Why is Ulysses Grant on the US 50 dollar bill?

Question

I can understand Washington because he was the father of America.

Lincoln because he saved the Union.

Jackson because he revolutionized Jeffersonian democracy

But Grant? What did he do to deserve being put on the $50? Aren't there more deserving presidents like Roosevelt for example?

Answer 1

why was george washington on the 1?

Answer 2

We rent our money from the Federal Reserve.  http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Answer 3

As noted above, he commanded the Union army during the Civil War.  Without Grant, Lincoln might not have saved the Union.

Paper money as the USA has now are Federal Reserve Notes.  The people who are portrayed on the bills were chosen in 1928.  Nobody who was alive inn 1928 was picked, for obvious reasons.  So those chosen were considered important at the time.  Furthermore, more Republicans were selected than Democrats.  

Despite his current reputation as a bad president, Grant had been an extremely important president for the Republican Party.  So he was chosen for the $50--which in $1928 was a real large domination bill..

The people picked in 1928 for the real big bills might be even more baffling to you--William McKinley (Republican president) was on the $500 and Grover Cleveland (Democratic president) was on the $1000.  Madison was on the $5000 and Salmon P. Chase on the $10,000.  But none of these bills made it pass 1934.

Answer 4

Hello? He was the General of the Union army in the Civil War.

Answer 5

Because Spock was too busy for a photo op!