presidency of Andrew Johnson began on April 15 , 1865 , when Andrew Johnson became President of the United States upon the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln , and ended on March 4 , 1869 . He had been Vice President of the United States for only days when he succeeded to the presidency . The 17th United States president , Johnson was a member of the Democratic Party before the Civil War and had been Lincoln 's 1864 running mate on the National Union ticket , which was supported by Republicans and War Democrats . Johnson took office as the Civil War came to a close , and his presidency was dominated by the aftermath of the war . As president , Johnson attempted to build his own party of Southerners and conservative Northerners , but he was unable to unite his supporters into a new party . Republican Ulysses S. Grant succeeded Johnson as president
assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Presidency of Andrew Johnson