| Franklin Pierce | |
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| In office March 4, 1853 – March 4, 1857 |
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| Vice President | William R. King (1853) None (1853-1857) |
| Preceded by | Millard Fillmore |
| Succeeded by | James Buchanan |
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| In office March 4, 1837 – February 28, 1842 |
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| Preceded by | John Page |
| Succeeded by | Leonard Wilcox |
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| Born | November 23, 1804 Hillsborough, New Hampshire |
| Died | October 8, 1869 (aged 64) Concord, New Hampshire |
| Nationality | United States |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jane Appleton Pierce |
| Alma mater | Bowdoin College |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Religion | Episcopal |
| Signature |  |
Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804 – October 8, 1869) was an American politician and the fourteenth President of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the William Rufus deVane King (April 7 1786 &ndash April 18 1853 was a U Millard Fillmore ( January 7 1800 &ndash March 8 1874 was the thirteenth President of the United States, serving from 1850 until 1853 and the last member of the Whig James Buchanan Jr (April 23 1791 – June 1 1868 was the fifteenth President of the United States (1857–1861 The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1837 ( MDCCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 202 BC - coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty 's rule Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common John Page ( May 21, 1787 &ndash September 8, 1865) was an American farmer and politician from Haverhill New Hampshire Leonard Wilcox ( January 29, 1799 &ndash June 18, 1850) was a United States Senator from New Hampshire. Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Hillsborough, frequently spelled Hillsboro, is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The city of Concord (ˈkɒnkərd often mispronounced as " Concorde " is the Capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Jane Means Appleton Pierce ( March 12, 1806 &ndash December 2, 1863) wife of Franklin Pierce, was First Lady of the United Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval Bowdoin College, founded in 1794 is a private liberal arts college located in the coastal New England town of Brunswick, Maine. A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law as an attorney, Counsel or Solicitor; a person The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Politics of the United States takes place in the framework of a presidential, Federal republic where the President of the United States (the Head of The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by To date, he is the only president from New Hampshire. New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America.
Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" (a Northerner with Southern sympathies) who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Originally used to mean an actual mask made of dough doughface came to be used in a disparaging context for someone especially a politician who is pliable moldable like dough The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Later, Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general. Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. His private law practice in his home state, New Hampshire, was so successful that he was offered several important positions, which he turned down. New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Later, he was nominated for president as a dark horse candidate on the 49th ballot at the 1852 Democratic National Convention. This article describes dark horse candidates For other uses see Dark Horse. The 1852 Democratic National Convention was held at Maryland Institute in Baltimore Maryland. In the presidential election, Pierce and his running mate William R. King won by a landslide, defeating the Whig Party ticket of Winfield Scott and William A. Graham by a 50 to 44% margin in the popular vote and 254 to 42 in the electoral vote. The United States presidential election of 1852 was in many ways a replay of the election of 1844. William Rufus deVane King (April 7 1786 &ndash April 18 1853 was a U The Whig Party was a Political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Winfield Scott ( June 13, 1786 &ndash May 29, 1866) was a United States Army general Diplomat, and presidential candidate William Alexander Graham ( September 5, 1804 August 11, 1875) was a United States Senator from North Carolina from The Electoral College consists of 538 popularly elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice President of the United States.
His good looks and inoffensive personality caused him to make many friends, but he suffered tragedy in his personal life and as president subsequently made decisions which were widely criticized and divisive in their effects, thus giving him the reputation as one of the worst presidents in U.S. history. In Political science, historical rankings of United States Presidents are surveys conducted in order to construct rankings of the success of individuals who have served Pierce's popularity in the North declined sharply after he came out in favor of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, repealing the Missouri Compromise and reopening the question of the expansion of slavery in the West. The Northern United States is a large geographic region of the United States of America. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands repealed the Missouri Compromise of The Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving Slavery in the United States began soon after English colonists first settled Virginia in 1607 and lasted until the passage of the Thirteenth The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost Pierce's credibility was further damaged when several of his diplomats issued the Ostend Manifesto. The Ostend Manifesto was a secret document written in 1854 by U Historian David Potter concludes that the Ostend Manifesto and the Kansas-Nebraska Act were "the two great calamities of the Franklin Pierce administration. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands repealed the Missouri Compromise of . . . Both brought down an avalanche of public criticism. " More important says Potter, they permanently discredited Manifest Destiny and popular sovereignty. Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to expand from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean. Popular sovereignty or the sovereignty of the people is the belief that the legitimacy of the State is created by the will or consent of its people, who
