Henry Clay: The Great Compromiser Henry Clay is probably the most famous Congressman to have never been elected President. He was known as the Great Compromiser, and was a member of the Congress for 40 years. Clay was a member of the "Great Triumvirate" along with Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun. In his time in Washington he ran for president 5 times, but was never successful. He founded the Whig party, and was instrumental in defining the issues of the second party system. He also served as the Secretary of State and Speaker of the House of Representatives. In 1957 he was voted as one of the 5 greatest senators by a committee headed up by John F. Kennedy.(1)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay) Henry Clay was born …show more content…
He became known as a powerful courtroom orator, and his reputation grew. Clay began his political career in 1803 when he was elected to the Kentucky State House of Representatives as a Democratic Republican. (2) (http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000482) At the age of 29 Clay got his first taste of action on the national political stage when he was elected to the United States Senate on November 19, 1806 to replace Senator John Adair. He served in the Senate until March 19 1807, when he was still under the constitutionally mandated age of 30. Clay returned to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1808, and was elected Speaker a year later in 1809. Henry Clay was elected again to the Senate to fill the vacancy left when Buckner Thruston resigned on January 14 1810. He Served there until his successful bid for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 1812 as a Democratic Republican. On the first day of the session 34 year old clay was selected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a feat that has never before or since been accomplished.(1) During the next 14 years he was elected to the House and selected as the Speaker all 5 times he ran. Prior to his speakership the Speaker of the House was a moderator. When Clay took over he made it a position of power almost equal to that of the President of the United States. He appointed members of his War Hawk group
John Quincy Adams was the only son of a president to become president. He had an impressive political background that began at the age of fourteen. He was an intelligent and industrious individual. He was a man of strong character and high principles. By all account, his presidency should have been a huge success, yet it wasn't. John Quincy Adams' presidency was frustrating and judged a failure because of the scandal, attached to his election, the pettiness of his political rivals, and his strong character. John Quincy Adams was born on July 1767, in Braintree Massachusetts. His parents were John and Abigail Adams. "Quincy, had every advantage as a youngster. At the time of his birth, his father was an increasingly
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He attended school for approximately eight years. Washington lived with his mother until the age of 16. At the age of 15, Washington took a job as an assistant land surveyor. In 1748, he began working in the Shanandoah Valley to help survey the land holdings of Lord Fairfax. By 1749, he established a good reputation as a land surveyor and was appointed Culpeper counties official land surveyor.
Everybody knows that Henry Aaron holds the record for the most career homeruns. But most of them probably do not know that he also holds the record for the most career Runs Batted In (RBIs) with 2297. The reason is that this record is not as glamorous. Well, not everything about Hank Aaron was glamorous. He had to overcome great odds and work very hard to get where he is today. Henry Louis Aaron was born on February 5, 1934. Ironically, Aaron was born one day before Babe Ruth’s birthday. This was right in the middle of the Great Depression. Because of the fact that it was the Great Depression, his father was lucky to bring home seventy five to eighty dollars per week. His childhood was not luxurious. Something that he used to do for fun
In the Election of 1824, Jackson ran for president and won the popular vote, however he did not win the majority vote in the electoral college. Therefore, the House of Representatives would be left to decide who would be the next president. John Quincy Adams was running against Jackson. Adams wrote a letter to Henry Clay, a representative, saying that if Clay could convince the House to vote for him, he would give Henry Clay the job of Secretary of State.
