Kay+S.+-+UG+-+FA10


 * Ulysses Simpson Grant**
 * Born: April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio**
 * Died: July 23, 1885 in Mount McGregor, New York**
 * Political Party: Republican**
 * Terms: 1869-1873 and 1873-1875**
 * Vice President: Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873) and Henry Wilson (1873-1875)**

If I were to grade Ulysses S. Grant, I would give him a C+. Throughout both his terms, he made some very good decisions, such as supporting the Fifteenth Amendment, and some bad decisions, such as his failed annexation of Santo Domingo. The good generally outweigh the bad which is why Grant gets an above average grade.

Ulysses S. Grant's goals going into the presidency were to remain above politics, to follow Lincoln's policy of reconciliation with the South, and preserve the sacrifices of the war. To remain above politics, Grant appointed people he trusted into cabinet positions, rather than appoint people he didn't trust to gain political leverage. He achieved this goal because he did not change his appointments after they were ridiculed. The second goal Grant had going into the presidency was to continue Lincoln's policy of reconciliation with the South. Grant wanted to bring Southerners back into the Union and the Republican Party without fighting them. This goal was not achieved during his presidency. Finally, his goal to preserve the sacrifices of the war was slightly achieved. Grant wanted to protect the newly freed slaves and prevent former Confederates from gaining power. This was achieved through the Enforcement Acts. One of the Enforcement Acts was the Ku Klux Klan Act which was passed to prevent the rise of terrorists in the South. Due to legislation and actions like this, Grant was able to slightly achieve his final goal going into the presidency.

Grant's relationship with Congress is best described as tense but tolerable. Throughout both of Grant's terms as president, the House and Senate were Republican controlled, with the exception of the House in 1875-1876. Even though Grant was a Republican with a Republican Congress, they did not always get along. Grant would not consult Congress on major appointments and policies, which did not sit well with the Congressmen. Also, Congress was not happy with the scandals of his presidency, even though they tainted his administration the most. All of this caused Congress to resist Grant's decisions, therefore making their relationship tense.

The action of the president and his administration that had the most positive outcome was the Treaty of Washington. The Treaty of Washington stated that Britain owed the United States $15.5 million. The treaty was created because during the Civil War, the British allied with the South due to the cotton trade and built Confederate warships that damaged Northern ships. The United States sought repayment of the damages brought on because of the British. The Treaty of Washington resolved this issue and improved Anglo-American relations as well as made international treaties with a third party present (in this case Canada) more accepted. The action of the president and his administration that had the most negative outcome was Grant's involvement in Black Friday. Jay Gould and James Fisk attempted to convince the Grant administration not to sell any of the government's gold so the gold they owned would become more valuable. They did not get away with this scandal because Grant and the treasury secretary, George Boutwell, figured out their plan and ordered the sale of $4 million in gold on Friday, September 14, 1869 to destroy the speculators. The price of gold crashed and many investors were in financial ruin due to this act, that came to be known as Black Friday.

A decision made by Grant and his administration that impacted future administrations was his decision to appoint his friends and relatives to his cabinet. This resulted in scandal and corruption within the administration and was frowned upon. Grant's terms are known for being scandalous, which is why the presidents who seceded him did not appoint friends and relatives to their cabinets. They did it for political leverage and for the betterment of the country. Grant wanted people that he knew he could trust in his cabinet which is why he made the decision to make those appointments. However, the scandal that those appointments are affiliated with has resulted in future presidents choosing their cabinets based on politics rather than friends.

In conclusion, Grant deserves a C+ grade for his presidency. He made multiple good and multiple bad decisions throughout his administration and even though his terms are known for scandal, he was never directly involved. Grant was president during a very difficult time and was able to help the country overall throughout both of his terms which is another reason his grade is above average. Grant had to deal with many difficult things, such as the KKK, strained British and American relationships, and the Fiscal Policy. Throughout all of these taxing issues, the majority of his decisions were good and helped improve the United States. This is why Ulysses S. Grant deserves a C+ grade.


 * Bibliography**

"Grant Administrations - Grant and Congress." __Presidential Biographies__. Ed. Kelle S. Sinsung. Gale Cengage, 2000. __eNotes.com__. 2006. 8 Nov, 2010 

Baliles, Gerald. "American President: Ulysses S. Grant: Domestic Affairs." //Miller Center of Public Affairs//. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. .