Effects Of The Ku Klux Klan
Ulysses S. Grant became president at a time when America needed a strong, honorable leader to move it forward from Reconstruction. The impeachment of President Andrew Johnson had left a bad taste in both the Republican’s and the Democrat’s mouths. Fahs et. Al (2012) notes that “Although he had no political experience, Grant commanded greater authority and prestige than anyone else in the country” (p. 591). On paper it seemed that Grant was the right man for the office of the Presidency. In reality, Ulysses S. Grant’s time in office was wrought with accomplishments, failures, and corruption.
Accomplishments
Formed after the end of the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan was a group that wanted to suppress the rights of American citizens. Specifically …show more content…
These laws were designed to help preserve and protect the right to vote for all Americans. President Ulysses S. Grant signed The Ku Klux Klan act on April 20th, 1871. According to Fahs et. al (2010) this act “gave the president power to suppress the writ of habeas corpus and send in federal troops to suppress armed resistance to federal law” (p. 600). Because of this act, African Americans in some counties were able to safely visit the voting polls for the first time. Fahs et. al (2012) do admit that Grant “suspended the writ of habeas corpus in only nine South Carolina counties” (p. 600). Admittedly he could have expanded the Act’s reach to many more counties. However it cannot be denied that by signing The Ku Klux Klan Act Ulysses S. Grant helped more African Americans …show more content…
These included his friends or people who had served with him while in the Army. This failure would prove to be an even greater mistake as time went on. Waugh (2017) states that “Grant was extremely loyal to those who had helped him or worked with him in the past; this loyalty prevented him from ruthlessly purging his administration of ineffective or corrupt politicians, and his administration was often noted for its scandals, although the President was never personally implicated in any of them”. This first failure would snowball into several and eventually lead people to label Ulysses S. Grant’s administration and presidency as
Accomplishments
Formed after the end of the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan was a group that wanted to suppress the rights of American citizens. Specifically …show more content…
These laws were designed to help preserve and protect the right to vote for all Americans. President Ulysses S. Grant signed The Ku Klux Klan act on April 20th, 1871. According to Fahs et. al (2010) this act “gave the president power to suppress the writ of habeas corpus and send in federal troops to suppress armed resistance to federal law” (p. 600). Because of this act, African Americans in some counties were able to safely visit the voting polls for the first time. Fahs et. al (2012) do admit that Grant “suspended the writ of habeas corpus in only nine South Carolina counties” (p. 600). Admittedly he could have expanded the Act’s reach to many more counties. However it cannot be denied that by signing The Ku Klux Klan Act Ulysses S. Grant helped more African Americans …show more content…
These included his friends or people who had served with him while in the Army. This failure would prove to be an even greater mistake as time went on. Waugh (2017) states that “Grant was extremely loyal to those who had helped him or worked with him in the past; this loyalty prevented him from ruthlessly purging his administration of ineffective or corrupt politicians, and his administration was often noted for its scandals, although the President was never personally implicated in any of them”. This first failure would snowball into several and eventually lead people to label Ulysses S. Grant’s administration and presidency as