History UsefulNotes / RutherfordBHayes

The election of 1876 saw the highest voter turnout in American history, an astounding '''81.8%'''. For some perspective, the last time it was above 70% was in 1900.[[note]]Though that's the percentage of ''eligible voters'', not of all adult US citizens. Since women were not allowed to vote at the time, arguably that's only equivalent to around 40% turnout today.[[/note]] Due to the narrowness of his victory and the possible fraud involved, his picture showed up on American TV news a lot immediately after the presidential elections of [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush 2000]] ,[[UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump 2016]], and [[UsefulNotes/JoeBiden 2020]].

Despite being rather obscure in American history, Hayes is a [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff national hero]] in UsefulNotes/{{Paraguay}}. He served as an arbitrator after the UsefulNotes/WarOfTheTripleAlliance in South America that had pitted UsefulNotes/{{Argentina}}, UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}} and UsefulNotes/{{Uruguay}} against Paraguay. Hayes ruling in favor of Paraguay forever immortalized him in the country's history as their savior. He has a city (Villa Hayes) and a department (Presidente Hayes) named after him, as well as many schools, roads, and even a soccer team. Hayes also used the Monroe Doctrine to prevent the French from building a canal across UsefulNotes/{{Panama}}. There was some controversy at the time over Mexican bandits crossing the border and raiding American towns, but Hayes and the Army worked with Mexican leaders to put an end to this. Additionally, [[YellowPeril anti-Chinese sentiment]] on the West Coast exploded, with an anti-Chinese riot breaking out in San Francisco in 1877. Congress attempted to ban immigration from China, but Hayes vetoed the bill. Hayes tried to negotiate with the Chinese government to solve the issue, but it was no use. One year after he left office, Congress passed another bill banning Chinese immigration, and it would remain in effect until 1943.

The election of 1876 saw the highest voter turnout in American history, an astounding '''81.8%'''. For some perspective, the last time it was above 70% was in 1900.[[note]]Though that's the percentage of ''eligible voters'', not of all adult US citizens. Since women were not allowed to vote at the time, arguably that's only equivalent to around 40% turnout today.[[/note]] Due to the narrowness of his victory and the possible fraud involved, his picture showed up on American TV news a lot immediately after the presidential elections of [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush 2000]] and [[UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump 2016]].

-->-- '''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvy0wRLD5s8 "The Presidents Song"]]

-->-- '''Yakko Warner''', ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' (1993–1998), [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvy0wRLD5s8 "The Presidents Song"]]

-->-- '''Yakko''', ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvy0wRLD5s8 "The Presidents Song"]]

Rutherford Birchard Hayes (October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was the 19th president of the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates, serving from [[TheGildedAge 1877 to 1881]]. He was the third Republican president, succeeding UsefulNotes/UlyssesSGrant and preceding UsefulNotes/JamesGarfield. He's most notable for winning the closest presidential election in American history and for ending Reconstruction.

The election of 1876 saw the highest voter turnout in American history, an astounding '''81.8%'''. For some perspective, the last time it was above 60% was in 1968.[[note]]Though that's the percentage of ''eligible voters'', not of all adult US citizens. Since women were not allowed to vote at the time, arguably that's only equivalent to around 40% turnout today.[[/note]] Due to the narrowness of his victory and the possible fraud involved, his picture showed up on American TV news a lot immediately after the presidential elections of [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush 2000]] and [[UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump 2016]].

[[caption-width-right:300:''"Every age has its temptations, its weaknesses, its dangers. Ours is in the line of the snobbish and the sordid."'']]

[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hayes.gif]]

->''"Every age has its temptations, its weaknesses, its dangers. Ours is in the line of the snobbish and the sordid."''
-->-- '''Rutherford B. Hayes'''

'''Rutherford Birchard Hayes''' (October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was the 19th president of UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates, serving from [[TheGildedAge 1877 to 1881]]. He was the third Republican president, succeeding UsefulNotes/UlyssesSGrant and preceding UsefulNotes/JamesGarfield. He's most notable for winning the closest presidential election in American history and for ending Reconstruction.