Abandoned by his party, Pierce was not renominated at the 1856 presidential election and was replaced by James Buchanan. The United States presidential election of 1856 was unusually heated James Buchanan Jr (April 23 1791 – June 1 1868 was the fifteenth President of the United States (1857–1861 After losing the Democratic nomination, Pierce continued his lifelong struggle with alcoholism as his marriage to Jane Means Appleton Pierce fell apart. Alcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions Jane Means Appleton Pierce ( March 12, 1806 &ndash December 2, 1863) wife of Franklin Pierce, was First Lady of the United His reputation was destroyed during the American Civil War when he declared support for the Confederacy, and personal correspondence between Pierce and Confederate President Jefferson Davis was leaked to the press. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 The President of the Confederate States of America was the Head of State and Head of Government of the Confederate States of America, which was formed from Jefferson Finis Davis ( June 3, 1808 &ndash December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as President of the He died in 1869 from cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic Liver Disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrous Scar tissue as well as regenerative
Philip B. Kunhardt and Peter W. Kunhardt reflected the views of many historians when they wrote in The American President that Pierce was "a good man who didn't understand his own shortcomings. He was genuinely religious, loved his wife and reshaped himself so that he could adapt to her ways and show her true affection. He was one of the most popular men in New Hampshire, polite and thoughtful, easy and good at the political game, charming and fine and handsome. However, he has been criticized as timid and unable to cope with a changing America. "
Contents |
Early life
Franklin Pierce was born in a log cabin near Hillsborough, New Hampshire, the second future U. A log cabin is a small house built from logs It is a fairly simple type of Log house. Hillsborough, frequently spelled Hillsboro, is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. S. president to be born in the Nineteenth century. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The site of his birth is now under Franklin Pierce Lake. Franklin Pierce Lake is a reservoir located in Hillsborough County in southern New Hampshire, United States, in the towns of Hillsborough Pierce's father was Benjamin Pierce, a frontier farmer who became a Revolutionary War soldier, a state militia general, and a two-time governor of New Hampshire. Benjamin Pierce ( December 25, 1757 - April 1, 1839) US Democratic-Republican Party politician He served as Governor In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Governor of the State of New Hampshire is the supreme executive magistrate of the U His mother was Anna Kendrick. He was the sixth of eight children; he had four brothers and three sisters.
Pierce attended school at Hillsborough Center and moved to the Hancock Academy in Hancock at the age of 11; he was transferred to Francestown Academy in the spring of 1820. The Franklin Pierce Homestead was the childhood home of the fourteenth President of the United States, Franklin Pierce. Hancock is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. Friends recalled that just after he entered the school, he became homesick and returned home on foot. His father put him into a wagon, drove him halfway back to the academy, and left him at the roadside, never saying a word. The boy trudged the remaining 7 miles back to school. Later that year he was transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy to prepare for college. Phillips Exeter Academy (also called Exeter, Phillips Exeter or PEA) is a Co-educational independent Boarding school for grades 9–12 In fall 1820, he entered Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where he participated in literary, political, and debating clubs. Bowdoin College, founded in 1794 is a private liberal arts college located in the coastal New England town of Brunswick, Maine. Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States.
There he met writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, with whom he formed a lasting friendship,[1] and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4 1804 – May 19 1864 was an American novelist and Short story writer Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27 1807 &ndash March 24 1882 was an American educator and Poet whose works include " Paul Revere's Ride " He also met Calvin E. Stowe, Seargent S. Prentiss, and his future political rival, John P. Hale, when he joined the Athenian Society, a group of students with progressive political leanings. Harriet Beecher Stowe (June 14 1811 – July 1 1896 was an American Author and Abolitionist, whose Novel Uncle Tom's Cabin Seargent Smith Prentiss ( 30 September 1808 - 1 July 1850) was the representative for Mississippi in the Twenty-fifth United States John Parker Hale ( March 31, 1806 &ndash November 19, 1873) was an American politician and lawyer from New Hampshire
In his second year of college, his grades were the lowest in his class but he worked to improve them, and graduated in 1824, third in his class. After graduation, in 1826, he entered a law school in Northampton, Massachusetts, studying under Governor Levi Woodbury, and later Judges Samuel Howe and Edmund Parker, in Amherst, New Hampshire. A law school (also known as a school of law or college of law) is an institution specializing in Legal education. Northampton is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Levi Woodbury ( December 22, 1789 September 4, 1851) was the first justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to have attended Samuel Gridley Howe (November 10 1801 - January 9 1876 was a prominent 19th century United States Physician, Abolitionist, and an advocate of education for Amherst is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States.
