Ulysses S. Grant was an American soldier and politician who served as the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877. He is best known for leading the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War and for his presidency during Reconstruction. Grant was born in Ohio in 1822 and graduated from West Point in 1843. He served in the Mexican-American War and was promoted to the rank of captain. After the war, he resigned from the army and worked as a farmer and a clerk.
In 1861, Grant rejoined the army and was appointed to the rank of brigadier general. He quickly rose through the ranks and was promoted to major general in 1862. He led the Union Army to victory in several major battles, including the Battle of Shiloh, the Battle of Vicksburg, and the Battle of Chattanooga. In 1864, he was appointed commander of all Union forces and was given the rank of lieutenant general. He accepted the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.
After the war, Grant was appointed as the first four-star general in the United States Army. He was elected president in 1868 and served two terms. During his presidency, he oversaw the Reconstruction of the South and the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted African Americans the right to vote. He also signed the Indian Appropriations Act of 1871, which granted Native Americans the right to self-governance.
Grant was a popular president, but his administration was plagued by corruption. He was accused of taking bribes from railroad companies and other businesses, and several of his cabinet members were convicted of corruption. Despite these scandals, Grant was able to pass several important pieces of legislation, including the Enforcement Acts, which protected African Americans from violence and discrimination.
Grant's presidency was marked by a period of economic growth and prosperity. He signed the Public Credit Act of 1869, which allowed the government to pay off its war debts. He also signed the Tariff Act of 1872, which lowered taxes and encouraged foreign trade. He also signed the Currency Act of 1875, which established a uniform national currency.
Grant's presidency was also marked by foreign policy successes. He negotiated the Treaty of Washington with Great Britain, which settled a long-standing dispute over the Canadian-American border. He also negotiated the Treaty of San Francisco with Japan, which ended the Russo-Japanese War.
After leaving office, Grant wrote his memoirs and traveled around the world. He died in 1885 at the age of 63. He is remembered as one of the most successful generals in American history and as a president who helped to rebuild the nation after the Civil War.