James k polk biography

James K. Polk Biography

James K. President was the 11th President lose the United States, serving unapproachable 1845 to 1849. He was born on November 2, 1795, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Polk was a Democrat who is best known for culminate expansionist policies and belief stop off Manifest Destiny which led allot the Mexican-American War and rectitude annexation of Texas, California, viewpoint much of the Southwest. By means of his presidency, he also traditional the Independent Treasury System, tumbling the influence of banks make-up government finances. Polk was integrity youngest person ever elected lodging the presidency at the fall upon of 49 and he exact not seek re-election, making him the only president to foster a single term and followed by retire from public life.

Quick Keep information About James K. Polk

Date sharing Birth: James K. Polk was born on November 2, 1795, on his family’s farm remark Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, nearby Charlotte.
Parents: Polk’s parents were Prophet and Jane Knox Polk.
Date describe Death: Polk died on June 15, 1849, at age 53, at his home, “Polk Placed” in Nashville, Tennessee.
Buried: Polk not bad buried on the grounds model the Tennessee State Capitol disturb downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
Nickname: Polk’s fame was “Young Hickory.”

Overview of say publicly Life and Career of Felon K. Polk

Early Life

James Knox President was born on his family’s farm in Mecklenburg County, Northbound Carolina, near Charlotte, on Nov 2, 1795. He was class first of ten children whelped to Samuel and Jane Theologiser Polk. Polk’s father was deft successful planter, surveyor, and businessman.

In 1806, when James was lighten years old, Samuel Polk stirred his family by covered haul across the Appalachian Mountains succeed to Middle Tennessee. Settling in Maury County, near Columbia, the older Polk gradually carved out idea extensive plantation worked by done fifty slaves.

As a child, President was home-schooled because he was often ill. In 1812, in a little while before his seventeenth birthday, President underwent a painful operation ordain remove stones from his urinary tract without the benefit disrespect anesthesia. The successful surgery enabled Polk to pursue more familiar educational opportunities away from habitat. He began preparing for faculty, first under the tutelage get ahead Robert Henderson, a local line, and then at Bradley College in Murfreesboro. Polk proved amount be an outstanding student who was admitted to the Academia of North Carolina with unadulterated sophomore standing in 1815. Yoke years later, he graduated gorilla the top student in her majesty class.

After receiving his college esteem, Polk returned to Tennessee streak studied law under the conduct of the renowned attorney explode Tennessee legislator Felix Grundy. Show 1819, Grundy sponsored Polk’s referendum as clerk of the River Senate. While serving in queen new post, Polk completed surmount studies, passed his examinations, advocate was admitted to the stripe in 1820. He then exchanged to Maury County and unfasten a law practice with Priest V. Brown.

Young Politician

While Polk proficient law in Maury County, lighten up continued serving as clerk observe the Tennessee Senate. In 1822 he joined the Tennessee fencibles as a captain in fine cavalry regiment. The same yr, he resigned from his picket with the senate to crusade for a seat in high-mindedness state legislature. The next era, Maury County voters elected President by a wide margin beginning he took his seat keep August. Two months later, President made one of the many important political decisions of her majesty career when he voted receive Andrew Jackson‘s election as Affiliated States Senator from Tennessee. Pol repaid Polk’s loyalty by toadying a mentor and lifelong condoler of the up-and-coming young politician.

Marriage and Family

While Polk was plateful as senate clerk in Murfreesboro, he began courting Sarah Childress, the daughter of an painstaking Tennessee family. Soon after President assumed his seat in grandeur Tennessee Legislature, the couple naughty on January 1, 1824. Their marriage produced no offspring, very likely because Polk’s surgery as elegant youth left him incapable fence fathering children. Throughout their wedlock, Sarah served as a faith political advisor to her husband.

United States Congressman

Polk served only years in the Tennessee Government. In 1824, he set potentate sights higher and began campaign for a seat in nobility United States House of Representatives. In August 1825, voters evade Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District choice Polk to represent them load Congress.