He was admitted to the bar and began a law practice in Concord, New Hampshire in 1827. Jane Means Appleton Pierce ( March 12, 1806 &ndash December 2, 1863) wife of Franklin Pierce, was First Lady of the United A bar association is a Professional body of Lawyers Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their Jurisdiction The city of Concord (ˈkɒnkərd often mispronounced as " Concorde " is the Capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States
Early political career
After graduating college, Pierce entered politics and rose to a central position in the Democratic party of New Hampshire and became a member of the Concord Regency leadership group. In 1828 he was elected to the lower house of the New Hampshire General Court, the New Hampshire House of Representatives. A lower house is one of two chambers of a Bicameral Legislature, the other chamber being the Upper house. The General Court of New Hampshire is the Bicameral state legislature of the U The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the Lower house in the New Hampshire General Court. He served in the State House from 1829 to 1833, and as Speaker from 1832 to 1833. Speaker of the House is a political term referring to a number of people In the United Kingdom and Canada, the Speaker of the House Pierce served in the state legislature of New Hampshire while his father was governor.
In 1832, Pierce was elected as a Democrat to the 23rd and 24th Congresses (March 4, 1833 – March 4, 1837). The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The Twenty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government consisting of the United States Senate and The Twenty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government consisting of the United States Senate and Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1833 ( MDCCCXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1837 ( MDCCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common He was only 27 years old, the youngest U.S. Representative at the time. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate.
In 1836, he was elected by the New Hampshire General Court as a Democrat to the United States Senate, serving from March 4, 1837, to February 28, 1842, when he resigned. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1837 ( MDCCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 202 BC - coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty 's rule Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common He was chairman of the U. S. Senate Committee on Pensions during the 26th Congress. The Twenty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government consisting of the United States Senate and
After his service in the Senate, Pierce resumed the practice of law in Concord with his partner Asa Fowler. The city of Concord (ˈkɒnkərd often mispronounced as " Concorde " is the Capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States Asa Fowler ( February 23, 1811 - April 26, 1885) was a New Hampshire politician lawyer and jurist He was United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire from 1845 to 1847. He refused the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Hampshire and also declined the appointment as Attorney General of the United States tendered by President James K. Polk. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The Governor of the State of New Hampshire is the supreme executive magistrate of the U The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice (see) concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by James Knox Polk ( November 2 1795&ndashJune 15 1849 was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4 1845 to March 4 1849
Family
On November 19, 1834, Pierce married Jane Means Appleton (1806-63), the daughter of a former president of Bowdoin College. Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Year 1834 ( MDCCCXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Jane Means Appleton Pierce ( March 12, 1806 &ndash December 2, 1863) wife of Franklin Pierce, was First Lady of the United Appleton was Pierce's opposite. Born into an aristocratic Whig family, she was extremely shy, often ill, deeply religious, and pro-temperance. The Whig Party was a Political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. See also Prohibition, Teetotalism The Temperance Movement attempted to reduce the amount of Alcohol consumed within a community or society in They had three children who all died in childhood. Two of their children died very young and the last one survived until the age of 11 and was killed in a train wreck. None of them lived to see their father become president. [2]
Jane was never happy with her husband's involvement in the political world. Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. She hated life in Washington, D.C., and encouraged Pierce to resign his Senate seat and return to New Hampshire, which he did in 1841. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. After the death of her last child, shortly before Pierce's inauguration, she was overcome with melancholia and she distanced herself during her husband's presidency. Pierce's personal life caused him a great deal of pain and he was known to many as being a heavy drinker.
Franklin Pierce, Jr. (February 2, 1836 – February 5, 1836) died three days after birth. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap
Frank Robert Pierce (August 27, 1839 – November 14, 1843) died at the age of four from epidemic typhus. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Typhus is any of several similar diseases caused by Louse -borne bacteria
Benjamin "Bennie" Pierce (April 13, 1841 – January 16, 1853) died at the age of 11 in a tragic railway accident in Andover, Massachusetts which his parents witnessed, 1 month before the inauguration of his father. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople For the game see 1841 (board game. Year 1841 ( MDCCCXLI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States.
Mexican War
He enlisted in the volunteer services during the Mexican-American War and was soon made a colonel. In March 1847, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers and took command of a brigade of reinforcements for Winfield Scott's army marching on Mexico City. Winfield Scott ( June 13, 1786 &ndash May 29, 1866) was a United States Army general Diplomat, and presidential candidate Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México DF, México or simply Méjico) is the Capital city of Mexico His brigade was designated the 1st Brigade in the newly created 3rd Division and joined Scott's army in time for the Battle of Contreras. The Battle of Contreras, also known as the Battle of Padierna, took place during the August 19&ndash20 1847 in the final encounters of the Mexican-American War During the battle he was seriously wounded in the leg when he fell from his horse.
