World tour of Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant began his world tour in May 1877, only a couple of months after his second presidential term had ended. After serving as a general during the Civil War, and as president for two consecutive terms during the turbulent Reconstruction era, Grant was ready for a vacation from the years of stress that war and politics had brought him. Now in his late fifties, he looked forward to the tour with great enthusiasm. With his wife Julia and a retinue of close colleagues and friends, Grant traveled the world for more than two and a half years. The Grants had a flexible itinerary and visited a variety of places and prominent people, including Pope Leo XIII, Queen Victoria, Otto von Bismarck and several other heads of state. Grant was often received by cheering crowds as "General Grant" the Civil War hero and in some cases was met with official greetings and huge celebrations.

During the tour abroad, Grant was encouraged by his successor President Rutherford B. Hayes to represent the United States in an unofficial diplomatic capacity; this involved resolving international disputes, which was an unprecedented role for the relatively young country. Many of the countries Grant visited, particularly in Asia, were unfamiliar to most Americans and often lacked formal diplomatic relations with the U.S.; his travels subsequently attracted considerable popular interest. As a courtesy to Grant, his touring party was often transported to their destinations by the U.S. Navy. When he returned to the U.S. in December 1879, he was received in grand formality as he journeyed across the country. By the time Grant had completed his world tour, he had brought the United States into the realm of international prominence in the eyes of much of the world.