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Secondary sourceBook1866

The Life and Public Services of Andrew Johnson

John Savage · 1866

An 1866 biography of Andrew Johnson by John Savage, written during Johnson's presidency, including his state papers and speeches.

Savage's biography is a contemporary account of Johnson's life and public career, written while Johnson was president.

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About this source

What it is

This is an 1866 biography of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, written by John Savage and published in New York by Derby and Miller. It covers Johnson's life from poverty to the presidency and includes his state papers and speeches. The book has an engraved portrait of Johnson and other illustrations. A scan is held by the University of California library.

Why it matters

Savage wrote while Johnson was in office, so the book reflects the political debates of the time. The preface notes that Savage had earlier sketched Johnson in a work published in 1860 and had written about him again during the 1864 campaign. Readers can compare this early account with later histories to see how Johnson's reputation changed.

Look closer

  • Why might a biography written during a president's term present his life differently from a later history?
  • What does the author say his aim is in the preface, and how does that shape the book?
  • Which parts of Johnson's life might a sympathetic author emphasize, and which might be left out?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Andrew Johnson on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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