He returned to his command the following day, but during the Battle of Churubusco, the pain in his leg became so great that he passed out and was carried from the field. The Battles of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Contreras (Padierna during the Mexican-American His political opponents used this against him, claiming that he left the field because of cowardice instead of injury. He again returned to command and led his brigade throughout the rest of the campaign culminating in the capture of Mexico City. The Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847, in the general vicinity of Mexico City Although he was a political appointee, he proved to have some skill as a military commander. He returned home and served as president of the New Hampshire State constitutional convention in 1850. Alternative meaning Constitutional convention (political custom A constitutional convention is a gathering for the purpose of writing a new
Election of 1852
A Whig Party cartoon favoring Pierce's main opponent, Winfield Scott. The United States presidential election of 1852 was in many ways a replay of the election of 1844. The Whig Party was a Political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Winfield Scott ( June 13, 1786 &ndash May 29, 1866) was a United States Army general Diplomat, and presidential candidate
At the Democratic National Convention of 1852, Pierce was not initially given serious consideration for the presidential nomination. He had no credentials as a major political figure or statesman, he was not a military hero, and had not held elective office for the last ten years. The convention assembled on June 12 in Baltimore, Maryland, with four major contenders—Stephen A. Douglas, William L. Marcy, James Buchanan and Lewis Cass — for the nomination. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Stephen Arnold Douglas ( April 23, 1813 - June 3, 1861) was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and William Learned Marcy ( December 12, 1786 - July 4, 1857) was an American statesman who served as U James Buchanan Jr (April 23 1791 – June 1 1868 was the fifteenth President of the United States (1857–1861 Lewis Cass ( October 9, 1782 – June 17, 1866) was an American military officer and Politician. Most of those who had left the party with Martin Van Buren to form the Free Soil Party had returned. Martin Van Buren (December 5 1782 July 24 1862 was the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841 Prior to the vote to determine the nominee, a party platform was adopted, opposing any further "agitation" over the slavery issue and supporting the Compromise of 1850 in an effort to unite the various Democratic Party factions. A party platform, also known as a Manifesto, is a list of the principles which a Political party supports in order to appeal to the general public for the purpose The Compromise of 1850 was a series of bills aimed at resolving the territorial and slavery controversies arising from the Mexican-American War (1846&ndash1848
When the balloting for president began, the four candidates deadlocked, with no candidate reaching even a simple majority, much less the required supermajority of two-thirds. A supermajority or a qualified majority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level or type of support which exceeds a simple Majority in order to have On the 35th ballot, Pierce was put forth to break the deadlock as a compromise candidate. Pierce was generally popular due to his long career as a party activist and consistent support of Democratic positions. He had never fully articulated his views on slavery, allowing him to be acceptable to all factions. He also had served in the Mexican-American War, which allowed the party to portray him as a war hero. A hero (from Greek grc ἥρως hērōs) in Greek mythology and Folklore, was originally a Demigod, the offspring of a mortal and Pierce was nominated unanimously on the 49th ballot on June 5. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Alabama Senator William R. King was chosen as the nominee for Vice President. William Rufus deVane King (April 7 1786 &ndash April 18 1853 was a U The Vice President of the United States is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death [1]
Pierce's opponent was the United States Whig Party candidate, General Winfield Scott of Virginia, under whom Pierce served during the Mexican-American War, and his running mate, Secretary of the Navy William A. Graham. The Whig Party was a Political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Winfield Scott ( June 13, 1786 &ndash May 29, 1866) was a United States Army general Diplomat, and presidential candidate The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The United States Secretary of the Navy ( SECNAV) is the Civilian head of the Department of the Navy. William Alexander Graham ( September 5, 1804 August 11, 1875) was a United States Senator from North Carolina from Pierce easily prevailed as Scott — nicknamed Old Fuss and Feathers — ran a blundering campaign.
The Whigs' platform was almost indistinguishable from that of the Democrats, reducing the campaign to a contest between the personalities of the two candidates and helping to drive down voter turnout in the election to its lowest percentage level since 1836. Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a Ballot in an Election. The United States presidential election of 1836 is predominantly remembered for three reasons It was the last election until 1988 to result in the elevation Pierce's likable personality and lack of strongly held positions helped him prevail over Scott, whose anti-slavery views hurt him in the South. Scott's strength as a known war hero was countered by Pierce's service in the same war.
Pierce was also helped by Irish Catholic support of the Democratic Party and disdain for the Whig Party. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland.