Andrew Jackson’s path to presidency was unique. In the election of 1824, there were four main candidates, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, William H. Crawford, and Andrew Jackson. Jackson gained the most popular votes of the four Democratic-Republican candidates, but not the majority of electoral votes to win the election. Henry Clay, who was eliminated from the election, held a decisive position as the speaker of the House of Representatives. Clay was in a position to throw the election to the candidate of his choice. Clay threw his support behind Adams since he had led some of the strongest attacks against Jackson. Rather than the nation’s presidency go to a man he abhorred, Clay secured the White House for Adams. In return Adams named
The American System was a plan created by Henry Clay. It had three parts to it, that Henry Clay was hoping would bring the nation closer together, and benefit everyone. It called for a strong banking system that would provide easy and abundant credit, He also put in place a protective tariff. The revenue from the tariff would pay for the third part of the American System, the creation of roads and canals, mainly into the new Ohio Valley. Food and equipment would flow freely over these new routs, increasing trade and business greatly throughout most of the states. The American System of Henry Clay never came to fruition, however. President Madison deemed it unconstitutional, and instead, Congress voted to distribute $1.5 million to the states,
Andrew Jackson’s presidency has been viewed in two different ways. He has been viewed as a hero to the common man or as a tyrant who abused his power as president. There are plenty of examples to support both sides, however when he was supporting the common man or being a tyrant, he was doing what he felt would benefit the nation as a whole. The election of 1824 was not good one for Jackson. He won the popular vote, but did not have enough electoral votes. In the end, the House of Representatives had to decide the winner out of Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson and William Crawford. Henry Clay did not want Jackson to be President, so he threw his support to Adams. Which resulted in Adams being elected the sixth president of the
John Quincy Adams, the son of former president John Adams, had a very rich political background prior to the election of 1824. In 1803, he was elected to the senate. He spent a few years in the senate, and then in 1809, James Madison appointed Adams his minister to St. Petersburg. He helped to bring about the end of The War of 1812 by help negotiate the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. After the war was over he became the minister to London in 1815. Then in 1817, James Monroe appointed Adams his secretary of state.5 Adams supported protective tariffs and federal programs that were intended for internal improvements. He was also had a much more formal manner than the other candidates.6
Thomas Jefferson's ideals and beliefs were derived from a deep regard for life, liberty, and freedom. His concept of individual freedoms strongly disagreed with the notion of a "guided republic" which he believed concentrated a great deal unchecked power among a few people. This could have the potential of tyrannical government that might suppress personal freedoms of any kind especially those of religion, which Jefferson feels very strongly felt should be protected. After fighting hard to rid America of British domination, Jefferson was determined to create a government that was responsible to, and derived its powers from, a free people. As the writer of the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Statute for
Second, Andrew Jackson had very successful political career. After he resigned from being a senate, he once again was reelected to the U.S senate in 1822. After that the state group rallied around him, and then the he was nominated for the U.S presidency by the Pennsylvania convention. Even though Andrew Jackson was the
Henry Clay was the first Speaker of the House that really helped to establish the position and increase the power. Clay served three terms as Speaker of the House and in those years demonstrated how his tactics were effective as well as successful. Henry Clay was personable, and his youth and assertiveness made him a popular choice for Speaker. Clay used his position to place his allies in important committees to achieve these goals. As Clay gained clout in the House of Representatives, he was able to introduce his American System and ideas founded in the American Colonization Society. Henry Clay’s greatest accomplishment as Speaker of the House was the drafting of the Missouri Compromise, which gained him the title of the Great
After becoming a national hero, Andrew Jackson wanted to further his career in politics. Jackson had held office in the government before, but not for any significant time period. Jackson decided to run for president against John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and William Crawford in 1824, but he lost. However, he did receive the most electoral and popular votes and when this happens, the vote goes to the House of Representatives. Henry
The Presidential election of 1828 was a remarkable year in American politics. It was not only noted for the corruption of the election but also the bitterness and enmity between the two candidates; John Adams and Andrew Jackson. It was also noted as the first election which was to be decided by popular vote. The election was one of the dirtiest in history as both candidates fought for the presidential seat ruthlessly like the election was a fight-to-the-death tournament. The election took place after the popular 1824 election which four presidential candidates ran form the same party; the Democratic-Republicans. The two candidates of the 1828 elections ran alongside William Crawford and Henry Clay. After the problems that occurred due to the
James Madison, (1751-1836), 4th President of the United States of America. Although he served eight years each as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, as secretary of state, and as president, Madison's principal contribution to the founding of the United States was as "Father of the Constitution."
In this paper I am going to talk about how Henry Clay Frick was an important man to our history and some things that he contributed. Not only was he a successful industrialist, but an art patron and a philanthropist. He was one of the most important people that helped put Pittsburgh on the map.