Chester Alan Arthur Chester Alan Arthur was born on October 5, 1830 in Fairfield, Vermont. The son of Malvina Arthur and the Reverend William Arthur, a passionate abolitionist, young Chester and his family migrated from one Baptist parish to another in Vermont and New York. The fifth of eight children, Chester had six sisters and one older brother. Before beginning school in Union Village (now Greenwich), New York, he studied the fundamentals of reading and writing at home. In 1845, young Arthur entered Union College in Schenectady as a sophomore. There he studied classical languages, arts, and the sciences. He supplemented his tuition by teaching during winter vacations at various schools in the area. During the school year, Arthur spent a lot of time in campus extracurricular activities. He enjoyed participating in student political demonstrations on issues ranging from abolitionism to school elections, and playing school pranks. Hence, it is understandable that Arthur wasn't an outstanding student. Nevertheless, he graduated in the top third of his class in 1848. After college, Arthur spent several years teaching school and reading law, but he was clear about what he wanted to do with his life. He would be a lawyer, a public servant, a resident of Manhattan, a gentleman, and rich. After passing his bar exam in 1854 he used his father's influence to gain a clerkship in a New York legal firm headed by the prominent Erastus C. Culver. Culver's firm had achieved fame in 1852 when it supported a plea by a group of free blacks to liberate seven slaves. In transport from Virginia to Texas, these slaves had been brought to New York by their master. Known as the Lemmon Case, Erastus D. Culver successfully argued for a writ of ... ... middle of paper ... ...efying his state-based reputation as a slick machine politician. His experience in running the largest federal office in the country, the New York Customs House, had equipped him well for the Presidency. His performance set a high standard of measurement for later executives in the White House. Although Arthur preferred efficient partisan government service to one selected by competitive examinations, he nevertheless showed tremendous flexibility and a willingness to embrace reform. By struggling with the tariff issue and supporting the modernization of the American navy, Arthur stands as an important transition figure in the reunification of the nation after the bitter turmoil of Civil War and Reconstruction. Arthur demonstrated how the office of President could bring out the very best in its occupants. Bibliography: http://www.ipl.org/POTUS and links
There are numerous instances wherein the Generals are depicted as immature and frightened, and Lincoln as the strong pillar of faith. Williams portrays Lincoln in a very positive light, allowing the reader to realize the greatness of Lincoln, in his compassion, strategy, statesmanship and lack of ego. Williams has provided numerous instances wherein he provides ample support to his arguments and facts. In spite of the unnecessary detail and verbosity that Williams sometimes uses, there is no doubt that this book is a remarkable insight into Lincoln’s persona. Works Cited Dawson, Joseph G. III. -.
Rutherford B. Hayes was a graduate of Harvard Law School; he practiced law in Connecticut and was a member of the Union Army. He was wounded at South Mountain on the eve of Antietam and was a part of the Shenandoah Valley campaign of 1864. His reputation of honesty and moderation was refreshing during an era of political corruption. He was conflicted with a sunny outer disposition as he struggled with a disastrous nervousness inner disposition. His inability to take action on some key issues sent mixed signals; he was considered a lackluster president who did not effectively used his executive power. He complained about the South’s failure to treat Blacks decently however he did not take action. He worked hard for civil service reform but failed to achieve complete and rapid change he promised. His limited accomplishment included the approval for the resumption of gold in 1879. He was contented to making the requests but not following through with action. He was the nineteen president of the United ...
middle of paper ... ... a for presidents after him to follow. There are so many of his achievements we as Americans are still benefitting from today, and they are how Theodore Roosevelt earned his place on the face of Mount Rushmore. Works Cited Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia – American President Theodore Roosevelt http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/roosevelt/essays/biography/3 Theodore Roosevelt Association http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/biotr.htm Some of Theodore Roosevelt’s achievements http://www.nps.gov/history/logcabin/html/tr3.html U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Theodore Roosevelt Timeline http://www.opm.gov/about_opm/tr/phototimeline.asp
many problems faced by the nation during his time and set standards by which we still follow
Hoover shared with the nation after the First World War, and he promised to bring continued peace and prosperity. He declared, “I have an abiding faith in their capacity, integrity and high purpose. “…we find some causes for concern. We have emerged from the losses of the Great War and the reconstruction following it with increased virility and strength.” In this regard, he also pushed the nation to take the blame and the initiative to be responsible to make that change needed.
week! He was unable to go to law school like he wanted to do, so he studied by
Archibald MacLeish was born in Glencoe, Illinois to an average middle class family. His father, Andrew MacLeish, was a businessman. His mother, Martha Hillard MacLeish, was a homemaker. His parents soon realized they had a very gifted son so they sent him to the Hotchkiss School. This school catered to his many different interests. Of all the things MacLeish excelled at he was the best at writing. Archibald graduated at the top of his class and was accepted to Yale University. While at Yale MacLeish studied law, but continued his writing and in his off time the university published a book of his works.