The Democrats' slogan was "We Polked you in 1844; we shall Pierce you in 1852!" (a reference to the victory of James K. Polk in the 1844 election). James Knox Polk ( November 2 1795&ndashJune 15 1849 was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4 1845 to March 4 1849 The United States presidential election of 1844 saw Democrat James Knox Polk defeat Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign [3] This proved to be true, as Scott only won the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The total popular vote was 1,601,274 to 1,386,580, or 50. 9% to 44. 1%. Pierce won 27 of the 31 states, including Scott's home state of Virginia. John P. Hale, who like Pierce was from New Hampshire, was the nominee of the remnants of the Free Soil Party, garnering 155,825 votes (5% of the total). John Parker Hale ( March 31, 1806 &ndash November 19, 1873) was an American politician and lawyer from New Hampshire
The election of 1852 would be the last presidential contest in which the Whigs would field a candidate. In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act divided the Whigs, with the Northern Whigs deeply opposed. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands repealed the Missouri Compromise of As a result, the Whigs splintered and most of their membership migrated to the nativist American Party Know-Nothings, the Constitutional Union Party, and the newly formed Republicans. Nativism is an Opposition to immigration which originated in United States politics with roots in the country's historic role as a Melting pot. The Know Nothing movement was a Nativist American political movement of the 1850s The Constitutional Union Party (also known as the Bell-Everett Party in California was a Political party in the United States created in 1860
At his inauguration, Pierce was the youngest President ever, age 48, a record he would keep until 46-year-old Ulysses S. Grant was inaugurated president in 1869. Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States
Results of the election: Pierce/King: 254 electoral votes, 1. 6 million popular votes Scott/Graham: 42 electoral votes, 1. 3 million popular votes Hale/Julian: 0 electoral votes, 155,000 popular votes.
Presidency 1853-1857
Beginnings
Franklin Pierce assumed presidency at a time of relative tranquility and peace. William Rufus deVane King (April 7 1786 &ndash April 18 1853 was a U The Compromise of 1850 seemed to have calmed the storm around the issue of slavery. When the issue suddenly resurfaced during his administration, however, Pierce did little to deal with it and the sectional fissures reopened. [4] He was able to follow in the footsteps of previous party presidents because he was committed to the same causes they were and because other party member saw the virtues of the qualities he possessed. Pierce served as U. S. President from March 4, 1853, to March 4, 1857. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the Two months before he took office on January 6, 1853, shortly after boarding a train in Boston, president-elect Pierce and his family were trapped in a derailed car when it rolled over an embankment near Andover, Massachusetts. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common A derailment is an accident on a railway in which a Train leaves the rails which can result in damage injury and death To keep a Road or rail line straight and/or flat and where the comparative cost or practicality of alternate solutions (such as diversion is too prohibitive the land over Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Pierce and his wife survived and were merely shaken up, but they watched as their 11-year-old son Benjamin ("Bennie") was crushed to death. Grief-stricken, Pierce entered the presidency nervously exhausted.
The family had already lost two children to typhus, and Jane Pierce believed the train accident was divine punishment for her husband's acceptance of the high office of the presidency. Other events deepened the somber mood of the new administration, former First Lady Abigail Fillmore's death in March and that of Vice President William R. King's in April. First Lady of the United States is the unofficial title of the hostess of the White House. Abigail Powers Fillmore ( March 13, 1798 &ndash March 30, 1853) wife of Millard Fillmore, was First Lady of the United The Vice President of the United States is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death William Rufus deVane King (April 7 1786 &ndash April 18 1853 was a U As a result, Pierce chose to "affirm" his Oath of Office on a law book rather than the Bible. He is among a small number of Presidents who did not take the presidential oath on a Bible. (As an example,Theodore Roosevelt did not place his hand on anything at all). Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T In his inaugural address, Pierce proclaimed an era of peace and prosperity at home and vigor in relations with other nations, saying that the United States might have to acquire additional possessions for the sake of its own security and would not be deterred by "any timid forebodings of evil. Inauguration Day is the day every four years on which the President of the United States is sworn in and takes office. "
Policies
Pierce selected for his Cabinet not men of similar beliefs but a broad cross-section of people he personally knew and of the Democratic Party itself. The United States Cabinet (usually simplified as "the Cabinet" is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the Executive branch of the Federal government Many thought that the diverse group would soon break up, but instead it became the only Cabinet, as of 2008, that remained unchanged through a four-year term. In foreign policy, Pierce showed a traditional Democratic assertiveness. When Pierce came into office, there were significant tensions with a weak Spain, a reclusive Japan, and a powerful Britain creating problems in Central America. Just as in domestic affairs, Pierce's leadership came into question because he seemed to be too overwhelmed by forces he could not control. [5]
Pierce aroused sectional apprehension when he pressured the United Kingdom to relinquish its special interests along part of the Central American coast, and when he tried to persuade Spain to sell Cuba for $100 million (USD) because of the expansive sugar crop in Cuba. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la
The release of the Ostend Manifesto, signed by several of Pierce's cabinet members, caused outrage with its suggestion that the U. The Ostend Manifesto was a secret document written in 1854 by U S. seize Cuba by force, and permanently discredited the Democratic Party's expansionist policies, which it had so famously ridden to victory in 1844.
