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7/31/2019 Grant Outline

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Grant Outline APUS History

Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)

1. Fifteenth Amendment: the last addition to the Reconstruction amendments, joining the thir-

teenth and the fourteenth, making it unlawful for a state to deny a citizen the right to vote based on

ones race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

2. Civil Rights Act of 1875: the last of many civil rights reforms during the Reconstruction

era, but was very poorly enforced due to unwilling support in the South and the fear of losing sup-

port in the North. The act guaranteed equal provisions in public places such as hotels, theaters,

railroads, etc. It also mandated courts to include blacks in juries.

3. Panic of 1873: economic disaster that left northerns jobless and homeless which began

Grants second term. Widespread business failures and depression was caused by over speculation

of financiers and overbuilding of industry and railroads. Debtors on farms and in the cities de-

manded paper money back as an easy solution but that was not supported by gold. Grant waited

for the money to be supported by actual gold before he printed it to avoid inflation which forced

him to veto various bills.

4.The Amnesty Act of 1872: removed any remaining restrictions on former Confederates

and rebels to the Union, aside from top leaders. The act was a peaceful step away from hostility

and a step toward true democratic union. Southern conservatives could not vote for Democrats to

retake control of state governments which could have been threaten to the institution, but luckily

was not.

5. Credit Mobilier Scandal : a prime example of the corruption between business and govern-

ment that Grant had to face throughout his presidency. Congressman were given free stock from


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men, who were were making profits nearly three and a half times higher than normal, guaranteeing

they will not be investigated for government subsidies for building the transcontinental railroad.

6. Force Acts: gave power to federal authorities to rightfully stop the violence performed against

blacks by the Ku Klux Klan and to protect the civil rights of the citizens, white and black, in the

South.

7. Demonetization Act: the fourth coinage of by the United States. Embraced the standard of

gold by denoting silver. Miners were only interesting in finding gold since silver had barely any

significant value now compared to gold when a few moments ago they were near equal. Also

stopped the production of the half dime, the three cent, and the two cent.

8. Whiskey Ring Scandal: a group of Republican politicians were able to embezzle millions of

dollars out of federal taxes on liquor, majorly whiskey, for their own profit. The scandal was suc-

cessful due to extensive bribes and networking through treasury, distillers, storekeepers, and rev-

enue agents; all behind President Grants back. The President was not aware of any of this activity.

9. Resumption of Specie Act: provided that the treasury be prepared to resume the redemp-

tion and responsibility of legal tender notes in gold as of the new year, 1879; small steps be taken

to reduce the number of greenbacks in circulation; all paper coins in circulation be replaced with

silver coins.

10. Belknap Scandal: Grants Secretary of War, William W. Belknap, accepted bribes from

companies with licenses in order to gain permission to trade on the reservations of Native Ameri-

can tribes. Belknap was soon impeached for the scandal by the House but later excuse by the Sen-

ate.

Ulysses S. Grant: Greed, Corruption, Money.


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When discussing the Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant, one must ask his or herself if he or

she is judging solely Grant as a person, or his administration as well. I for one, give Grant a below

average rating because he did have a corrupt cabinet and he was not wise enough to catch them.

The fact that so many of his inferiors lied, cheated, and stole, provides enough evidence to support

the idea that Grant was not a sufficient leader and they did not fear him enough. As much as it is

important for the President to be loved by the public and by his co-officers, he must also assert

himself in his power. Perhaps it was the times that caused the corruption in the air, but Grant did

not help the devastating situation and for that he does not get a gold star.

Those who do not know much about the Presidents are able to associate a group of words

with Grant. Those words usually include greed, corruption, and money: Grantism. Those three

words, greed, corruption, and money, are the true villains in society during the Reconstruction Era.

Grants Presidency was threatened with the most quantity of corruption America has ever seen un-

til the Industrial Revolution. The Credit Mobilier Scandal is a prime example of the corruption be-

tween business and government that Grant had to face throughout his presidency. Congressman

were given free stock from men, who were were making profits nearly three and a half times high-

er than normal, guaranteeing they will not be investigated for government subsidies for building

the transcontinental railroad. Grants Secretary of War, William W. Belknap, accepted bribes from

companies with licenses in order to gain permission to trade on the reservations of Native Ameri-

can tribes. Belknap was soon impeached for the scandal by the House but later excuse by the Sen-

ate. The Whiskey Ring Scandal was a group of Republican politicians were able to embezzle mil-

lions of dollars out of federal taxes on liquor, majorly whiskey, for their own profit. The scandal

was successful due to extensive bribes and networking through treasury, distillers, storekeepers,

and revenue agents; all behind President Grants back. The President was not aware of any of this


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activity. This amount of people would not get caught up in such a lucrative, illegal deal unless they

knew they could get away with it; and they did. Grant was not forceful enough, perhaps, or not ob-

servant enough. Either way, Americans were not afraid to sneak around and crook when Grant had

his head turned. This is not a trait well suited for a national leader.

Even though Grants Presidency virtually failed economically - but he was able to savage

the economy in the Panic of 1873 just before his second term - socially he led very influential re-

forms. Under Grants administration, the fifteenth amendment was passed which was the last addi-

tion to the Reconstruction amendments, joining the thirteenth and the fourteenth, making it unlaw-

ful for a state to deny a citizen the right to vote based on ones race, color, or previous condition of

servitude. Black were one step closer to full equality which was also encourage in the Civil Rights

Act of 1875. It the last of many civil rights reforms during the Reconstruction era, but was very

poorly enforced due to unwilling support in the South and the fear of losing support in the North.

The act guaranteed equal provisions in public places such as hotels, theaters, railroads, etc. It also

mandated courts to include blacks in juries. Grant was able to control the violence in the South by

passing the Force Acts which gave power to federal authorities to rightfully stop the violence per-

formed against blacks by the Ku Klux Klan and to protect the civil rights of the citizens, white and

black, in the South. Socially, Grant was a strong leader and was successful in transitioning the na-

tion from a civil war into a unified whole.

The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant was not one that is remembered for its greatness as a

whole. It is marked as one of corruption and bargain. Grantism has become its own ideology

when studying the era to discuss the greedy and narcissistic scandals of the time. Although he

looks tough, Grant was not intimidating enough to his cabinet and his subordinates who merrily


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lied, cheated, and stole behind his back without a problem. Grants Presidency can be character-

ized with three words: Greed, Corruption, and Money.

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