Examples of Resilience in Grant and Biden

Are Grant and Biden two historical figures who have demonstrated the skills and the attitudes of resilience? They both share a lot in common. They both followed a president who had been impeached and who had refused to attend their inauguration. Both inherited a gigantic mess as president. For Grant, the South was in ruins after the Civil War with its economy destroyed and white supremacy running rampant as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) took control of state governments in the south. The war had caused 620,000 Americans their lives.

Biden inherited an economy destroyed by the virus and a capital reeling from a physical attack on the Capitol Building considered by many to be the Temple of Democracy. Racism in the country had been on full display with the death of George Floyd and others and the attack on the Capitol and over 400,000 Americans had died from the virus in less than a year. And as with Grant, the country was divided.

Grant demonstrated resilience many times in the Civil War. After his defeat at Shiloh, he had been removed from command but was reinstated and proved himself at Vicksburg. He captured the attention of Lincoln and became only the second Lieutenant General in the country's history. He battled alcoholism through much of his life but apparently had gained control of his drinking when he became president.

Some parts of his administration indeed were corrupt since he trusted individuals he should not have trusted. He and his cabinet were opposed to the KKK and lobbied for Congress to pass a bill, which they did, allowing him to send federal officers into the South to arrest and jail KKK members. He was the first US president to shut down the KKK.

Grant is considered by many historians to be the first civil rights president. His popularity continued into the 20th century but faded as historians, many southern, labeled him an alcoholic and his administration corrupt. He died in poverty after his son lost the family's money in a bad business deal. But Grant, being the resilient person that he was, decided that he would raise money by writing his memoirs. Shortly after that decision, he developed cancer, yet stayed with the task completing it only three days before his death.

Thanks to Mark Twain, Grant’s memoirs were published and his family lived comfortably from the revenue. The veterans of the old Union Army came to the aid of their general by assisting in the distribution and thereby ensuring the success of the book. Grant had many successes and many failures, but he clearly demonstrated the skills and the attitudes of resilience throughout his life. Like Biden, he was considered by some to be the luckiest and the unluckiest person they had ever known.

Throughout his life, Joe Biden has demonstrated resilience. Shortly after he was elected to Congress, his young daughter and his wife were killed and his two boys ended up in the hospital for some period of time after a severe car accident After the death of his oldest son at a young age, he chose not to seek the presidency, although this was one of the last requests that his son made before his death. He finally decided to run again after Trump's ascendancy to the presidency. Many discouraged him from doing this and it appeared at times that his campaign was dead. But he pushed forward and won the presidency.

In the short time he has been in office, it is unclear as to how he will deal with the challenges that he faces. But if past behavior is any indication of future actions, he may move ahead with the promises and commitments he has made. As he would say, you play with the cards that you been dealt. Will he be able to bring the country together? Grant had limited success in doing this, but he never gave up. Biden may not give up either. Refusing to give up is a key component of resilience.