Ulysses S. Grant

As president Grant worked to uphold Reconstruction: he supported the 15th Amendment, signed the Civil Rights Act of 1875, used federal powers and the Enforcement Acts to combat the Ku Klux Klan, and secured international arbitration in the 1871 Treaty of Washington. He also pursued fiscal stability with measures leading toward resumption of specie payments and strengthened U.S. diplomacy.

Grant’s administration is remembered both for its advances in civil rights and for serious scandals and economic troubles, including the Panic of 1873 and abuses by some officials. Historians note his personal integrity and wartime leadership while assessing a mixed presidential record that saw gains for Reconstruction ultimately erode after his terms.

Led the Union to victory as commanding general in the Civil War; Enforced Reconstruction and supported the 15th Amendment and Civil Rights Act of 1875; Used federal force and the Enforcement Acts to suppress the Ku Klux Klan; Negotiated the 1871 Treaty of Washington and won arbitration of the Alabama claims; Advanced currency stabilization with the Specie Resumption Act; Presidency marred by scandals such as the Whiskey Ring and Credit Mobiler