As the 11th president of the United States, James K. Polk was often considered the last strong president before Civil War. Despite that he is not as well-known as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt, no one can deny that his contributions to the United States was tremendous. During his term in the White House, the United States gained more than 800,000 square miles of territory which equals to one-third of land the US had by that time and extended across the continent for the first time. Also, James reduced tariff in order to stimulate trade and created an independent US treasury.
James K. Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina on November 2nd, 1795. He was the eldest children in Polk family. When he was 11 years old, he moved to Columbia, Tennessee with his whole family where his father operated a prosperous farm and became a businessman and slaveholder. Right before his seventeenth birthday, he survived a major operation for stones in his urinary bladder when modern antiseptics and anesthesia had not been invented yet. Perhaps the surgery left him not only sterile, but also encouragement. In 1816, James successfully fulfilled the entrance requirement of University of North Carolina and became a sophomore there. In 1818, he graduated with top honors in bother mathematics and classics and then returned to
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In 1823, he entered politics and was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives. Two people who influenced the rest of his life appeared in 1824. One was the US seventh president and his mentor, Andrew Jackson. The other one, Sarah Childress, became his wife and his close advisor throughout his political career. James moved from the Tennessee House of Representatives to the United States House of Representatives one year later and served until 1839. He left Congress and became governor of Tennessee in 1839 and lost next two
Andrew Jackson was an orphan and a veteran at the age of fifteen, he taught school a little and then read law in North Carolina. In 1787, he accepted an offer to serve as a public prosecutor in North Carolina. In 1788, he built a legal practice, entered in trading venturers, and began to acquire land and slaves. During his presidential campaigns, his opponents charged at him with bigamy and wife-stealing. His rise to politics was a quick succession, he was a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1795, then Tennessee's first congressman, then a senator. He resigned his senate post after one year and taking a job closer to home, as a judge of Tennessee's superior court. In 1802, he challenged Governor John Sevier for election as
Abraham Lincoln is regarded by many Americans as the greatest president to ever hold office in the history of the United States, and his reputation is definitely well deserved. Lincoln wasn't scared to stand up and fight for what he knew was right. He was convinced that within the branches of government, the presidency alone was empowered not only to uphold the Constitution, but also to protect, and defend it. Lincoln was able to lead our country and preserve the Union, keeping the United States from splintering during the devastating times of the Civil War. As President, he built the Republican Party into a strong national organization, and he rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. On January 1, 1863, he issued the
There have been forty-four U.S. Presidents over the past two hundred and twenty four years. Some were very successful. Of those few historians, Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents that ever live. He is responsible for preserving the union, freeing the slaves, and enacting various new policies. Lincoln was a president that never gave up and put his people first. He was strong, confident and believes in his principles. Some of the presidents were least successful. Of those few historians, Herbert Hoover wasn’t very successful while he was in office. He was considered to be a terrible president because an awful thing occurred on his watch. Which was the Great Depression.
