Garfield, James (Administration)

James Garfield was born and raised in Ohio—the state that he would eventually be seated in the U.S. House of Representatives to represent. Garfield originally gained notoriety during the Civil War as an active Union general. Upon the conclusion of the war, Garfield aligned himself with members of the Republican Party, who were pushing for active protection for former slaves and swift, severe punishments for the South. As a member of the House, Garfield was a leader in efforts to impeach President Andrew Johnson over perceived efforts to undermine northern efforts in the South.

Throughout his political career, Garfield advocated for a hard money policy. Garfield recognized that monetary policy at the national level could directly influence issues of poverty for citizens of the country. With ...