BookRags.com Literature Guides Literature Guides Criticism/Essays Criticism/Essays Biographies Biographies My Bibliography Periodic Table U.S. Presidents Shakespeare Sonnet Shake-Up
Research Anything:        
History | Encyclopedias | Films | News | Create a Bibliography | More... Login | Register | Help
Not What You Meant?  There are 19 definitions for Thaddaeus.


Stevens, Thaddeus

Print-Friendly  Order the PDF version  Order the RTF version
About 9 pages (2,645 words)
Thaddeus Stevens Summary

Bookmark and Share

Thaddeus Stevens

Born April 4, 1792
Danville, Vermont

Died August 11, 1868
Washington, D.C.

U.S. congressman, lawyer, and mill owner

"We have turned, or are about to turn, loose four million slaves without a hut to shelter them or a cent in their pockets. The infernal laws of slavery have prevented them from acquiring an education, understanding the common laws of contract, or of managing the ordinary business of life. This Congress is bound to provide for them until they can take care of themselves."

A powerful congressman who fought for the abolition (end) of slavery and for civil rights legislation for freedmen, Thaddeus Stevens was a leading "Radical Reconstructionist." This term describes congressmen who favored strict terms and a carefully supervised program for allowing former Confederate states to reenter the Union after the Civil War (1861–65). Stevens led the battle against President Andrew Johnson (1808–1875; served 1865–69; see entry), who wanted a speedier and more lenient program for reunification. Stevens led the attempt to impeach (formally accuse of wrongdoing) Johnson and remove him as president; impeachment was successful, but the effort to rid him from office failed by one vote. Throughout his political, legal, and professional careers, Stevens was a champion of people of humble means.

This is a free page. This page contains 201 words. This article contains 2,645 words (approx. 9 pages at 300 words per page).

Read the rest of this Article with our Stevens, Thaddeus Access Pass.

 
Copyrights
Stevens, Thaddeus from Reconstruction Era Reference Library. ©2005-2006 by U•X•L. U•X•L is an imprint of Thomson Gale, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Join BookRagslearn moreJoin BookRags


About BookRags | Customer Service | Report an Error | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy