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**April 27, 1822 - July 23, 1885**

 * **Political party:** Republican
 * **Term served:** 1869 - 1877
 * **Vice President:** Schuyler Colfax (1869-73); Henry Wilson (1873-75, died in office)

Ulysses S. Grant deserves a **C** for the success of his presidency. He proved that he was better at leading the army than leading the country. During his presidency, Grant's reputation as President suffered because of scandal among his colleagues. Although the many scandals tarnished his reputation, he lead the country through reconstruction, and kept the nation united. Although there were some setbacks to his presidency, he enforced Civil Rights for African Americans and Indians, as stated by his 1868 campaign slogan, "Let us have peace."

Grant's main goals during his presidency were to make sure that the the newly freed slaves were protected, and to keep peace between the North and South. He ratified the Fifteenth Amendment, which stated that all freedmen would have the right to vote. This secured the freedoms of African-Americans and Native Americans. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was passed which guaranteed that everyone was allowed the same treatment in "public accommodations." One setback of this law was that it wasn't enforced very often, especially after the withdrawal of troops in the South. The Compromise of 1877 removed all Federal troops from the Southern states. The supporting Republicans went along with the troops. As more states re-entered the Union, they began to enact State governments led by Democrats.

During his presidency, Grant had a majority of Republicans in the House and Senate. However, the House was overrun by Democrats the last two years of his second term. The Panic of 1873 put a damper on their relationship. He vetoed a bill that added more paper money to the economy, which would result in inflation. In 1875 Grant signed the Resumption of Specie Act. It said that all paper money in circulation could be exchanged for gold and sliver coins. The act also took steps to reduce the amount of greenbacks or paper money in circulation.

The most positive outcome of Grant's presidency was the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment. It gave freedmen the right to vote, which was a great contribution to the Civil Rights movement. He gained a majority of black voters, which lead to a win for his second term. All of the scandals occurring were the most negative thing during Grant's presidency. Black Friday, the Whiskey Ring, and Credit Mobilier were the worst scandals. Black Friday was lead by Jay Gould and James Fisk, and it decreased the value of gold. Whiskey Ring distillers bribed the government officials to reduce excise taxes. The Credit Mobilier was when railroad companies sold their stock at an inflated price to make money, which lead to confrontation with congressmen.

Grant supported the Fifteenth Amendment, which gave voting rights to blacks, and opened the door to racial equality. Although he had a few great accomplishments, the negatives gave reason for a lower grade. Ulysses S. Grant deserves a **C** for the success of his presidency.

Bibliography


 * "American President: Ulysses S. Grant: Domestic Affairs." //Miller Center of Public Affairs//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. .
 * " History: Ulysses S. Grant: Presidential Accomplishments." //U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. .
 * "ULYSSES S. GRANT HOMEPAGE - Grant The Author." //ULYSSES S. GRANT HOMEPAGE//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. .
 * "Ulysses S. Grant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. .