An 1856 cartoon depicts a giant free soiler being held down by James Buchanan and Lewis Cass standing on the Democratic platform marked "Kansas", "Cuba" and "Central America". James Buchanan Jr (April 23 1791 – June 1 1868 was the fifteenth President of the United States (1857–1861 Lewis Cass ( October 9, 1782 – June 17, 1866) was an American military officer and Politician. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la President Pierce also holds down the giant's beard as Stephen A. Douglas shoves a black man down his throat. Stephen Arnold Douglas ( April 23, 1813 - June 3, 1861) was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and
But the most controversial event of Pierce's presidency was the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise and reopened the question of slavery in the West. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands repealed the Missouri Compromise of The Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving This measure, the handiwork of Senator Stephen A. Douglas, allegedly grew out of his desire to promote a railroad from Chicago, Illinois to California through Nebraska. Stephen Arnold Douglas ( April 23, 1813 - June 3, 1861) was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Nebraska ( is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States and This problem came as much of a surprise to Pierce and the rest of his party members since they had spent a great deal of time calming down and fixing the difficult sectional tension. The party leaders thought they had succeeded in doing this with measures like the Compromise of 1850.
Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, advocate of a southern transcontinental route, had persuaded Pierce to send James Gadsden to Mexico to buy land for a southern railroad. Jefferson Finis Davis ( June 3, 1808 &ndash December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as President of the James Gadsden ( May 15, 1788 - December 25, 1858) Namesake of the Gadsden Purchase, in which the United States purchased from He purchased the area now comprising southern Arizona and part of southern New Mexico for $10 million (USD), commonly known as the Gadsden Purchase. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The Gadsden Purchase (known as Venta de La Mesilla or Treaty of La Mesilla in Mexico is a region of what is today southern Arizona and New Mexico This became known as the greatest success of the Pierce presidency.
Douglas, to win Southern support for the organization of Nebraska, placed in his bill a provision declaring the Missouri Compromise null and void. Douglas provided in his bills that the residents of the new territories could decide the slavery question for themselves. Pierce, who, in the eyes of his opponents, had acquired a reputation as untrustworthy and easily manipulated, was persuaded to support Douglas' plan in a closed meeting between Pierce, Douglas, and several southern Senators, with Pierce consulting only Jefferson Davis of his cabinet. Jefferson Finis Davis ( June 3, 1808 &ndash December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as President of the
The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act brought about a sequence of events that developed into Bleeding Kansas. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands repealed the Missouri Compromise of Bleeding Kansas, sometimes referred to in history as Bloody Kansas or the Border War, was a series of violent events involving Free-Staters Pro-slavery Border Ruffians, mostly from Missouri, illegally voted in a government that Pierce recognized, and Pierce called the Topeka Constitution, a shadow government set up by Free-Staters an act of "rebellion. In the decade leading up to the American Civil War, pro- slavery activists infiltrated Kansas Territory from the neighboring Slave state of Missouri Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee The Topeka Constitutional Convention was held in October 1855 in the town of Topeka, Kansas Territory. A shadow government is a "government-in-waiting" that remains in waiting with the intention of taking control of a Government in response to some event " Pierce continued to recognize the pro-slavery legislature even after a congressional investigative committee found its election illegitimate. He furthermore sent in federal troops to break up a meeting of the shadow government in Topeka. Topeka ( Kansa: Tó Ppí Kˀé ˌto ˈpːi ˌkˀeɪ Ioway: Dó Pí Kˀé ˌto ˈpʰi ˌkˀeɪ
The Act also caused widespread outrage in the North and spurred the creation of the Republican Party, a sectional Northern party which was organized as a direct response to the bill. The election of Republican Abraham Lincoln would lead to declarations of secession in 1860 and 1861. Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal
Meanwhile, Pierce lost all credibility he may have had in the North, and, as of 2008, was the only elected president (rather than a Vice President who succeeded to the position) to fail to be renominated by his party for a second term. Pierce is ranked among the least effective Presidents as well as an indecisive politician who was easily influenced. In Political science, historical rankings of United States Presidents are surveys conducted in order to construct rankings of the success of individuals who have served He was unable to command as President or to provide the required national leadership. Yet, he had the courage to stand by his convictions and buck the will of is own party, leading to his political exile.
