Black Friday Scandal History for kids: President Grant and the Scandals of his Administration
The Black Friday Scandal was the first of a series of scandals that rocked the Grant administration. There was never the slightest doubt as to the personal honesty of Ulysses S. Grant but there were grave doubts as to some of his decisions whilst in office and his judgment in making various appointments refer to Grantism. The Black Friday Scandal occurred in the post Civil War period at the end of the Reconstruction Era, a time which was marked by widespread political corruption and an extension of the infamous Spoils System. Black Friday Scandal Facts for kids
Interesting Black Friday Scandal facts for kids are detailed below. The history of Black Friday Scandal is told in a factual sequence consisting of a series of short facts providing a simple method of relating the history and events of the Black Friday Scandal. Black Friday Scandal Facts for kids Black Friday Scandal Fact 1: September 24, 1869: It was the first scandal to taint the Grant administration. Black Friday Scandal Fact 2: It was also referred to as the Gold Panic and the Fisk/Gould scandal Black Friday Scandal Fact 3: The Civil War and the Reconstruction Era had proved extremely costly and the United States government issued a large amount of paper money "greenbacks" that was backed by credit rather than gold. Black Friday Scandal Fact 4: Financial speculators believed that the U.S. Government would buy back the "greenbacks" with gold. Black Friday Scandal Fact 5: A group of financial speculators, led by Fisk and Gould, attempted to corner the gold market on the New York Gold Exchange by buying massive quantities of gold and gold futures, sending the price of gold sky high. Black Friday Scandal Fact 6: The financial speculators then intended to sell everything at an enormous profit. Black Friday Scandal Fact 7: Gould and Fisk evolved a plan to gain influence with President Grant. They recruited Grant’s brother-in-law, a financier named Abel Corbin, into their group of gold speculators. Black Friday Scandal Fact 8: Abel Rathbone Corbin (1808 – 1881) was an American financier, newspaper editor and the husband of Virginia Grant who was the sister of President Grant. Black Friday Scandal Fact 9: The next part of the plan was to stop the US Government from buying gold. Black Friday Scandal Fact 10: Abel Corbin supported the syndicates plan arguing against the immediate government sale of gold Continued... Black Friday Scandal Facts for kids Black Friday Scandal Facts for kids
Interesting history and the Black Friday Scandal Facts for kids are continued below. Black Friday Scandal Facts for kids Black Friday Scandal Fact 11: Abel Corbin then convinced President Grant to appoint General Daniel Butterfield as assistant Treasurer of the United States. Black Friday Scandal Fact 12: General Daniel Butterfield had agreed to tip the syndicate off when the government intended to sell gold. Black Friday Scandal Fact 13: August 1869: Fisk and Gould began buying massive amounts of gold causing gold prices to rise and stocks to drop. Black Friday Scandal Fact 14: September 20, 1869: Gould and Fisk then started hoarding gold forcing gold prices even higher and Gould and Fisk then started selling their gold at a huge profit. Black Friday Scandal Fact 15: September 24, 1869: The value of gold had reached a figure that was 30% higher than when President Grant had begun his presidency. Black Friday Scandal Fact 16: President Grant realized what was happening, that he had received bad advice from his brother-in-law and ordered the government to sell $4 million in gold. Black Friday Scandal Fact 17: The influx of government gold hit the market and the gold premium plunged within minutes. Black Friday Scandal Fact 18: Investors rushed to sell their investments and shares, and many of them, including Abel Corbin, were ruined. Black Friday Scandal Fact 19: James Fisk and Jay Gould escaped significant financial harm Black Friday Scandal Fact 20: There was a subsequent investigation by Congress chaired by James A. Garfield. Virginia Corbin and First Lady Julia Grant were not called to testify. General Daniel Butterfield was removed from his post. , Although President Ulysses Grant was never a target of investigation but his reputation was badly tarnished Black Friday Scandal Facts for kids Black Friday Scandal - President Ulysses Grant Video
The article on the Black Friday Scandal provides an overview of one of the Important issues of his presidential term in office. The following Ulysses Grant video will give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 18th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1877. Black Friday Scandal ● Interesting Facts about Black Friday Scandal for kids and schools
● Definition of the Black Friday Scandal in US history
● Facts about the Black Friday Scandal
● Ulysses Grant Presidency from March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1877
● Fast, fun, facts about the Black Friday Scandal of 1869
● Foreign & Domestic policies of President Ulysses Grant
● Ulysses Grant Presidency and the 1869 Black Friday Scandal for schools, homework, kids and children | 
