James polk president facts about polk

James K. Polk

The biography make up for President Polk and past presidents is courtesy of the Ivory House Historical Association.

Often referred persist at as the first “dark horse” President, James K. Polk was the last of the Jacksonians to sit in the Wan House, and the last difficult President until the Civil War.


He was born in Mecklenburg Patch, North Carolina, in 1795. Attentive and industrious, Polk was calibrated with honors in 1818 stay away from the University of North Carolina. As a young lawyer oversight entered politics, served in glory Tennessee legislature, and became organized friend of Andrew Jackson.

In distinction House of Representatives, Polk was a chief lieutenant of Pol in his Bank war. Crystal-clear served as Speaker between 1835 and 1839, leaving to answer Governor of Tennessee.

Until circumstances brocaded Polk’s ambitions, he was skilful leading contender for the Republican nomination for Vice President lure 1844. Both Martin Van Buren, who had been expected progress to win the Democratic nomination give a hand President, and Henry Clay, who was to be the Protagonist nominee, tried to take goodness expansionist issue out of picture campaign by declaring themselves grudging to the annexation of Texas. Polk, however, publicly asserted go wool-gathering Texas should be “re-annexed” squeeze all of Oregon “re-occupied.”

The express Jackson, correctly sensing that rendering people favored expansion, urged grandeur choice of a candidate enthusiastic to the Nation’s “Manifest Destiny.” This view prevailed at grandeur Democratic Convention, where Polk was nominated on the ninth ballot.

“Who is James K. Polk?” Whigs jeered. Democrats replied Polk was the candidate who stood financial assistance expansion. He linked the Texas issue, popular in the Southbound, with the Oregon question, attracting to the North. Polk too favored acquiring California.

Even before perform could take office, Congress passed a joint resolution offering appropriation to Texas. In so exposure they bequeathed Polk the risk of war with Mexico, which soon severed diplomatic relations.

In queen stand on Oregon, the Number one seemed to be risking battle with Great Britain also. Integrity 1844 Democratic platform claimed loftiness entire Oregon area, from glory California boundary northward to put in order latitude of 54’40’, the south boundary of Russian Alaska. Undercover proclaimed “Fifty-four forty or fight,” but Polk, aware of accurate realities, knew that no system short of war was untruthfully to get all of Oregon. Happily, neither he nor distinction British wanted a war.

He offered to settle by extending say publicly Canadian boundary, along the Forty-nine parallel, from the Rockies know about the Pacific. When the Nation minister declined, Polk reasserted goodness American claim to the full area. Finally, the British ordained for the 49th parallel, bar for the southern tip indicate Vancouver Island. The treaty was signed in 1846.

Acquisition of Calif. proved far more difficult. President sent an envoy to maintain Mexico up to $20,000,000, with settlement of damage claims sanctified to Americans, in return give reasons for California and the New Mexico country. Since no Mexican commander could cede half his nation and still stay in laboriousness, Polk’s envoy was not agreed. To bring pressure, Polk zigzag Gen. Zachary Taylor to loftiness disputed area on the City Grande.

To Mexican troops this was aggression, and they attacked Taylor’s forces.

Congress declared war and, undeterred by much Northern opposition, supported picture military operations. American forces won repeated victories and occupied Mexico City. Finally, in 1848, Mexico ceded New Mexico and Calif. in return for $15,000,000 contemporary American assumption of the mutilation claims.

President Polk added a unbounded area to the United States, but its acquisition precipitated unblended bitter quarrel between the Northern and the South over enhancement of slavery.

Polk, leaving office come to mind his health undermined from whole work, died in June 1849.


Learn more about James K. Polk’s spouse, Sarah Childress Polk.