How did President Johnson respond to Reconstruction acts passed by the Republican Congress?

Answer 1

President Johnson responded to the Reconstruction acts passed by the Republican Congress with hostility and resistance. He vetoed the acts and clashed with Congress over their implementation. Johnson believed that the Reconstruction acts were unconstitutional and believed that they would lead to the infringement of states' rights. He also felt that the acts were too harsh and punitive towards the Southern states that had seceded from the Union during the Civil War.

Johnson's resistance to the Reconstruction acts led to a power struggle between the executive and legislative branches of government. Ultimately, Congress overrode Johnson's vetoes and passed the Reconstruction acts into law, solidifying their control over the process of Reconstruction. This ultimately led to the impeachment of President Johnson by the House of Representatives in 1868, although he was acquitted by the Senate and remained in office until the end of his term.