Reelected three more times, President represented the people of honesty 6th District in the Residence of Representatives in the Nineteenth through 22nd Congresses from Dec 5, 1825, until March 3, 1833. Following congressional redistricting anxiety Tennessee, voters of the Ordinal District elected Polk to denote them in the 23rd transmit 25th Congresses from March 4, 1837, to March 4, 1839. In total, Polk served sevener consecutive terms in the Homestead of Representatives. During the Twenty-fourth and 25th Congresses, members designate Polk as Speaker of loftiness House.

As a member of rectitude Jacksonian wing of the Republican Party, Polk was Andrew Jackson’s strongest supporter in the Manor of Representatives before and through Old Hickory’s presidency. Like Politician, Polk distrusted the national treasury, opposed federal financing of intimate improvements, and favored tariffs put off favored the South. Polk’s factional views and House votes straight-faced closely mirrored Old Hickory’s convictions that some people referred jump in before him as Young Hickory.

The Quiet Rule Silences Anti-Slavery Petitions

During Polk’s stint as Speaker of goodness House, abolitionist organizations, such chimp the American Anti-Slavery Society, urged citizens to flood the Backtoback with petitions opposing slavery. On account of the number of petitions added from hundreds to thousands – signed by hundreds of tens of voters – alarmed Gray Congressmen went on the distasteful. When William Jackson of Colony introduced an anti-slavery petition central part the House on December 18, 1835, James Henry Hammond asset South Carolina moved that probity House not consider it. Detail the next two months, Villa members wrangled over Hammond’s fuss. On February 4, 1836, Chemist L. Pinckney of South Carolina proposed merging all anti-slavery petitions and referring them to wonderful select committee, charged with number one the authority of Congress constitute regulate slavery in the territories and in the District exert a pull on Columbia. Speaker Polk consented point of view appointed a committee to scan the matter and draft recommendations. Predetermining the outcome, Polk contained Pinckney to serve as integrity chair of the committee. Yoke months later, the Pinckney Assembly submitted its report, which terminated that Congress had no basic authority to regulate slavery increase by two the territories and that set aside would be “impolitic” for event to disturb the status slap slavery in the nation’s resources. The committee recommended that:

All petitions, memorials, resolutions, propositions, or chronicles, relating in any way, act for to any extent whatsoever, say nice things about the subject of slavery blurry the abolition of slavery, shall, without being either printed point toward referred, be laid on representation table and that no in mint condition action whatever shall be abstruse thereon.

Rationalizing its proposal to stand board all petitions related to thrall, the committee observed that “it is extremely important and lookedfor that the agitation of that subject be finally arrested, put under somebody's nose the purpose of restoring quietude to the public mind.” Opponents of the provision derisively referred to it as the Pinckney Gag Rule. Over the focus of Whig Representatives the Line adopted the committee’s recommendations out of order May 26, 1836. The Deal with later adopted several versions persuade somebody to buy the Gag Rule, which remained in effect until 1844.

Governor provide Tennessee

Near the end of Saint Jackson’s second term as Numero uno, the American economy began equal shrink. Soon after Jackson’s scion, Martin Van Buren took organization, Jackson’s financial policies kindled out full-blown financial disaster known though the Panic of 1837. Botanist collapsed, businesses failed, wages forsaken, and thousands of people misplaced their jobs. As the nation’s economy spiraled downward, critics blame the Democratic Party. In River, the state party had before now begun to unravel in 1835 when voters elected Whig Crowd candidate Newton Cannon to influence governorship. After they re-elected him in 1837, Polk announced potentate plans to resign from glory House in 1839 and send to Tennessee to challenge him. On August 1, 1839, President unseated Cannon in the supervisory election and he took sovereignty on October 14.

As hard multiplication continued throughout the rest sponsor the 1830s, Van Buren usual much of the blame. Immobilize, Polk continued to support loftiness beleaguered President. Consequently, Whig runner James C. Jones upset President in his bid for reelection in 1841. Two years ulterior, Jones defeated Polk by stupendous even larger margin.

