paved road and a trail connect the north
and south rims of the canyon. Mulepack
trips and river rafting are popular
ways of exploring the canyon.
#More to explore
Arizona • Canyon • Colorado River
• Erosion
Grant, Ulysses S.
Ulysses S. Grant became the 18th president
of the United States in 1869. A few
years earlier Grant had led the Union
armies to victory in the American Civil
War. He was less successful as a president
than as a general.
Early Life
Hiram Ulysses Grant was born in Point
Pleasant, Ohio, on April 27, 1822. His
parents were Jesse Root Grant, a tanner
and a farmer, and Hannah Simpson. At
age 17 Grant entered the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point, New York. By
mistake, the academy recorded his
name as Ulysses S. Grant. After graduating
in 1843, Grant kept the new
name.
From 1846 to 1848 Grant fought in
almost every battle of the Mexican War.
He then married Julia Boggs Dent,
with whom he had four children. In
1852 Grant took an assignment on the
Pacific coast. Homesick, he soon
resigned from the Army and settled
with his family near Saint Louis,
Missouri. After failing at farming, he
joined his brothers in their leather
business in Galena, Illinois.
CivilWar
At the start of the CivilWar in 1861,
Grant gathered and trained troops for
the Union. In 1862 he and his forces
won the first major Union victory of the
war at Fort Donelson in Tennessee. After
that battle Grant earned the rank of
major general.
In 1863 Grant led Union victories at
Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Chattanooga,
Tennessee. The next year he
gained command of all the Union
armies. Grant accepted the surrender of
Confederate general Robert E. Lee in
Virginia in 1865. After the war Grant
became a general, the highest rank in the
Army.
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th president of
the United States.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Grant, Ulysses S. 137
Presidency
In 1868 the Republican Party nominated
Grant for president. He defeated
his Democratic opponent, Horatio Seymour,
and took office in March 1869.
He was reelected in 1872.
President Grant faced serious problems
resulting from the CivilWar. He favored
harsh policies against the defeated
Southern states. He also supported civil
rights for former slaves. Grant worked
for the 15th Amendment to the Constitution,
which gave African Americans
the right to vote.
Grant’s popularity fell in his second
term because of political scandals. The
public learned that important Republican
politicians had made illegal business
deals.
Retirement
After leaving office in 1877, Grant
toured Europe and Asia and then moved
to New York City. In the 1880s he lost
most of his money in a failed business.
To support his family he began to write
the story of his life. Grant finished his
book about a week before his death from
cancer on July 23, 1885.
#More to explore
American CivilWar • United States
Grape
Grapes are bulb-shaped fruits. They can
be eaten fresh, dried to make raisins, or
crushed to make grape juice or wine.
There are more than 8,000 varieties of
grape.
Grapes grow in wooded and warm
regions of the world. Large quantities
grow in France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and
Georgia. About a thousand grape varieties
have been developed in the United
States.
The grape plant is a woody vine. When
left untrimmed, the vine often grows 56
April 27, July 23,
1822 1864 1868 1870 1872 1877 1885
Grant is born
in Point
Pleasant, Ohio.
During the Civil
War Grant
gains
command of
the Union
armies.
Grant is elected
president.
Grant supports
the 15th
Amendment,
which gives
freed slaves the
right to vote.
Grant is elected
to a second
term.
Grant retires.
Grant dies in
Mount
McGregor,
New York.
T I M E L I N E
138 Grape BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
feet (17 meters) or more. (Trimming,
however, is important for proper growth
of the vine.) Leaves are large and
rounded with tooth-shaped edges. Flowers
are small and green and appear in
clusters. These eventually become the
grape fruits.
Grapes vary in color. They range from
pale green or yellow to red, purple, or
black. Some grape varieties develop a
powdery coating. Inside, most grapes
have seeds and juicy pulp. Grapes are a
good source of minerals and vitamin A.
Grapes have a long history. Grape seeds
have been found along with mummies
in Egyptian tombs that are at least 3,000
years old. The ancient Greeks and
Romans grew grapes to make wine.
From there grapes spread throughout
the world.
#More to explore
Fruit
Grapefruit
The grapefruit is a tart, juicy citrus fruit
that grows on trees. It is a good source
of vitamin C. It is called grapefruit
because it grows in clusters like grapes
do. The scientific name of the grapefruit
tree is Citrus paradisi.
The United States is one of the world’s
leading grapefruit producers. Grapefruit
are grown mainly in the warm, sandy
soils of Florida, Texas, Arizona, and
California. Other major grapefruit producers
include Israel, Mexico, Cuba, and
South Africa.
The grapefruit tree has spreading
branches, thorny twigs, and dark, shiny
green leaves. It grows about 25 feet (7.6
meters) tall in orchards, but it can be
larger. It has large, sweet-smelling white
flowers.
The fruit is round and measures 4 to 6
