Of the 44 Presidents of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower had the most in common. Both graduated from West Point and became Presidents. They had been commanding generals of undefeated armies before entering politics. They had no political experiences or even held lower public office. They were Republican presidents who served two consecutive complete four-year terms. Their heroism in the wars settled the foundation of their political career.
However, their administrations as President were distinctively different. Ulysses S. Grant came out to be one of the least important Presidents of the country while Dwight D. Eisenhower turned out to be one of the most effective Presidents of the twentieth century.
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Once in the White House, his principal concern was for the good for the African Americans. Having fought the freedom for the slaves alongside with Lincoln during the Civil War, he was determined to see them enjoy their freedom, which was fiercely fought, never to lose it again. He fought for the 15th Amendment of the Constitution, which gave black Americans the right to vote. However, other leaders after him left African Americans to segregation and discrimination. This failure was no longer his responsibility because in the areas of Civil Service Reforms for African Americans, he made legalizations of reforms that few had attempted. He legalized the Civil Rights Act of 1870, that all people under the jurisdiction of the United States are given the right to vote, regardless of race, colors, or past status as a slave. The Civil Rights Act of 1870 was further strengthened by the implementation of the Civil Rights Act of 1875. African Americans and other American citizens of another race and color are now entitled to the full and equal enjoyment as white Americans do …show more content…
Eisenhower was more above politics. Throughout his presidency, he held moderate views, trying hard to hold the entire country together. Like President Ulysses S. Grant, he implemented Civil Rights Acts to protect the rights of African Americans, and other American citizens of different races and color. At first, President Eisenhower did not like to deal with racial issues, not willing to use his power as President to solve the most important movement for Civil rights. He believed that changes in the hearts and minds of the people regarding the issue were more important than enforcing laws that would eliminate barriers between the people of the country. However, he dispatched immediately 1000 federal troops to Little Rock Central High School, in Arkansas when local officials blocked desegregation in the school. The troops guarded the school for one year to ensure the safety of the students. It was for the first time that federal troops were sent to the South since Reconstruction to execute the laws to desegregate public schools. The Civil Rights Acts of 1957, which he signed into law, was the first act enacted since the Reconstruction era after more than 75 years of Congressional inattention. This act strengthened a greater federal role in safeguarding the rights of the black Americans at the electoral polls. He signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which amended the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 to make stronger the voting rights of black Americans
But if there is one thing to say about both men, that they equally accomplished even though both did it different ways and by different means, is that they worked with Congress flawlessly. Both had the undivided support of their Congress in their actions. Whether it be leading Conservatives supporting Reagan and his foreign policy or Roosevelt when it came down to making changes in policies to better the public, they had the full support of those behind them. Both men seemed to be extremely charismatic when it came to this. It was almost as if that instead of choosing their Cabinets, they had managed to pick their Congress.
This led to the passing of the civil rights act and the voting act in the 1964 and 1965. This allowed for the African Americans to have the right to vote.
James K. Polk was the most successful president in American history. Polk fulfilled all his campaign promises. During his administration Polk acquired California from Mexico, settled the Oregon dispute, lowered tariffs, established a sub-treasury, and retired from office after one term.
Ronald Wilson Reagan served two terms as the 40th president of the United States of America. Reagan was known for having a strong faith in the goodness of people. In college he was known as, “the jack of all trades” for excelling in everything he did (“Life Before the Presidency”). President Reagan’s beliefs gave him lots of respect from citizens around the world. One of his main beliefs was that peace comes with strength. I believe that Ronald Reagan was a great president because of his leadership qualities, domestic policies, and foreign policies.
Presidents Johnson and Reagan led the United States in two very different eras, and have left much different legacies from their time in office. Their social policies while President were almost completely opposites. Johnson was focused on making social reforms to benefit all Americans, while Reagan wanted to lessen the aid given to those in poverty.
African Americans had an active participation during the Reconstruction era and worked hard to achieve rights that they deserved. African Americans acquired different roles, both as individuals and in groups to achieve their goals. One very important role of the African Americans was participation in voting during elections. After the 15Th amendment was passed in 1870 voting was not restricted by race. With this newfound voting power African Americans could control the future of their country. Thanks to this, other rights could now be gained through democratic election. Another role was the African American leaders that represented
...ights for African Americans as well as a political rights for the people, his goal was to abolish slavery and felt that “all men created equally” should uphold for everybody, everybody that was man at least. Johnson the president, in the beginning proved to be loyal to his radicals by chastising the confederacy making sure there would be repercussions for their actions. Also his amnesty plan to reinstate the south states was far harsher than that of Lincoln's. Johnson’s sanctions deprived confederacy officers, people in high power, and anyone who owned valuable assets could be subject to confiscation. The purpose was to shift political power in south and reward it to freed blacks and white southerners who stayed neutral during the war. Hahn states in his article that, “During reconstruction, black men held political offices in every state of the former confederacy”
...y African Americans are not slaves they are citizens, voters, and have same rights to school as any other ethnicity in the United States today. So he did not only pat the way for African Americans but for everyone in. Also the labor reforms that he supported which include minimum wage that were no fulfill became later on and are still in place today. Similarly, his advocacy for women’s suffrage ultimately became part of the Constitution with the 19th Amendment.
