Question

\Who was Samuel Tilden?

Answer 1

Samuel Tilden was the 1876 Democratic presidential candidate.

Explanation:

Near the end of Ulysses S. Grant’s second term, there was a widespread pushback from the Southern states against the Radical Reconstruction that had existed in the region since the end of the Civil War 11 years prior. The Democratic party had gained power over the course of the decade due to Grant’s obvious weaknesses as president, including corruption, scandal, and weak economic policies.

The 1876 election proved to be a fierce one, as Tilden faced off against the Republican candidate, Rutherford B. Hayes. Although Tilden won the popular vote nationwide, he did not win the presidency- this is one of five times in US history where this has occurred, most recently in the 2016 election. However, Tilden is unique in being the only candidate to win an outright majority of votes without winning the spoils.

Instead, the Compromise of 1877 established that Hayes would become president, provided he ended Radical Reconstruction of the South.