Biography:

Ulysses Simpson Grant was a Union General and the 18th President of the United States.  He served two consecutive terms as president,1869-1876
 
He was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio on April 27, 1822.  He graduated from West Point in 1843 and later became one of the most distinguished generals in the Union Army. In 1868 he was nominated to run as the Republican presidential nominee.  He won a sizeable victory over his Democratic opponent Horatio Seymour.  Grant served during Reconstruction and used the army to suppress violence perpetrated by the Ku Klux Klan.  Grant initially maintained a peace policy towards Native Americans which he eventually was forced to abandon due to the increasing violence between Native Americans and settlers.  Grant was plagued by accusations of corruption and bribery because he often accepted lavish gifts, was photographed with the infamous Jay Gould and Jay Fisk, and appointed his family members to serve in government positions.  In fact, the term “Grantism” was used to signify corruption.  Consequently, Grant was unable to secure a third term as president.
 
After leaving office, Grant went bankrupt and developed throat cancer.  In order to overcome his financial difficulties, he wrote his Personal Memoirs  which eventually earned over $400,000.  He died on July 23, 1885, a few days after he finished writing.