In 1860, blacks were enslaved in the south. By 1877, blacks were legally allowed to vote and have all the rights afforded to any white man. The first major change to blacks’ rights was made by the thirteenth amendment. It abolished slavery in the United States; however it left blacks in a limbo between slaves and citizens. Some government officials, such as Gideon Welles, disagreed with the federal government dealing with civil rights. Contrary to their wishes, the next change came from the fourteenth amendment, which established blacks as full citizens. This was much to the delight of blacks who fought for the Un...
The reconstruction period which is the period of rebuilding the United States after the civil war is said to be a time of great pain, and endless questions to the United States (Gienapp, 2012). The Civil War led to the end of slavery, and three constitutional amendments which altered the nature of the African-American rights. The Thirteenth Amendment facilitated the abolishment of slavery in all territories, and states. What is more, the Fourteenth Amendment proscribed the US from depriving male citizens’ equal rights, and protection under the law, in spite of their race or color. Likewise, the Fifteenth Amendment granted all African-American males, the right to vote. All these changes and their ratification was a vital requirement for the Southerners to be re-admitted to the Union. As much as these changes were positive steps towards racial segregation, their enforcement proved difficult as the Southerners were against them, terming them as revenge, from the Northerners. The Southerners could not hold onto the idea that, black men could enjoy the same status as white men by being allowed to vote, and hold office (Reconstruction: American’s Unfinished Revolution, 2010).
Both JFK and FDR were amazing people, who did great service for their country. Both aiming for freedom and security they went for what they wanted with the citizens agreement. Although Kennedy was able to make his speech heard for all of the world Roosevelt was speaking to the American citizens. Both did great for the freedom and rights of America and the rest of the
His goal was to rebuild the South peacefully and quickly rather than punish the South. President Lincoln wanted to help the South and its folks. He wanted to abolish slavery. He made the abolishment of slavery possible by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was the executive order and document that freed all African-American slaves in Confederate states. With this document, President Lincoln announced that any African-American slave that was fit condition to fight could be accepted into the Union Army. This statement made it possible for African-American slaves to have a chance to fight for their freedom. President Lincoln’s opinion on political power was to leave the South alone and let them vote. He did not want to penalize the South, he wanted to help them. With this in mind, he planned to give the South back the land that they had lost to the Union Army; as well as keep the Southern lifestyle similar to what it was before. The few chances that Lincoln made were the establishment to free the African-American slaves and the unison of the North and
Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower shared many similarities yet still many differences when it came to Cold War foreign policies. Truman’s foreign policies revolved around the Truman Doctrine, which stated that the United States would financially support Greece and Turkey . Despite Truman’s and Eisenhower’s differing political parties, the foreign policies of the presidents shared several similarities. The main differences between the two presidents can be attributed to differing circumstances during their years in office. Both Truman and Eisenhower sought to eliminate communism and support civil rights, but Truman emphasized international relations and the American economy while Eisenhower dealt more with domestic issues around civil rights.
Lincoln led our nation through one of the most important times in our country’s history. The Civil War generated political and social changes that altered the course of the United States of America. While successful in gradually abolishing the institution of slavery, the Emancipation Proclamation failed to eliminate racial discrimination against the African Americans. Despite gaining their independence, the racial habits and policies of the southern states continued to impact the freed slaves’ quality of life. Through the use of intimidation and segregation, even after the abolition of slavery, white southerners stripped black citizens of many of the rights that were granted to them in the American Constitution as well as the Fourteenth
The Emancipation Proclamation did little to clarify the status or citizenship of the freed slaves; it opened the possibility of military service for blacks. In 1863, the need for men convinced the administration to recruit northern and southern blacks for the Union army. Lincoln came so see black soldier as “the great available and yet unavailed for force for restoring the Union”. African American people helped that military service would secure equal rights for their people. One the black soldier had fought for the Union, wrote Frederick Douglass, “there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right of citizenship in the United States.” Lincoln exhibited a remarkable ability to alter his attitudes according to circumstance. He became so sincerely admire black soldiers during the Civil War. June 1864, Lincoln called on the party to “put into the platform as the keystone, the amendment of the Constitution abolishing and prohibiting slavery forever.” The party promptly called for the Thirteenth Amendment. The proposed amendment passed in early 1865 and was sent to the states for ratification. Finally, the war to save the Union had also become the war to free