About This Book

Benjamin Harrison came from a long line of statesmen; his great-grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence; his grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was the 9th U.S. president; and his father served in Congress. In public, Benjamin was an excellent speaker. In small groups, however, he was shy and stiff. He was an excellent student and became a prominent lawyer in Indiana. His gained an even greater reputation as a Union general during the Civil War. In the 1888 presidential election, Harrison took office after losing the popular vote but winning the electoral vote. As president, he was a champion of civil rights and signed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, aimed at stopping companies from forming monopolies.