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1、美国总统17尤利西斯S格兰特UlyssesS.Grant:Well-MeaningVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutUlyssesS.Grant.Hetookofficein1869.Buthispresidencyisnotwhatmadehimfamous.GrantisbestrememberedforbeingthecommanderofUnionforcesattheendoftheCivilWar.HeledtheUnitedStatestovictoryovertheConfede
2、rateStatesofAmerica.ManyAmericansalsorememberGrantbecauseoftheunusualstoryabouthismiddleinitial.UlyssesS.GrantbyMatthewBradyzaround1870Whenthefuture18thpresidentwasborn,hisparentsnamedhimHiramUlyssesGrant.ButtheboywasknownasUlysses.WhenGrantwasayoungman,amemberofCongressappointedhimtoatopcollege:the
3、U.S.MilitaryAcademyatWestPointzNewYork.ThecongressmandidnotknowGrantpersonally.HethoughtGrantusedhismothersfamilynamezSimpson,ashismiddlename.SothecongressmancalledhimUlyssesS.Grant.ThemiddleinitialSbecameofficial.Yearslater,Grantjokedthatitdidnotmeananything.DuringtheCivilWar,howeverzGrantsmiddlena
4、medidcometohaveapopularmeaning.InafamousbattleinthestateofTennessee,Grantsarmyoverpoweredtheiropponents.TheConfederategeneralsentanoteaskingforthetermsofsurrenderinotherwords,whatwouldtheUnionarmyrequireofthemiftheywithdrewfromthebattle?GeneralGrantreplied:Notermsexceptunconditionalandimmediatesurre
5、nder.TheanswerdidnotpleasetheConfederategeneral,butheagreed.IntheNorth,peoplecelebratedthevictory.TheybegansayingGrantsfirsttwoinitialsstoodforUnconditionalSurrender.EarlylifeGrantwasborninthestateofOhio.Hewastheoldestofsixchildren.Grantsfatherworkedasatanner-apersonwhomakesleatherfromanimalskin.Asa
6、boyzGranthelpedhisfather.Buthedidnotlikethework.Hesaidhewouldnotdoitwhenhewasanadult.SozwhenGrantwasayoungman,hisfatheraskedWestPointofficialstoadmithissonasastudent.TheGrantshadlittlemoneytopayfortheboyscollegeeducation.Buttheyknewhewasintelligentandskilled,andWestPointwasfree.Inexchangefortheiredu
7、cation,WestPointgraduatesserveinthemilitary.Grantprobablydidnotseemlikeasoldier.Hewasquietandsensitive.Hehatedseeingmendieinbatle,andhequestionedthevalueofwar.Butheturnedouttobeanexcellentmilitaryleader.AfterhegraduatedfromWestPoint,hefoughtintheMexicanWarandearnedmedalsforbravery.Hewasgivenmorepowe
8、randaddedresponsibilities.However,Grantwaslonely.Earlyinhiscareer,hemarriedJuliaDentzthesisterofacollegefriend.HewasdevotedtoJuliaandtheirfourchildren.ButhisfamilycouldnotcomewithGrantonallhisdeploymentsforthemilitary.Theywereseparatedforyearsatatime.WithouthisfamilynearbyzGrantbeganhavingproblemswi
9、thmoney.Somepeoplesaidhealsodranktoomuchalcohol.Oneday,Grantresignedfromthearmy.Hereturnedhometohisfamily.Atfirst,hetriedtofarm,buthecouldnotmakeenoughmoney.Thenhetriedotherjobs.Finally,heaskedhisfatherforhelp.Hisfathergavehimajob,butitwastheonetheyoungGrantsworeheneverwanted:workinginaleathershop.C
10、ivilWarThenthingstookasurprisingturn.TheCivilWarbegan.TheUnionneededexperiencedmilitaryleaders.Grantacceptedapositionleadingadifficultgroupoftroops.Hewasabletotrainthemandearntheirrespect.QuicklyzGrantspublicimageasamilitaryleadergrew.HewonmajorvictoriesfortheUnioninbattlesatFortDonelsonxTennessee,a
11、ndVicksburgzMississippi.Thepresidentatthetime,AbrahamLincoln,likedthewayGrantplannedthebattles.HealsolikedthatGrantdideverythinghecouldtowin.Grantpermittedsomanyofhissoldierstodiethathiscriticsgavehimanickname:TheButcher.Grantsmethodswereharsh,buteffective.TheCivilWareffectivelyendedwhenthefamousCon
12、federategeneralRobertE.LeesurrenderedtoGrantatAppomattoxCourtHouse,Virginia.Thefollowingyear,GrantwasnamedgeneraloftheU.S.armies.TheonlyotherpersontoholdthatpositionwasthemilitaryleaderduringtheRevolutionaryWar,GeorgeWashington.Presidency1.ikeGeorgeWashington,Grantbecamepresidentalthoughhedidnotreal
13、lyseektheposition.ButRepublicanPartyleadersrealizedthattheformergeneralwasverypopular.AndtheyknewthatGrantopposedthepoliciesofthepresidentatthetime,AndrewJohnson.SotheRepublicansnominatedGrantastheircandidatein1868.Hewoneasily.ButGrantspopularityandabilityasamilitaryleaderdidnotmakehimasuccessfulpre
14、sident.GranttriedtoworkforthepoliticalandcivilrightsofAfrican-Americanszmanyofwhomhadbeenenslaved.OneofGrantsmostimportantactswastosupportthe15thAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitution.ThemeasuregaveAfrican-Americanmentherighttovote.Atthesametime,Granttriedtogivestatescontrolovertheirownlaws.Sozsometimesheus
15、edthepowerofthefederalgovernmenttoprotecttherightsofAfrican-Americans.AndhesometimesletstatesuseviolencetopreventAfrican-Americansfromexercisingtheirrights.GrantalsospokeabouttreatingNativeAmericanswithgreaterrespect.Heusedgovernmentresourcestohelpnativepeoplebecomefarmers.Butothergovernmentpolicies
16、helpedwhitesettlerscontinuetopushtribesofftheirlands.FewNativeAmericanssawtheirlivesreallyimproveunderGrant.Finally,hisadministrationsufferedbecauseofcorruptgovernmentofficials.Granthimselfdidnotgetrichfromtheiractions.Butheremainedloyaltopeoplewhoworkedforhimzevenwhentheyprofitedfromtheirposition.Asaresultofallthis,manyAmericanslostinterestinReconstructionandlostfaithinthefeder
