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//April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885// ** //Political Party**: Republican** Terms of office: **March 4, 1869 - March 4, 1877** Vice President: **Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873) Henry Wilson (1873-1875) None(175-1877)**// //"No man...carried greater fame out of the White House than this silent man." (c) James A. Garfield//
 * Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant)

Hiram Ulysses Grant entered the White House on March 4, 1868, at the age of 46. He was the youngest president by that time. Grant was the hero of the Union - veteran of the Mexican and Civil Wars. During the Civil war he demonstrated a command of tactics and strategy, a talent for organization, and an ability to inspire confidence that enabled him to succeed where all others had failed. He was one of the most popular men in the country. As a general he definitely deserves A++ however as a president he completely failed and can have only a D-. Grant’s goals during the presidency were to protect black right’s in the South, improve the administration and put the US on the new level of foreign policy, especially with Santo Domingo Act. Grant’s relationships with the Congress were good, even in his inaugural address that "on all leading questions agitating the public mind I will always express my views to Congress and urge them according to my judgment". As for example, Americans were demanding reparations for destruction of American shipping wreaked by Confederate ships built in Great Britain and permitted to use British ports during the war. The Johnson Administration had negotiated a settlement of Alabama claims, but in the first month of Grant’s presidency, Grant and Congress rejected it as too conciliatory. Grant’s presidency mostly had negative outcomes. And it is because when Grant entered the White House, Americans faced public problems in a variety of areas. First was the Reconstruction. Virginia, Texas, and Mississippi still had problems with the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment and new state constitutions guaranteeing civil and political equality between the races. Also by the time grant became president, Americans were completely divided on the currency, tax, and banking questions. Started the currency crisis. By the end the reformers wanted a quick end to Reconstruction. "Let us have peace" with this words Grant announced his view on Reconstruction what regarded Reconstruction as settled. Reformers expected Grant to take the lead in breaking the power of Republican politics. One of the strongest sides of grant as a military leader was his ability to identify capable commanders so he chose Benjamin F. Butler. That was one of the best decisions he had made and it lead the positive outcome in the first month of his presidency were excellent administrators. More positive outcomes of Grant’s presidency also included the 15th Amendment, which gave all citizens the right to vote, and the Treaty of Washington, which settled American claims against Britain arising from the Civil War. He also introduced the first Civil Service reform legislation. Grant also signed into law a series of Reconstruction related "Enforcement Acts" designed to address the difficulties newly enfranchised black citizens faced in the defeated South. These laws banned state laws that denied blacks the right to vote, outlawed fraudulent voter-registration practices, and authorized federal court supervision of suspicious elections. The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 prevented illegal intimidation of blacks where states were unwilling or unable to provide protection, making it a federal crime for private parties to conspire to violate civil rights. Grant’s presidency also noticed for a big number of railroads built through the nation what helped to transport manufactured goods throughout the country had rapidly increased. But however, Grant’s presidency had a lot of negative outcomes like this railroad industry quickly attracted corporate corruption what lead the Credit Mobilier Scandal. Later Grant was hit by yet another scandal when several federal employees whom he had appointed embezzled millions of dollars of excise tax revenue - the Whiskey Ring scandal. Grant’s second term was as difficult as his first and had more negative outcomes, this time due to economic problems rather than scandals. During the economic boom of his first term, Americans had taken out too many bad loans and over speculated in the railroad and business industries. This activity led to the Depression of 1873, the first major economic collapse in U.S. history. The depression lasted for roughly five years, and millions of Americans lost their jobs. However Grant passed the Resumption Act of 1875 to remove all paper money from the economy. These economic policies helped end the depression in the long run but made the interim years more difficult for many Americans In the conclusion I would like to say that Grant’s administration did fail. The biggest negative outcome of Grant’s democracy was the corruption and a lot of scandals which surrounded his name. His economic policies was unfairly favorable to big business and he was unwise in trying to protect black right’s in the south. Even though being a strong leader who dominated his era - Ulysses S. Grant for his presidency can deserve only a D- grade.

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