Who was the first U.S. president to be impeached?

Who was the first U.S. president to be impeached?

• A. Bill Clinton
• B. Ulysses S. Grant
• C. Richard Nixon
• D. Andrew Johnson

Answer: (D)

The key idea here is how impeachment unfolded in U.S. history. Andrew Johnson, who became president after Lincoln’s assassination, clashed with Congress during Reconstruction over how to bring the Southern states back into the Union and protect newly freed rights. Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act to limit presidential power, and Johnson believed it was unconstitutional. He then dismissed Edwin Stanton, the secretary of war, which led the House to impeach him in 1868 on charges tied to violating that act and other high crimes and misdemeanors. He went to trial in the Senate and was acquitted by just one vote, so he stayed in office. This made him the first president impeached. For context, Clinton faced impeachment later in the 1990s, Nixon resigned before impeachment, and Grant was never impeached.

The key idea here is how impeachment unfolded in U.S. history. Andrew Johnson, who became president after Lincoln’s assassination, clashed with Congress during Reconstruction over how to bring the Southern states back into the Union and protect newly freed rights. Congress passed the Tenure of Office Act to limit presidential power, and Johnson believed it was unconstitutional. He then dismissed Edwin Stanton, the secretary of war, which led the House to impeach him in 1868 on charges tied to violating that act and other high crimes and misdemeanors. He went to trial in the Senate and was acquitted by just one vote, so he stayed in office. This made him the first president impeached. For context, Clinton faced impeachment later in the 1990s, Nixon resigned before impeachment, and Grant was never impeached.