Throughout the course of American history, many influential figures have greatly impacted America. Their contributions to society has changed America for the better or worse, and also impact our views on society today. These people may include famous inventors, scientists, or even our previous presidents. An example of an influential figure who has made numerous accomplishments that benefitted America is the former president, James K. Polk. Polk lived from the year 1795 to 1849, and was the eleventh President of the United States, who served for one term. Before becoming the president, Polk was known in politics as the governor of Tennessee. Polk served under the pupilage of Andrew Jackson, and was later known as the "Young Hickory". An accomplishment that Polk made as president was the great expansion of the United States, by
James K. Polk was born on November 2, 1795 in North Carolina, but quickly moved to Tennessee soon after. This is where Polk entered the world of politics by being elected into the Tennessee House of Representatives as a democrat, in 1823. Polk also became Governor of Tennessee in 1839, but that only lasted for one term, even though he ran for reelection in both 1841 and 1843. Suddenly, in 1844 Polk became the “compromise candidate” (History.com Staff) for the Democratic Party during the 1845 election. This was due to Polk seeming to appear at the top of the nominee list out if nowhere and since he was not well known in the states to begin with, he became known as “The Dark Horse Candidate” (History.com Staff)1. During the election Polk ended
The 1860’s was a difficult time for the United States of America as it was the time period where they went into the American Civil War. At a time of slavery and many conflicting ideas, the United States was falling apart and at its most divided time ever. As the elected president in 1861, Abraham Lincoln had to fix the issues that the country was facing. Some of those issues included slavery, the separation of the north and south, and the Civil War itself. Today, Abraham Lincoln is generally known as a great president who took charge of a country in need and did many things that had a positive influence over the United States. One of Lincoln’s biggest achievements as president of the United States was the Emancipation Proclamation
Andrew Jackson made tremendous contributions to the American history. Following the conquest of Florida, Andrew Jackson went on with a number of things that were revolutionary in the history of America. Jackson having led the military campaigns against the Seminole Indians, he was vital in liberating Florida in 1821 after defeating the Spanish troops in Pensacola. He eventually was appointed governer over the state of Florida became the first governor over the state of Florida to take charge of Florida as its first American governor by President Monroe. More importantly, as a military leader, he was key in defeating the British at New Orleans and the Creek Indians in Alabama. Later, Andrew Jackson became the seventh president of the U.S
After the revolutionary war, Jackson got a job as a lawyer and moved to Tennessee. He started a cotton plantation that he later named the Hermitage. In 1796 he also was Tennessee’s first member in the House of Representatives. In 1812, Jackson gained national fame that later on would help him become president
James Knox Polk a democrat and USA’s eleventh president was one the most effective leaders we’ve had, even though he only served for 1 term. During presidency, he had done a lot for our country. Nobody had expected him to accomplish four major goals in our government.
Jefferson Davis was in the military also was a hero in the Mexican war ,he also took an active role in dictating confederate military strategy in the Civil war. Born on june 3, 1808 in the state of Kentucky but raised in two state which were Wilkinson and Mississippi. Went to a private school and applied for west point in 1824 finished college at 1828. He got married with Varina Howell in january 15 1835, three months later his wife died from malarial fever September 15,1835. He developed a devotion to southern plantation life, and his own attitude toward his slaves led him to deny fiercely all claims that slavery is cruel to all them.
Andrew Jackson, ranked as one of the best presidents the United States has had, he did a lot of good also a lot of bad. Jackson believed that states should have more power than the Federal government, but he did the opposite when he was in office, giving the President more power, by signing a veto, than before he was in office. Jackson was also not accepting of the Supreme Court’s decisions by not enforcing their rulings.
When James was a little boy he moved with his family to Columbia Tennessee. There his father work as a businessman and planter. Before adulthood James was sick many times he even had surgery caused from his urinary stones, but he stayed strong through all the tough times as a kid and grew into an intelligent adult that went to the University
James Monroe, born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, to Spence Monroe and his wife Elizabeth Jones Monroe, was a very prominent man in history. James Monroe was also a very ambitious man who would, at most times, be a potential rival to many of his close companions in the presidential elections. He was the seventh Secretary of State, served as a member of the Congress of the Confederation, served as a U.S. Senator, served as the governor of Virginia, and was the fifth U.S. president. Monroe also served as the Secretary of War during the War of 1812. James Monroe was very active in the American Revolution, and, even later after the war was over, he was very active in politics. He traveled many times often to foreign countries dealing with affairs concerning various treaties to help keep the peace between countries or expand countries.
He was the 11th president of the United States and was known as “young hickory”, and the first “dark horse”. James Knox Polk accomplished many things in his life. He served in the House of Representative, became governor of Tennessee, and became president of the United States. His achievements impacted the U.S and made it what it is today. For example he annexed Texas, lowered tariffs, established an independent Federal Treasury, went to war with Mexico, and added three states to the union. If James Polk did not become president, then there is a possibility that California, New Mexico and Oregon would not be a part of the United States.
In addition to being ranked the greatest president, Polk was also the youngest, most successful presidential candidate up to that time. In essence, James Polk accomplished virtually all that he had pledged to the American people. He won a war, expanded the nation, cut tariffs, reestablished an independent treasury, and preserved an uneasy balance within the union. Polk was undeniably effective in his presidential efforts.