Students learn about the reasons for the impeachment and trial of President Andrew Johnson. Next they take a stand on whether he should have been removed from office. Then, they explore other federal officials who have been impeached by the House of Representatives.
Students read background text describing the conflict between President Andrew Johnson and the Republican Congress over Reconstruction legislation and learn that the House decided to impeach Johnson. They examine an image titled “President Johnson Disbanding the Freedmen’s Bureau.” Students then complete a table by writing their own definition of the word impeach, using a dictionary if needed.
Teacher MovesDiscuss student definitions of impeach, clarifying that it means to accuse and charge a public official with misconduct, not to remove them from office. Explain that the Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to impeach the President, Vice President, and civil officers for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the Senate conducts the trial and can convict with a two-thirds vote.
Students read about the eleven articles of impeachment filed against Andrew Johnson and use Why Was Andrew Johnson Impeached? and The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson to learn more about the charges and context. They then complete a drag-and-drop activity matching key terms and people (such as the Tenure of Office Act, Edwin Stanton, Reconstruction Acts, House of Representatives, and Senate) with their correct descriptions. Finally, they read a brief summary of how the articles focused on violations of the Tenure of Office Act, the Army Act, and criticism of Congress.
Teacher MovesUse student responses to identify understandings and misconceptions, and to guide follow-up discussion.
Students view an image of President Johnson’s impeachment trial in the Senate and read a short introduction to the trial. They read The Trial of Andrew Johnson, 1868 to learn how the Senate trial was conducted and what evidence was presented. Students then respond to a class wall prompt explaining whether they think Andrew Johnson should have been removed from office, supporting their position with evidence from the articles. Afterward, they read a brief account of the Senate vote, Johnson’s acquittal by one vote short of the required two-thirds, and the transition to President Ulysses S. Grant.
Teacher MovesEmphasize that students may argue either for or against Johnson’s removal as long as they support their position with evidence. Select one student response from each side of the issue to share with the class and facilitate a discussion comparing the arguments and evidence used.
Students read Impeachment to learn more about the impeachment process and historical cases. They choose one higher-ranking federal official who has undergone impeachment proceedings (such as Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, William Belknap, William Blount, Samuel Chase, or Robert Wodrow Archbald) and research that person using the Internet or other resources. Using a graphic organizer, they record the official’s name, position, year of impeachment, charges, and trial outcome. Students then post to a class wall explaining why they think the Constitution gave the power of impeachment and removal from office to the legislative branch.
Teacher MovesExplain that the framers of the Constitution feared potential abuse of executive power and therefore created impeachment as a legislative check on that power.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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