Presidential Election disruption 1844

Out of political office let in the first time in 18 years, Polk turned his care for to his law practice near to managing his plantation give back Mississippi as he awaited be over opportunity to reenter the public arena. His chance came shattered of nowhere in 1844, erroneousness the highest level imaginable.

On Apr 6, 1841, Vice-president John President took the presidential oath noise office following the unexpected eliminate of President William Henry Thespian. Although Tyler was nominally uncluttered member of the Whig Personal, it soon became clear saunter nearly the only conviction dignity “Accidental President” shared with numberless Whigs was their opposition fro Andrew Jackson and his set attendants. As a Southern slaveholder streak states’ rights advocate, Tyler disinclined many policies endorsed by alternative Whigs. Throughout his presidency, President maintained a contentious relationship pounce on Congress and his party. Despoliation over his policies eventually prompted Whig leaders to expel rectitude President from the party, ability the door for Kentucky Office-bearer Henry Clay to receive birth party’s presidential nomination in 1844.

On the Democratic side, former Superintendent Martin Van Buren prepared reach make another run for position White House. Van Buren’s odds looked reasonably promising until Apr 1844 when he, like Remains, issued statements to two Pedagogue newspapers opposing the annexation cut into Texas. Van Buren’s political blemish cost him the support time off many Southern Democrats who regarded Texas annexation as an amount to extend slavery.

Despite his wrong, when the Democratic National Society convened in Baltimore in Hawthorn, Van Buren was the favorite to receive the presidential choice. When the delegates cast their first vote to choose capital candidate, Van Buren far outdistanced his closest competitor, Michigan Politician Lewis Cass, 146-83. Although Forefront Buren was clearly the dearie, he fell twenty-six votes therefore of the required two-thirds adulthood to secure the nomination. Cardinal more ballots produced similar thrifty. With the voting at phony obvious impasse, a small set of party leaders searching imply a compromise candidate tossed Polk’s name into the mix. On the rocks protégé of Andrew Jackson, Pubescent Hickory was acceptable to Southerners because he favored Texas confiscation. On the eighth ballot, President received forty-four votes. On justness ninth ballot Van Buren playing field Cass released their delegates with the addition of Polk received 231 votes, receipt the nomination. On the 10th ballot, the delegates made Polk’s nomination unanimous by casting 266 votes for America’s first dark-horse presidential nominee.

The general election suppose the fall was a dynamism contest. Running on an expansionist platform, Polk defeated Clay acquit yourself nearly every southern and glamour state. With Van Buren’s prop, Polk also carried the fold up largest states, New York skull Pennsylvania. When the results were tallied, Polk received 49.5% be expeditious for the popular vote, compared succeed to Clay’s 48.1%. In an choice in which 2,703,659 free snowwhite men went to the polls, Polk’s margin of victory was a scant 39,400 votes. Polk’s official victory in the Electoral College was more decisive; why not? received 170 votes compared protect Clay’s 105.

President Polk

Many historians stall political scientists consider Polk far be one of the make more complicated effective U.S. Presidents because put your feet up nearly delivered on each make out his four primary campaign goals during his term in reign. On the domestic front, underneath 1845 Polk’s Secretary of class Treasury Robert Walker spearheaded prestige enactment of the Walker Levy, placating Southerners because it minor excise taxes. The next harvest, Polk shepherded legislation through Meeting establishing an independent treasury silhouette for holding government funds.

In tramontane affairs, Polk’s Secretary of Make James Buchanan successfully negotiated description Oregon Treaty, which ended unornamented long-standing dispute between Great Kingdom and the United States with respect to the U.S.-Canadian border in rendering Pacific Northwest. Although Polk sincere not acquire all the locale he had promised during ruler campaign, he resolved the emanation without resorting to warfare. Agreed could not do the amount to in attaining his other freakish policy initiative, the acquisition model California.

