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James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 - June 15, 1849) was the 11th (1845-1849) President of the United States.
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2 Nomination and election 3 Presidency 4 Places named for Polk 5 Supreme Court appointments 6 Related articles 7 External links |
Born in North Carolina in 1795, James Polk was studious and hard working. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1818, became a lawyer, and entered politics.
Polk was a member of the United States House of Representatives (1825-39), also serving as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (1835-39), and Governor of Tennessee (1839-41).
Democrats nominated dark horse candidate Polk on the ninth ballot of the Democratic National Convention after party favorite Martin Van Buren lost the bid because of his opposition to annexing Texas, a position deemed unacceptable by Southerners and by former president Andrew Jackson.
Told of his nomination in a letter, Polk penned the reply: "It has been well observed that the office of President of the United States should neither be sought nor declined. I have never sought it, nor should I feel at liberty to decline it, if conferred upon me by the voluntary suffrages of my fellow citizens."
Though a veteran politician, Polk entered the 1844 presidential campaign with little name recognition. Playing on his relative obscurity, the Whig opposition sniped "Who is James K. Polk?" An experienced and eloquent orator dubbed the "Napoleon of the Stump," Polk campaigned vigorously, surprising many with his stalwart support of westward expansion—a hotly-debated issue dodged by other candidates.
In the end, Polk's campaign policies paid off. On November 5, 1844, Polk defeated Whig party candidate Henry Clay to become the eleventh President of the United States. He won the election with 170 electoral votes versus Clay's 105. The popular vote count was much closer with Polk receiving just 38,000 more popular votes than Clay.
Resolved to serve only one term, Polk acted swiftly to fulfill his campaign promises. In just four years, he oversaw annexation of Texas, settlement of the Oregon boundary dispute with Great Britain, reestablishment of an independent treasury system, and acquisition of territory from Mexico that eventually became California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The former Mexican land came as part of the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, settling the Mexican-American War (fought from April 1846 to February 1848).
Polk's considerable political accomplishments took their toll on his health. Full of enthusiasm and vigor when he entered office, Polk left the White House at the age of 53 exhausted by his years of public service. He died less than four months later at his new home,"Polk Place," in Nashville, Tennessee.
Polk's wife, Sarah Childress Polk, lived at the residence another 42 years, often receiving visitors. During the American Civil War, Mrs. Polk welcomed both Confederate and Union leaders to her home. Polk Place became a pilgrimage destination and was respected as neutral ground. When Mrs. Polk passed away in 1891, she was mourned by a nation that regarded her as a precious link to the past.
Source: Library of Congress
Early life
Nomination and election
Presidency
Places named for Polk
(That does not include Polk County, North Carolina, which was named after Col. William Polk who fought in the American Revolutionary War.)Supreme Court appointments
Related articles
External links
Preceded by:
John TylerPresidents of the United States
Succeeded by:
Zachary Taylor