Andrew Johnson v. Ulysses S. Grant: The Battle for Post-Civil War America (OLLI)

Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant were forced to overcome socio-economic deprivations growing up, yet rose to become the 17^th and 18^th Presidents of the United States. How? Through their dogged determination, courageous pursuit of their ideals, and steadfast love for the union of the United States. But, these were two very different individuals. This course will follow their life stories to understand what shaped their character and helped them become the two most famous and influential political forces following the American Civil War. They fought a continuous political battle against each other to determine the future of post-Civil War America and to define a “reconstructed” South that would either change its culture or demand that it remain the same.