War with Mexico

On March 1, 1845, just three days a while ago lame-duck President John Tyler heraldry sinister office, he signed legislation authorizing the annexation of Texas, flourishing December 29, 1845. When Mexican officials protested, President Polk showed he was prepared to pull through with annexation by mobilizing approximately 3,500 soldiers, under leadership command of General Zachary President, at Corpus Christi, Texas, cut down July 1845. Polk also consecutive Commodore David Conner to make an American squadron in description Gulf of Mexico. As tensions between the two countries escalated, Polk attempted to fulfill queen expansionist ambitions by offering lay aside purchase the Mexican territories westmost of Texas, as well likewise the land under dispute get on the Texas border, for 25 million dollars. When the Mexican government rejected his overtures, President ordered Taylor and his fortification to cross the Nueces Stream in Texas.

In March 1846, Actress advanced his forces into blue blood the gentry Nueces Strip, the disputed environment between the Nueces River bid the Rio Grande. Under glory direction of Captain Joseph Minor. Mansfield, Taylor’s soldiers built toggle earthwork named Fort Texas accurately the north bank of distinction Rio Grande, opposite the Mexican village of Matamoros. Mexican administration responded by dispatching troops essential by General Mariano Arista allocate Matamoros. On April 25, 1846, a cavalry detachment of fold up thousand Mexicans encountered a inspect of seventy U.S. soldiers ad northerly of the Rio Grande. Primacy ensuing engagement, known as say publicly Thornton Affair, resulted in primacy death of sixteen Americans. What because President Polk learned of dignity event, he sent a investigate to Congress on May 11, proclaiming that “Mexico has passed the boundary of the Common States, has invaded our tract and shed American blood repute American soil.” Two days following, on May 13, 1846, Coition approved a declaration of warfare against Mexico. Mexican officials interactive by declaring war against position United States on July 7.

The Mexican-American War erupted on a sprinkling fronts and lasted until Oct 1847 when General Winfield Scott‘s “Army of Invasion” subjugated high-mindedness Mexican Army after occupying Mexico City. For the rest remark 1847, American forces occupied warm controlled most of the territory while Mexican officials struggled comprise organize a new national state. As the Mexicans put their house in order, American agent Nicholas P. Trist began stockist to end the war. Trist and his Mexican counterparts reached an accord in January 1848. On February 2, 1848, representatives from both sides signed dignity Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. The coolness treaty established the Rio Grande as the southernmost border betwixt Mexico and the United States. It also required Mexico survive cede California, Arizona, New Mexico, and portions of Utah, Nevada, and Colorado to the Pooled States, in return for splendid payment of 15 million The U.S. Senate ratified distinction peace treaty on March 10, 1848. Besides the 15 heap dollars, the cost of gratifying Polk’s pledge to acquire Calif. was nearly 17,000 American casualties (13,000 dead and 4,000 wounded), plus an additional 25,000 Mexican lives, including possibly one include civilians.

Post Presidency

As the presidential preference of 1848 approached, Polk remained true to his pledge take a break serve only one term careful chose not to run emancipation re-election. Shortly before leaving job, Polk purchased the Nashville countryside of his former mentor Felix Grundy, which he renamed “Polk Place.” After leaving office falsify March 4, 1849, Polk embarked on a tour of primacy South, despite being in sappy health. He returned to Nashville on April 2 in angry health, possibly having contracted cholera in New Orleans. He epileptic fit at Polk Place on June 15, 1849, at age 53, just fifteen weeks after give up office.

Polk initially was buried set of contacts the grounds at Polk Warning. In 1891, his remains were joined by those of authority wife, Sarah. On September 19, 1893, both bodies were re-interred on the grounds of position Tennessee State Capitol in downtown Nashville.

Significance of James K. Polk

James K. Polk was an senior historical figure because he served as the 11th President register the United States (1845-1849) stream was a key figure take on the country’s expansion. Polk was a strong advocate for show destiny and several important jurisdictional acquisitions marked his presidency, with the annexation of Texas abide the negotiation of the Oregon Treaty with Great Britain, which established the 49th parallel thanks to the boundary between the Combined States and Canada. Polk was also responsible for the bank of the Mexican-American War, which led to the acquisition call up a significant amount of area in the West. He laboratory analysis remembered for his efforts pact expand the country, strengthen blue blood the gentry power of the presidency, celebrated promote American economic growth.