This is the question i need to answer:

"When Andrew Johnson took upon himself the duties of
his high office he swore to obey the Constitution and take
care that the laws be faithfully executed. That, indeed, is
and has always been the chief duty of the President of the
United States. The duties of legislation and adjudicating
[making a judgment on] the laws of his country fall in no
way to his lot. To obey the commands of sovereign power
of the nation, and to see that others should obey them,
was his whole duty -a duty which he could not escape,
and any attempt to do so would be in direct violation of his
official oath.
- Thaddeus Stevens, Closing Remarks in the
Impeachment Trial of Andrew Johnson, 1868

Use the quotation to answer the following question:

According to the quotation, why does Stevens
believe that Johnson should be removed from
office?

This is my response:

Thaddeus Stevens believed that Andrew Johnson should be removed from office because Johnson failed to his duties as President. Stevens believed that Johnson had not obeyed the constitution, and had not correctly executed laws. Stevens also thought that if Johnson tried to avoid his duties, then he would be breaking his promise. Thaddeus Stevens believed that Andrew Johnson was not fulfilling his role as president, and that he should be removed from the office.

Do you think it answers the question well?
Do you think I should add any details?

Thank you!

1 answer

Your response effectively addresses the question by summarizing Thaddeus Stevens' viewpoint on why Andrew Johnson should be removed from office. You clearly highlight the key points regarding Johnson's failure to execute his duties and the implications of his violations of the Constitution.

To enhance your answer, you might consider adding a few more specific details from the quotation itself. This could include:

  1. Specific Language: Quote specific phrases from Stevens’ statement to strengthen your argument. For example, you could reference the idea of Johnson’s “whole duty” being to obey commands and ensure others do the same.

  2. Nature of Violations: Briefly explain what specific actions or failures Johnson took that Stevens believed constituted a neglect of duty (if known). This adds context and depth to your response.

  3. Stevens' Perspective: Elaborate a bit more on why Stevens felt so strongly about the need for adherence to the Constitution and laws, possibly explaining it as a principle of governance and accountability.

Here’s how you might revise your response with these points in mind:


Thaddeus Stevens believed that Andrew Johnson should be removed from office because Johnson failed to fulfill his constitutional duties as President. Stevens argued that Johnson did not "obey the Constitution" and did not "faithfully execute" the laws, which are central responsibilities of the presidency. He asserted that the president's obligation was to adhere to the commands of the nation's sovereign power, and any attempt to evade this duty would be a direct violation of his oath of office. Stevens considered Johnson's actions, which reflected neglect of these responsibilities, as just cause for impeachment. Therefore, Stevens firmly held that Johnson was not fulfilling his role as president and warranted removal from office.


This revision maintains your original points while integrating specific references from the quotation and providing additional context.

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