Ulysses Simpson Grant

Birth-Death: (1822 - 1885 ) Term: (1869-1877 )

President Grant sought to resolve issues that had arisen during the Civil War with foreign nations. His close involvement with the war prompted him to persue recompense for damages caused by Great Britain's involvement.

Foreign Events of Ulysses Grant

    Europe was preoccupied with the waves of nationalism in Germany and Italy and their reunifications at the time of Grant's presidency. As a war general he was concerned with the recovery of damages that the three destroyers built by "neutral" Great Britain had caused during the Civil War. The Geneva tribunal lasted from 1869 to 1872 and the committee found that England clearly violated international law and the United States was awarded the lump sum of $15 million. At the same time, the United States and Great Britain also agreed on settling all disputes over fisheries and boundaries by arbitration (Treaty of Washington, 1871).