Some of the most distinguished and influential figures from the past are those that held positions of power. There is no job that is more important than that of President of the United States. Rutherford B. Hayes was the 19th president and he played an integral part in the Reconstruction. It is important to understand what some of the biggest contributions were that were made by Hayes and how these accomplishments stack up against one another. Here are a few of the biggest accomplishments of Rutherford B. Hayes.
War Hero
Like many of the popular presidents of his time, Hayes was much more than just a politician. He was actually a distinguished war hero. He signed up to fight for the Union shortly after the Civil War began. However, he was wounded in a battle after being promoted to major general. He never allowed his injuries to hold him back for long and was always committed to the Union.
Reconstruction
One of the biggest accomplishments of Hayes was his ability to begin the dismantling of the Reconstruction. The reconstruction was within the Southern states that had lost in the war, but Hayes did not allow the Reconstruction to last. There were many that were against the reconstruction and he was one of the biggest reasons why it finally ended abruptly.
Economy
Not only did Hayes try to end the reconstruction, but he was also a president that took the economy very seriously. This ;ed him to veto the Bland-Allison Act. This was an act that was related to gold, but Hayes vetoed this act very quickly. He had the belief that the standard of gold needed to be maintained at all times and that this was the only way that the economy would be able to recover and thrive. Many would say that he was correct in his assessment and that Hayes was a big factor in the economy making a comeback during his time in office. He was one of the first presidents to take the economy seriously.
Foreign Policy
Hayes was also a president that made great strides in foreign policy during his time at president. He was able to keep the peace and put policies in place that were great for the country and also led to assimulation. His foreign policy was designed to make it simpler for immigrants to get access to this country and for the US to have peace.