Okay, let's talk about something that trips up a lot of folks in American history: who was after Lincoln? It seems like a simple question, right? Lincoln's assassination is one of those moments everyone knows about. But what happened next? Who actually stepped into that massive void? That's where things get messy and honestly, pretty fascinating in a train-wreck sort of way.
I remember sitting in a college history seminar, totally confident I knew the answer. "Andrew Johnson, obviously!" I blurted out. My professor just raised an eyebrow and said, "Okay, now prove you actually understand *why* that matters." That shut me up real quick. It's not just a name on a list. Understanding who came after Lincoln means understanding why Reconstruction failed so spectacularly, how racial tensions festered for a century, and why the presidency itself changed shape.
The Immediate Aftermath: Chaos in Washington
Picture Washington D.C. on April 15th, 1865. Lincoln's gone, shot just the night before. The Civil War technically ended days earlier, but the country was still raw, bruised, and deeply divided. The man who suddenly found himself in charge? His Vice President, Andrew Johnson. Honestly, Lincoln picking Johnson as his running mate in 1864 might be one of history's greatest political miscalculations. They were from different parties (Lincoln Republican, Johnson Democrat), had opposing views on race and reconstruction, and reportedly couldn't stand each other personally. Talk about setting up a disaster. So, answering "who was after Lincoln" starts with this deeply unprepared and ultimately disastrous figure.
Andrew Johnson: The Accidental President
Johnson was a Southern Democrat from Tennessee, the only Southern senator who stayed loyal to the Union. Lincoln chose him as a symbolic gesture of unity. Big mistake. Johnson was stubborn, openly racist, and held a staggering belief that former Confederate states should be quickly readmitted with minimal changes. He clashed constantly with the Radical Republicans in Congress who wanted real protections for freed slaves and punishment for Confederate leaders. Watching Johnson try to govern was like watching someone try to put out a fire with gasoline.
| Aspect | Johnson's Position | Radical Republicans' Position | The Messy Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebuilding the South | Quick return to the Union with pardons for ex-Confederates | Military oversight, loyalty oaths, restructuring | Southern states passed "Black Codes" restricting freedmen's rights |
| Rights for Freed Slaves | Left to the states; opposed federal civil rights laws | Federal protection (leading to 14th Amendment) | Widespread violence against Black citizens (KKK emergence) |
| Punishing Confederates | Widespread pardons (even for leaders) | Barring ex-Confederates from office, land redistribution | Former Confederates quickly regained political power in the South |
His time as the leader after Lincoln culminated in him becoming the first president impeached. He survived removal by a single Senate vote, but his presidency was destroyed. The damage was done. The promise of real freedom and equality for Black Americans, won at such cost during the Civil War, was utterly betrayed during the years right after Lincoln. It set race relations back decades, arguably a century. That’s the grim legacy when we ask who was after Lincoln – it’s the man who squandered the victory.
The Presidents Who Followed: Reconstruction's Rise and Fall
So who came after Andrew Johnson? The next few presidents grappled with the unfinished business Lincoln left behind. None could match his stature, but their actions (and failures) shaped the nation profoundly.
Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)
The Civil War hero who followed Lincoln's successor Johnson. Grant genuinely tried to enforce Reconstruction and protect Black rights in the South using federal troops. His administration saw:
- The 15th Amendment ratified (voting rights for Black men)
- Creation of the Justice Department (partly to fight the KKK)
- Passage of the Ku Klux Klan Act (1871) to combat terrorism
But here's the kicker: While celebrated as a general, Grant was a terrible judge of character in politics. His administration was riddled with corruption scandals (Credit Mobilier, Whiskey Ring). By the end of his second term, Northern will to enforce Reconstruction with troops had evaporated. Southern whites regained control through violence and intimidation. Grant’s failure to sustain Reconstruction is often seen as the final nail in its coffin. A war hero, yes, but his presidency after Lincoln's era was a mixed bag at best.
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)
Hayes basically ended federal Reconstruction. He won a disputed election (sound familiar?) through the infamous Compromise of 1877. The deal? Southern Democrats accepted Hayes as president in exchange for:
- Removal of ALL remaining federal troops from the South
- Appointment of a Southern Democrat to his cabinet
- Federal subsidies for Southern railroads
This formalized the end of federal protection for Black citizens. Jim Crow laws quickly filled the void. Hayes is arguably the president after Grant who slammed the door shut on Lincoln's vision for the South. "Home Rule" became a euphemism for white supremacy. For anyone wondering who followed Lincoln and how Reconstruction died, Hayes's backroom deal is the ugly answer.
Quick Fact: The period immediately following Lincoln – Johnson, Grant, Hayes – is crucial. It answers "who was after Lincoln" and shows why Reconstruction failed. This 12-year window determined the fate of racial equality for nearly 90 years until the Civil Rights Movement.
Beyond Reconstruction: The "Who Came After Lincoln?" Legacy
Lincoln casts such a long shadow that the presidents who followed immediately after him often get lumped together as forgettable. But understanding them explains so much about modern America.
| President After Lincoln | Key Event | Impact on Lincoln's Legacy | Lasting National Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) | Impeachment Trial; Vetoes of Civil Rights Bills | Directly undermined Lincoln's vision for reconciliation with equality | Empowered former Confederates; birth of Jim Crow foundations |
| Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877) | Enforcement Acts; 15th Amendment; Corruption Scandals | Attempted to fulfill Lincoln's goals militarily, but politically weakened the cause | Brief high point of Black political participation; disillusionment with federal power |
| Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881) | Compromise of 1877; End of Military Reconstruction | Formally abandoned Lincoln's core Reconstruction aims | Solidified "Redemption" of the South by white supremacists |
Looking back, it's staggering how quickly the promise of Lincoln's second inaugural ("with malice toward none") evaporated. The men who were president after Lincoln – Johnson first and foremost, but also Grant and Hayes through their actions and compromises – allowed the South to re-establish racial hierarchy. The failure during this critical post-Lincoln period directly led to the segregation, disenfranchisement, and violence that characterized the Jim Crow South. It wasn't just a failure of policy; it was a betrayal of the war's sacrifice.
Why Does "Who Was After Lincoln" Matter Today?
Honestly, I used to think presidential succession was just trivia. Memorize the list, move on. But studying who followed Lincoln changed that. It's not about one name (Andrew Johnson). It's about understanding a pivotal transition:
- The Power Shift: Johnson's impeachment battle fundamentally changed the relationship between Congress and the President. It established that Congress could challenge executive power aggressively, a dynamic we still see play out constantly.
- The Unfinished Revolution: The failure of Reconstruction after Lincoln meant the "new birth of freedom" he envisioned remained incomplete. The racial inequalities embedded then are struggles we're still grappling with. When people ask why systemic racism persists, the answers start here, with the failures of the men who came after Lincoln.
- The Fragility of Progress: Lincoln's death and Johnson's disastrous tenure show how quickly hard-won progress can unravel. It's a stark lesson about the importance of political choices and leadership in fragile times. Who steps up after a transformative leader matters immensely.
Who Was After Lincoln? Your Questions Answered
Who immediately became president after Lincoln died?
Andrew Johnson, Lincoln's Vice President, was sworn in on April 15, 1865, just hours after Lincoln's death. He served the remainder of Lincoln's term until March 4, 1869. He was the direct successor to Lincoln.
Was Andrew Johnson elected president after Lincoln?
No, Johnson became president because he was Lincoln's Vice President when Lincoln was assassinated. He did run for election in his own right in 1864 as Lincoln's running mate (on the "National Union" ticket, not Republican). He never won a presidential election as the top candidate. He sought the Democratic nomination in 1868 but failed.
Who was the next president elected after Lincoln?
The next president elected after Lincoln's assassination was Ulysses S. Grant. He won the election of 1868 (taking office in 1869) and then re-election in 1872. So Grant succeeded Johnson, who had succeeded Lincoln. Grant was the first *elected* president following Lincoln's death.
Why is knowing who followed Lincoln important?
Understanding who was after Lincoln (Johnson) and the presidents who came next (Grant, Hayes) is crucial because their actions during Reconstruction (1865-1877) directly shaped the failure to secure lasting racial equality and justice in the South. Their choices led to the rise of Jim Crow segregation, disenfranchisement of Black voters, and entrenched racial divisions whose echoes are still felt today. It's the pivotal "what happened next" after the Civil War.
How did Johnson becoming president after Lincoln affect Reconstruction?
Disastrously. Johnson's leniency towards former Confederates, his vetoes of civil rights legislation (like the Freedmen's Bureau Bill and Civil Rights Act of 1866), and his open racism encouraged Southern states to pass oppressive "Black Codes" and resist granting rights to freed slaves. His conflict with Congress paralyzed effective policy and created the conditions that made Congressional (Radical) Reconstruction necessary, but also more bitter and difficult to sustain. He fundamentally undermined Lincoln's more moderate vision for reconciliation.
The Shadow of Lincoln
It's almost impossible to overstate how much Lincoln's assassination and the failures of his immediate successors warped American history. Visiting Ford's Theatre as a kid, I felt the weight of what was lost. Lincoln had a unique blend of political skill, moral clarity, and strategic vision. Johnson possessed none of these. The presidents after Lincoln who followed Johnson lacked either the political capital (Grant, hampered by scandal) or the will (Hayes) to finish the job.
So, who was after Lincoln? Andrew Johnson. But the real answer is more profound: it was an era defined by lost opportunities, racial retrenchment, and bitter political conflict that set the stage for America's next century of struggle. Knowing the name is trivia. Understanding the consequences is essential history. Next time someone asks "who was after Lincoln," maybe we should answer: "The man who proved how easily progress can be undone." That’s the lesson that truly sticks with you.