Major legislation signed
- Signed Kansas-Nebraska Act. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands repealed the Missouri Compromise of
Administration and Cabinet
| The Pierce Cabinet | ||
|---|---|---|
| OFFICE | NAME | TERM |
| President | Franklin Pierce | 1853 – 1857 |
| Vice President | William R. King | 1853 |
| None | 1853 – 1857 | |
| Secretary of State | William L. Marcy | 1853 – 1857 |
| Secretary of Treasury | James Guthrie | 1853 – 1857 |
| Secretary of War | Jefferson Davis | 1853 – 1857 |
| Attorney General | Caleb Cushing | 1853 – 1857 |
| Postmaster General | James Campbell | 1853 – 1857 |
| Secretary of the Navy | James C. Dobbin | 1853 – 1857 |
| Secretary of the Interior | Robert McClelland | 1853 – 1857 |
Supreme Court appointments
Pierce appointed the following Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States:
- John Archibald Campbell – 1853
States admitted to the Union
none
Later life
After losing the Democratic nomination, Pierce reportedly quipped "there's nothing left to do but get drunk" (quoted also as "after the White House what is there to do but drink?") which he apparently did frequently. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by The Vice President of the United States is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death William Rufus deVane King (April 7 1786 &ndash April 18 1853 was a U The United States Secretary of State (commonly abbreviated as SecState) is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with Foreign affairs William Learned Marcy ( December 12, 1786 - July 4, 1857) was an American statesman who served as U The United States Secretary of the Treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, concerned with finance and monetary matters, and until James Guthrie ( December 5, 1792 &ndash March 3, 1869) was an American businessman and politician The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington 's administration Jefferson Finis Davis ( June 3, 1808 &ndash December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as President of the The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice (see) concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement Caleb Cushing ( January 17, 1800 &ndash January 2, 1879) was an American Statesman and Diplomat who served The United States Postmaster General is the executive head of the United States Postal Service. James Campbell ( September 1, 1812 &ndash January 27, 1893) was a politician from Philadelphia Pennsylvania. The United States Secretary of the Navy ( SECNAV) is the Civilian head of the Department of the Navy. James Cochran Dobbin ( January 17, 1814 &ndash August 4, 1857) was a nineteenth century Politician and Lawyer The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. Robert McClelland ( August 1, 1807 August 30, 1880) was a US Statesman, serving as U The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. John Archibald Campbell ( June 24, 1811 &ndash March 12, 1889) was an American Jurist. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence He once ran over an elderly woman while driving a carriage. During the Civil War, Pierce further damaged his reputation in the North by declaring support for the Confederacy, headed by his old cabinet member Davis. One of the few friends to stick by Pierce was his college friend and biographer, Nathaniel Hawthorne, although the former president had fallen so low that he was not asked to stand as a pallbearer at Hawthorne's funeral. Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4 1804 – May 19 1864 was an American novelist and Short story writer
In 1863 during the aftermath of Vicksburg, Union Soldiers under General Hugh Ewing's command captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis' Fleetwood Plantation, and Ewing turned over Davis' personal correspondence to his brother-in-law William T. Sherman. Background See also [[Vicksburg Campaign]] After crossing the Mississippi south of Vicksburg at Bruinsburg and driving northeast Grant had won battles at Hugh Boyle Ewing, (October 31 1826 &ndash June 30 1905 was a diplomat author attorney and Union Army general during the American Civil War. Jefferson Finis Davis ( June 3, 1808 &ndash December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as President of the [6] However, Ewing also sent copies of the letters to a few people he had known in Ohio, which, after being published, permanently ruined the reputation of former President Pierce. [6]As early as 1860, Pierce had written to Davis about "the madness of northern abolitionism," and other letters uncovered stated that he would "never justify, sustain, or in any way or to any extent uphold this cruel, heartless, aimless unnecessary war", and that "the true purpose of the war was to wipe out the states and destroy property. "[6] His reputation was destroyed in the eyes of his enemies. [7][8] Even abolitionist author Harriet Beecher Stowe referred to him as "the archtraitor. Harriet Beecher Stowe (June 14 1811 – July 1 1896 was an American Author and Abolitionist, whose Novel Uncle Tom's Cabin "[6]
Franklin Pierce died in Concord, New Hampshire at 4:49 a. The city of Concord (ˈkɒnkərd often mispronounced as " Concorde " is the Capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States m. on October 8, 1869 at 64 years old, from cirrhosis of the liver, stemming from his heavy drinking problem that he carried throughout his life, and was interred in the Minot Enclosure in the Old North Cemetery of Concord. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic Liver Disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrous Scar tissue as well as regenerative Historically he is known to Northerners as one of America's worst and most unproductive presidents, and to many Southern sympathizers, as a fair and friendly chief executive who could not manage the events that were beyond his or anyone else's control.
Legacy
Places named after President Pierce:
- Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire. Franklin Pierce University is a four-year liberal-arts university in rural Rindge New Hampshire, founded in 1962 and named after Franklin Pierce, the Rindge is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States.
- Franklin Pierce School District, and namesake high school in Parkland, Washington
- Pierce Elementary School in Flint, Michigan. Franklin Pierce High School in Parkland Washington is named after the fourteenth US President Franklin Pierce, who was president when the Washington Territory was Parkland is a Census-designated place (CDP in Pierce County, Washington, United States. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Flint is a city in the US state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, 66 miles (106 km northwest of Detroit.
