Question

why did andrew johnson veto the civil rights bill of 1866?
a. he argued it discriminated against blacks.
b. he argued it was incompatible with the thirteenth amendment.
c. he argued it gave too much power to the states.
d. he argued it did not follow the appropriate congressional procedure.
e. he argued that blacks did not deserve the right of citizenship.

Explanation:

Andrew Johnson, a Southern Democrat and successor to Lincoln, held pro-states' rights and racist views. He vetoed the 1866 Civil Rights Bill, claiming it overstepped federal authority and that Black people should not be granted citizenship rights, which he believed were not guaranteed by the Constitution at that time. Option a is false as the bill protected Black rights. Option b is incorrect because the 13th Amendment ended slavery, and the bill extended civil rights, which Johnson did not frame as incompatible with it. Option c is wrong because the bill limited state power to discriminate, so he argued it took power from states, not gave them too much. Option d is not the core reason he cited publicly.

Answer:

e. He argued that Blacks did not deserve the right of citizenship.