Andrew Johnson

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 11th grade February 2002

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Andrew JohnsonAndrew Johnson was born on December 29,1808 in Raleigh, North Carolina. When he was young he helped his father with the tailor shop that he owned. At age 10 Andrew's father died leaving him with the job of a caretaker of the shop. He had to run the shop, go to school, and help his mother at home and out of home. He didn't feel old enough to accept all those responsibilities and ran away from home. A few days later he returned back home because he learned that he would not be able to make it on his own at that age. At the age of 12 he didn't know how to read and wanted to learn how to read so he could get a good paying job. As he grew older he learned how to read from a man who would go to the shop and read out loud from books or newspapers.

After he was done at the shop he would go home and study for 2-3 hours. At the age of 17 he left Raleigh and kept his work going at Lauren's CourtHouse, South Carolina.

On May 17,1827 at age 21 Andrew opened a tailor shop in Greenville, Tennessee and married Eliza McCardle and had 5 children. Johnson's wife taught him how to write and do arithmetic and participate in debates at the local academy. In 1829 Johnson's first office was held. The next year he was elected mayor of North Carolina and served for 3 years. In 1835 he was to go to the state legislation. He was acknowledged as a democratic. The first speech that he had ever given was against measure for internal improvements, which was read at a courthouse in North Carolina.

Six years after being in legislation, Andrew Johnson...