No man in Tennessee has done more than Andrew Johnson to create, to perpetuate and embitter in the minds of the Southern people, that feeling of jealousy and hostility against the free States, which has at length culminated in rebellion and civil war. Up to 1860, he had been for 20 years among the most bigoted and intolerant of the advocates of slavery and Southernism.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- This quote argues that Andrew Johnson's long-standing support for slavery and Southern interests fueled regional animosity that led to the Civil War.
- In plain terms
- Johnson's old views on slavery made Southerners hate the free States, which helped cause the war.
- What can you take from it?
- Leaders' past biases can deepen national divisions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much responsibility do leaders bear for societal divisions?
- Can personal bias drive national policy?
Another view
The quote places heavy blame on one man for a complex national conflict.
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