making Johnson the first of only two Presidents to be Impeached in American History. However, after the U.S. Senate trial concluded, Johnson was acquitted of all criminal charges, escaping removal from office. Just shy of the two-thirds needed by a single Senate vote, he stayed on to finish the remainder of his term. No President in American history has ever been removed from office.
March 2, Andrew Johnson vetoes the Tenure of Office Act
1868
February 21, Johnson orders the removal of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from his cabinet without getting the approval of Congress
February 24, Andrew Johnson is impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for "high crimes and misdemeanors" by a Democratic Party vote of 128 to 47
February 29, The House Committee draw up ten articles of impeachment against President Johnson, the majority related to Democratic Party opinion that Johnson violated the Tenure of Office Act when he removed Secretary of War Stanton from his cabinet
March 4, The House hand over the approved articles of impeachment against Johnson to the United States Senate for trial
March 5, Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase of the U.S. Supreme Court takes the oath and will preside over the Senate criminal trial to remove President Johnson from office
May 16, Johnson is acquitted by the U.S. Senate and is not removed from office. Johnson escaped conviction by only one Senate vote
Johnson's detractors were furious that he violated the Tenure of Office Act, by dismissing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from his cabinet without Congressional approval. Johnson believed the act was unconstitutional and welcomed the opportunity for its constitutionality to be litigated in open court.
A bill he himself vetoed but was overturned by Congress. In the end, the United States Supreme Court sided with President Johnson and deemed the Tenure Act unconstitutional but not before he would face his own day in court.
President Johnson was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on February 24, 1868. The vote in the House in favor of the impeachment of President Johnson was a pure Democratic Party vote of 128 to 47.
Making Johnson the first of only two Presidents to be Impeached in American History. However, after the U.S. Senate trial concluded, Johnson was acquitted of all criminal charges, escaping removal from office. Just shy of the two-thirds needed by a single Senate vote, he stayed on to finish the remainder of his term. No President in American history has ever been removed from office.
ANDREW JOHNSON IMPEACHMENT TIMELINE
1867March 2, Andrew Johnson vetoes the Tenure of Office Act
1868
February 21, Johnson orders the removal of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from his cabinet without getting the approval of Congress
February 24, Andrew Johnson is impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for "high crimes and misdemeanors" by a Democratic Party vote of 128 to 47
February 29, The House Committee draw up ten articles of impeachment against President Johnson, the majority related to Democratic Party opinion that Johnson violated the Tenure of Office Act when he removed Secretary of War Stanton from his cabinet
March 4, The House hand over the approved articles of impeachment against Johnson to the United States Senate for trial
March 5, Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase of the U.S. Supreme Court takes the oath and will preside over the Senate criminal trial to remove President Johnson from office
May 16, Johnson is acquitted by the U.S. Senate and is not removed from office. Johnson escaped conviction by only one Senate vote
