Ulysses S. Grant was born as Hiram Ulysses Grant in 1822. He was the 18th President of America, serving two terms from 1869 to 1877. In 1838, he went to West Point military academy against his will. He was an average student but excelled at horse riding. A mistake was made with his name on the application form, but he adopted his “new” name, liking the U.S. initials. His classmates called him Sam.
Grant joined the Army in 1839 and fought in the Mexican-American War. He was twice promoted for bravery and he learnt a lot about military tactics. In 1861, Grant was made a colonel. In 1862 he took control of the Mississippi Valley and President Lincoln promoted him to major general. After further impressive battle victories, especially at Chattanooga, Lincoln appointed him General-in-Chief in 1864.
When he was elected President in 1868, the American people hoped for an end to the turmoil of the Civil War. Grant looked to Congress for direction. During the reconstruction, Grant focused on the rebuilding of the South, often with military force. His signing of civil rights laws resulted in the election of African Americans to Congress for the first time.
Grant's presidency was marred by economic turmoil and multiple scandals. He was heavily criticized for not managing the depression. He became involved in many corruption scandals, which ruined his chances of getting a third-term nomination. After retiring from office, Grant went on a two-year world tour. He wrote his memoirs and died in 1885 aged 63, soon after completing the last page.