GMAT Reading Comprehension - In 1868, Congress Convened for the Unprecedented Task of Holding

Reading Passage Question

In 1868, Congress convened for the unprecedented task of holding impeachment proceedings for President Andrew Johnson. Johnson was on trial for his dismissal of War Secretary Edwin M. Stanton in violation of the recently passed the Tenure of Office Act, which required Senate concurrence in the dismissal of any official who had been appointed with Senate approval. Although Johnson finished his term essentially powerless and unpopular, his acquittal was a victory for the separation of powers necessary in maintaining the stability of the federal government.

Following the death of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, the federal government became a crucible of debate over the fate of the southern states recently defeated in the Civil War. Johnson’s decisions in the first months of his administration revealed a marked sympathy toward white Southerners that immediately attracted the anger of Republicans. Johnson’s power was considerably weakened as Congress passed a barrage of Reconstruction legislation over his veto. The Tenure of Office Act was similarly designed to rein in the presidency, which had grown exceedingly powerful under Lincoln’s wartime administration. Johnson defied Congress by firing Stanton, a radical Republican whose views on Reconstruction were consistently in dissent with the rest of Johnson’s cabinet.

The impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson held historic implications. The legality of the Tenure of Office Act was widely considered questionable; previous presidents had always enjoyed the privilege of dismissing cabinet members at their pleasure. The ulterior issue on trial, however, was whether or not Congress should be able to remove a president merely because it disagreed with his policies. In 1804, President Jefferson had Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase impeached for the same reason and the Senate, in a united effort to deny the president’s attempt to subvert the judiciary, voted for acquittal. The minority of senators that acquitted Johnson agreed that the removal from office of a president whose policies were at odds with the legislature was a dangerous precedent that would in time render the chief executive a mere creature of Congress. Such an abuse of impeachment would allow the legislature to become inordinately powerful and to dominate the federal government.

“In 1868, Congress convened for the unprecedented task of holding”- is a GMAT reading comprehension exercise. Candidates need to be highly proficient in GMAT reading comprehension. There are four comprehension questions in this GMAT reading comprehension section. The purpose of the GMAT Reading Comprehension questions is to evaluate candidates' comprehension, analysis, and application skills. Candidates who are actively preparing can benefit from GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and Explanation

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to:

A-discuss the historical role of impeachment in the federal government
B-illustrate how the acquittal of the impeached president Andrew Johnson resolved an important constitutional crisis in American history
C-show how Andrew Johnson was able to overcome impeachment to lead a successful administration
D-discuss the importance of Andrew Johnson’s policies and executive actions in the Reconstruction era following the Civil War
E-show how Congress attempted to subvert the office of the president through the impeachment of Andrew Johnson

2. Which of the following can be inferred from the discussion of the Tenure of Office Act in the first paragraph?

A-Johnson did not fire Edwin M. Stanton with approval from the Senate.
B-The Tenure of Office Act was designed to prevent Johnson from firing Stanton.
C-Johnson had abused his authority by firing cabinet members in the past.
D-Congress intended the Tenure of Office Act to lead to Johnson’s impeachment.
E-Congress used the Tenure of Office Act to control presidents after Andrew Johnson.

3. According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT:

A-The majority of Republicans did not sympathize with white Southerners after the Civil War.
B-Lincoln exercised an unusually higher degree of presidential authority during the Civil War than Johnson did during the Reconstruction era.
C-Johnson openly opposed radical Republican Reconstruction policies following the Civil War.
D-Johnson’s cabinet contained several radical Republicans.
E-The Republican Party held majority control in Congress during the Johnson administration.

4. The passage suggests that the author would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

A-The authority of Congress should be weakened so that future presidents will not have to suffer the same injustice as Andrew Johnson.
B-Andrew Johnson would have led a successful presidency had there been fewer Republicans in Congress.
C-The acquittals of Justice Chase and President Johnson represent the triumph of the same important principle in American government.
D-The Reconstruction policies of Republicans following the Civil War were unduly harsh upon the people of the South.
E-Each president should be given the opportunity to exercise the authority that Abraham Lincoln held during the Civil War.

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