- Franklin Pierce High School in the South Central Los Angeles
- Pierce County in Washington, Nebraska, Georgia, and Wisconsin (But not in North Dakota)
- Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, New Hampshire
- Mt. Pierce County is the second most populous county in the US state of Washington. Pierce County is a County located in the US state of Nebraska. Pierce County is a County located in the US state of Pierce County is a County located in the US state of Wisconsin. Pierce County is a County located in the US state of North Dakota. The Franklin Pierce Law Center (Pierce Law or FPLC is a private nonprofit American Bar Association -accredited Law school located in Concord New Hampshire The city of Concord (ˈkɒnkərd often mispronounced as " Concorde " is the Capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States Pierce in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, New Hampshire
- Pierce Street in downtown Amarillo, Texas
- Pierce Road in the presidential roads in Weymouth, Massachusetts
Preserved home
- Franklin Pierce Homestead now a New Hampshire state park
Notes
- ^ Miller, Edwin Haviland. The Presidential Range is a Mountain range located in the White Mountains of the state of New Hampshire, almost entirely in Coos County The White Mountains are a Mountain range that covers about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The Franklin Pierce Homestead was the childhood home of the fourteenth President of the United States, Franklin Pierce. State Park is a term used in the United States and in Mexico for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty historic interest recreation or other Salem Is My Dwelling Place: A Life of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1991: 68. ISBN 0877453322.
- ^ Franklin Pierce from the Internet Public Library
- ^ Franklin Pierce
- ^ www. The Internet Public Library (IPL is a non-profit largely student-run Website at Drexel University. franklinpierce. org/
- ^ Brinkley, A. and Dyer, D. The American Presidency. 2004. Houghhton Mifflin Company.
- ^ a b c d Allen, Felicity (1999). Jefferson Davis, Unconquerable Heart. University of Missouri Press, 359-360. ISBN 0826212190. Retrieved on 2007-11-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of
- ^ Robert Melvin to Jefferson Davis, July 22, 1863, in Mississippi in the Confederacy: As They Saw it, ed. Jefferson Finis Davis ( June 3, 1808 &ndash December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as President of the Events 1099 - First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Year 1863 ( MDCCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common John K. Bettersworth, pp. 210-12
- ^ Crist, Lynda Lasswel. A Bibliographical Note: Jefferson Davis's Personal Library: All Lost, Some Found. Journal of Mississippi History 45 (1983): 191-93
References
- Allen, Felicity. Jefferson Davis, Unconquerable Heart. St. Louis, Missouri: University of Missouri Press. 1999. ISBN 0826212190.
- Brinkley, A. and Dyer, D. The American Presidency. 2004. Houghhton Mifflin Company.
- Gara, Larry, The Presidency of Franklin Pierce (1991), standard history of his administration
- Nichols; Roy Franklin. Franklin Pierce, Young Hickory of the Granite Hills (1931), standard biography
- Nichols; Roy Franklin. The Democratic Machine, 1850-1854. Columbia University Press, 1923. online version
- Potter, David M, The Impending Crisis, 1848 - 1861. New York, New York: Harper & Row, 1976. ISBN 0-06-013403-8.
- Taylor; Michael J. C. "Governing the Devil in Hell: 'Bleeding Kansas' and the Destruction of the Franklin Pierce Presidency (1854-1856)" White House Studies, Vol. 1, 2001, pp 185-205
External links
- Extensive essay on Franklin Pierce and shorter essays on each member of his cabinet and First Lady from the Miller Center of Public Affairs
- Works by Franklin Pierce at Project Gutenberg
- White House biography
- Inaugural Address
- The Life of Franklin Pierce By Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Pierce Manse
- State of the Union: 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856
- Franklin Pierce - 2004 article on the centennial of his birth
- Franklin Pierce and His Services in the Valley of Mexico
- The Health and Medical History of President: Franklin Pierce
- The life of Gen. Frank. Pierce, of New Hampshire, the Democratic candidate for president of the United States by D.W. Barlett
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Brodhead Thomas Chandler Joseph Hammons Joseph M. Harper Henry Hubbard John W. Weeks |
Member from New Hampshire's At-large congressional district March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837 Served alongside: Benning M. Bean, Robert Burns, Joseph M. Harper, Henry Hubbard, Samuel Cushman, Joseph Weeks |
Succeeded by Charles G. Atherton Samuel Cushman James Farrington Joseph Weeks Jared W. Williams |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by John Page |
Senator from New Hampshire (Class 3) March 4, 1837 – February 28, 1842 Served alongside: Henry Hubbard, Levi Woodbury |
Succeeded by Leonard Wilcox |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Millard Fillmore |
President of the United States March 4, 1853 – March 4, 1857 |
Succeeded by James Buchanan |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Lewis Cass |
Democratic Party presidential candidate 1852 |
Succeeded by James Buchanan |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Pierce, Franklin |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | 14th President of the United States |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 23, 1804 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Hillsborough, New Hampshire |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 8, 1869 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Concord, New Hampshire |
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