In 1798, his grandfather died, which gave him his title and his estate. He later attended Trinity College at Cambridge University and earned his master’s degree in July of 1808 (“Lord”). Aside from his schooling he was an excellent marksman, horseman, and swimmer (Gurney 72). Many thought he was “mad- bad- and dangerous to know” (Napierkowski 38). His personality was very out of the realm of normal for the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in which he lived. He isolated himself from others’ opinions about his cruel, sexual eccentric...
The Gilded Age was a time of ordinary dullness with regards to the nation and the corruption of politicians. Besides the corruption, Gilded Age presidents were undistinguished and, like Washington D.C., itself, played a minor role in national life. None of them Hayes, Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, and Benjamin Harris ever even served two consecutive terms. None has been strongly identified with any particular issue. None have been highly regarded by historians. The only thing that identifies these presidents was their corruption and their need for their own personal gain rather than the needs of the country. Therefore, the statement that Gilded Age politicians made changes only for personal benefit is valid and shown through this various politicians of the time period.
...ss and he had to find the means to raise money, to deal with the Indians, and to build a national defense (Meltzer 144). A bag of loose and ragged diplomatic problems had been dumped upon him by the confederation; the new republic had to establish federal courts, to organize territories and regulate trade (Meltzer 144). Thousands of men who clamored for well-paying jobs had to be sorted by the President individually (Meltzer 144).Congress and Washington was setting precedents for the future (Meltzer 145).
A young African-American boy walks onto some rundown tennis courts at a local park with his father in Richmond, VA. Armed with an old wooden racket and a can of white tennis balls, his father begins to feed him some different shots and tells his son everything he knows about tennis. Being an African-American, this young boy did not have many friends that were as interested in tennis as he was. Since tennis is a predominantly white sport, Arthur Ashe’s desire to play was not encouraged by either race, but instead of giving up on the sport he loved, he continued playing to the dismay of many. Little did Ashe know, however, that his persistence would change the game forever. His efforts opened doors for many of the popular African-American tennis players, such as Serena and Venus Williams, MaliVai Washington, and Bryan Shelton. The class that he brought to the game of tennis and the bravery he showed by changing a sport dominated by whites made Arthur Ashe a legend in his own time.
Shortly after the American Revolution, the United States entered an era of profound economic and social change that was dominated first by the Market Revolution and subsequently by Andrew Jackson’s skillful use of the power of the presidency to crack down on capitalist exploitation. Jackson’s first biographer, James Parton, however, describes the legacy of the seventh President’s administration as one fraught with controversy, “Andrew Jackson was a patriot, and a traitor. He was the greatest of generals, and wholly ignorant of the art of war. He was the most candid of men, and capable of the profoundest dissimulation. He was a democratic autocrat, an urbane savage, an atrocious saint.”
The American civil war was one of the biggest hardships for a young country to endure, and yet it did not prepare them for the tension after. Slavery was the biggest conflict between the Northern states and the Southern states, this is what lead us to civil war. In the midst of all the national crisis was a breaking point for the young country. Reconstruction was needed, and the period following the civil war, the reconstruction period, fostered many significant results and achievements especially for Constitutional amendments. While mending a broken country, the reconstruction period still left many fresh wounds. Creating and passing laws wasn’t enough to make a change, it would take a leader strong enough to change the hearts and minds of
Robert Owen was born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire (Wales) on May 14, 1771, the sixth of seven children. His father was a sadler and ironmonger who also served as local postmaster; his mother came from one of the prosperous farming families of Newtown.
Arthur was an exceptionally gifted and talented sportsman who made a great contribution to rugby league both on and off the field throughout his extraordinary life. He had an engaging down to earth character, he was always demons...