James Knox Polk
11th President of the United States
In office March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849
Vice President	George M. Dallas (1845-1849)
Preceded by	John Tyler
Succeeded by	Zachary Taylor
11th Governor of Tennessee
In office October 14, 1839 – October 15, 1841
Preceded by	Newton Cannon
Succeeded by	James Chamberlain Jones
17th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office December 7, 1835 – March 4, 1839
President	Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren
Preceded by	John Bell
Succeeded by	Robert M. T. Hunter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 6th district
In office March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1833
Preceded by	John A. Cocke
Succeeded by	Balie Peyton
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 9th district
In office March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1839
Preceded by	William Fitzgerald
Succeeded by	Harvey M. Watterson
Born	November 2, 1795(1795-11-02) Pineville, North Carolina
Died	June 15, 1849 (aged 53) Nashville, Tennessee
Nationality	American (US)
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Sarah Childress Polk
Alma mater	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Occupation	Lawyer, Farmer (Planter)
Religion	Methodist
Signature

James Knox Polk (pronounced /ˈpoʊk/ "poke"; November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 4, 1849. 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 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (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 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common George Mifflin Dallas (July 10 1792 &ndash December 31 1864 was a U Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common John Tyler Jr (March 29 1790 January 18 1862 was the tenth President of the United States (1841-1845 and the first ever to obtain that office via succession Zachary Taylor (November 24 1784 &ndash July 9 1850 was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 533 - Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the For the game see 1841 (board game. Year 1841 ( MDCCCXLI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link Newton Cannon ( May 22, 1781 &ndash September 16, 1841) was Governor of the U James Chamberlain Jones ( April 20, 1809 October 29, 1859) was the Governor of Tennessee from 1841 to 1845 and a United The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer&mdashor speaker &mdashof the United States House of Representatives. Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1835 ( MDCCCXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (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 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Andrew Jackson (March 15 1767 June 8 1845 was the seventh President of the United States (1829&ndash1837 Martin Van Buren (December 5 1782 July 24 1862 was the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841 John Bell (also known as "The Great Apostate") ( February 15, 1797 &ndash September 10, 1869) was a U Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter ( April 21, 1809 &ndash July 18, 1887) American Statesman, was born in Essex The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The 6th Congressional District of Tennessee is a Congressional district in Middle Tennessee. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1825 ( MDCCCXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1833 ( MDCCCXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common John Alexander Cocke was an American politician who represented Tennessee as a member of the United States House of Representatives. Balie Peyton (1803-1878 was an American lawyer and politician who represented Tennessee's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The 9th Congressional District of Tennessee is a Congressional district in southwestern Tennessee. 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 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common William Fitzgerald was an American politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives. Harvey Magee Watterson ( November 23, 1811 &ndash October 1, 1891) was an American Lawyer, Newspaper editor, and politician Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Pineville is a town in Mecklenburg County North Carolina located between Charlotte and York County South Carolina. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Sarah Childress Polk ( September 4, 1803 &ndash August 14, 1891) wife of James K Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( UNC, North Carolina, or simply Carolina) is a public, Coeducational Research A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law as an attorney, Counsel or Solicitor; a person A farmer is a person who raises living organisms for food or raw materials Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common 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 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (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 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, but mostly lived in and represented the state of Tennessee. Mecklenburg County is a County located in the US state of North Carolina. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. A Democrat, Polk served as Speaker of the House (1835–1839) and Governor of Tennessee (1839–1841) prior to becoming president. The History of the United States Democratic Party is an account of the oldest Political party in the United States and arguably TalkDemocratic The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer&mdashor speaker &mdashof the United States House of Representatives.

A firm supporter of Andrew Jackson, Polk was the last "strong" pre-American Civil War president. Andrew Jackson (March 15 1767 June 8 1845 was the seventh President of the United States (1829&ndash1837 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 ^[1] Polk is noted for his foreign policy successes. Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American Magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P He threatened war with Britain then backed away and split the ownership of the Northwest with Britain. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 The Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America (the term refers to the land not the ocean He is even more famous for leading the successful Mexican–American War. He lowered the tariff and established a treasury system that lasted until 1913. For other uses of this word see Tariff (disambiguation. A tariff is a tax imposed on goods when they are moved across a political boundary A "dark horse" candidate in 1844, he was the first president who retired after one term and did not seek re-election. This article describes dark horse candidates For other uses see Dark Horse. He died three months after his term ended.

As a Democrat committed to geographic expansion (or "Manifest Destiny"), he overrode Whig objections and was responsible for the second-largest expansion of the nation's territory. Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to expand from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean. The Whig Party was a Political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Polk secured the Oregon Territory (including Washington, Oregon and Idaho), amounting to about 285,000 square miles (738,000 km²) then purchased 525,000 square miles (1,360,000 km²) through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican–American War. The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain (but normally referred to The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo in Spanish) is the Peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to

The expansion re-opened a furious debate over allowing slavery in the new territories. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another The controversy was inadequately arbitrated by the Compromise of 1850, and only found its ultimate resolution on the battlefields of the U. S. Civil War. 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 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 Polk signed the Walker Tariff that brought an era of near free trade to the country until 1861. The 1846 Walker tariff was a Democratic bill that reversed the high rates of Tariffs imposed by the Whig -backed " Black Tariff " He oversaw the opening of the U.S. Naval Academy and the Smithsonian, the groundbreaking for the Washington Monument, and the issuance of the first postage stamps in the United States, introduced by his Postmaster General Cave Johnson. The United States Naval Academy is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland, United States that educates and commissions officers of the United States The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of The Washington Monument is a large tall sand-colored Obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington D A postage stamp is an adhesive paper evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services The United States Postmaster General is the executive head of the United States Postal Service. Cave Johnson ( January 11, 1793 &ndash November 23, 1866) was for fourteen years a Democratic U He was the first President of the United States to be photographed frequently while in office. ^[2] Scholars have ranked him 8th to 12th on the list of greatest presidents for his ability to set an agenda and achieve all of it. 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

Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 2.1 Speaker of the House 2.2 Governor of Tennessee 3 Election of 1844 4 Presidency 4.1 Fiscal policy 4.2 Slavery 4.3 Foreign policy 4.3.1 Texas 4.3.2 Oregon territory 4.3.3 War with Mexico 4.3.4 Cuba 4.4 Department of the Interior 4.5 Administration and cabinet 4.6 Supreme Court appointments 4.7 Congress 4.8 States admitted to the Union 5 Post-presidency 6 Reputation 7 See also 8 References 8.1 Cited Texts 8.2 Primary sources 9 External links

Early life

Polk, the first of ten children, was born in a log farmhouse in what is now Pineville, North Carolina in Mecklenburg County on November 2, 1795, just outside of Charlotte. Pineville is a town in Mecklenburg County North Carolina located between Charlotte and York County South Carolina. Mecklenburg County is a County located in the US state of North Carolina. ^[3] His father, Samuel Polk, was a slaveholder, successful farmer and surveyor of Scots-Irish descent. Surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional space Position of points and the distances and angles between His mother, Jane Polk (née Knox), was a descendant of a brother of the Scottish religious reformer John Knox and named her firstborn after her father James Knox. John Knox (c 1510 – 24 November 1572 was a Scottish clergyman and leader of the Protestant Reformation who is considered the founder of the Presbyterian ^[3] While Jane was a Presbyterian, Samuel's father was a deist, so when James was taken to be baptized, Samuel had a religious argument with the minister and refused to have his son baptized. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Deism is the belief that a supreme God exists and created the physical universe and that religious truths can be arrived at by the application of reason alone without dependence on revelation In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted ^[3] In 1803, the majority of Polk's relatives moved to the Duck River area in what is now Maury County, Middle Tennessee; however, Polk's family waited until 1806 to follow. The Duck River is the longest River located entirely within the U Maury County (ˈmɝreɪ is a county located in the US state of Tennessee. ^[4] The family grew prosperous, with Samuel Polk becoming one of the leading planters of the area as well as a county judge. ^[4]

During his childhood, James suffered from poor health, which additionally negatively affected his early schooling. ^[4] In 1812, just before he turned 17, his father tried to take him to Philadelphia to seek Dr. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Philip Syng Physick in the back of a covered wagon. Philip Syng Physick ( July 7 1768 &ndash December 15 1837) was an American physician born in Philadelphia. However, his pain became so unbearable that he was taken instead to the nearer Dr. Ephraim McDowell of Danville, Kentucky, who conducted an operation to remove urinary stones. Ephraim McDowell ( NSHC statue Ephraim McDowell ( November Danville is a city in and the County seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. Kidney stones, also called renal calculi, are solid concretions (crystal aggregations of dissolved minerals in Urine; calculi typically form ^[5] The operation may have left James sterile, as Polk never had children. ^[6]

When Polk recovered, his formal education began at the age of 18, when he studied at the Zion Church near his home. He later attended an academy in Murfreesboro, where he potentially could have met his future wife, Sarah Childress; however, this has not been convincingly proven. Murfreesboro is a city in and the County seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. Sarah Childress Polk ( September 4, 1803 &ndash August 14, 1891) wife of James K ^[7] In 1815, a younger brother, William Hawkins Polk, was born; William eventually served as charge d'affairs to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies during the Polk administration and later as a U. William Hawkins Polk (1815–1862 was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives for the 6th congressional district of In diplomacy chargé d’affaires ( French for “charged with (in charge of matters” is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ( Regno delle Due Sicilie) commonly known as just the Two Sicilies, was the name of a Kingdom in Europe. S. Congressman. ^[8] He was then admitted to the University of North Carolina as a second-semester sophomore. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( UNC, North Carolina, or simply Carolina) is a public, Coeducational Research The Polks had connections with the university, then a small school of about eighty students: Sam Polk was their land agent for Tennessee, and his cousin, William Polk, was a trustee. ^[9] While there, Polk joined the Dialectic Society, in which he learned the art of oration. ^[5] He also became the first person to be reelected president of the society. Among the people Polk met at the university was his roommate William Dunn Moseley, who later became the first governor of Florida. William Dunn Moseley ( February 1, 1795 January 4, 1863) was an American politician. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the ^[10] Polk graduated in May 1818 at the top of his class. ^[10]

After graduation, Polk travelled to Nashville to study law under renowned Nashville trial attorney Felix Grundy. Felix Grundy ( September 11, 1777 – December 19, 1840) was a U While working for Grundy, he served as clerk of the Tennessee State Senate from 1819 to 1822, a position which enabled him to learn the routine of the legislature. The Tennessee Senate is the Upper house of the Tennessee state Legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly ^[11] Polk was admitted to the bar in June 1820, and established his own practice in Columbia, Tennessee while the Senate was in recess. A bar association is a Professional body of Lawyers Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their Jurisdiction Columbia is a city in Maury County, Tennessee, United States. His first case was to defend his father against a public fighting charge, a case which he won. ^[11] He worked with Aaron V. Brown, future Governor of Tennessee and Postmaster General. Aaron Venable Brown ( August 15, 1795 March 8, 1859) was a Governor of Tennessee and Postmaster General in the Buchanan The United States Postmaster General is the executive head of the United States Postal Service.

Political career

Polk was brought up as a Jeffersonian Democrat, for his father and grandfather were strong supporters of Thomas Jefferson. Jeffersonian Democracy is the set of political goals that were named after Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence The first public office he held was that of chief clerk of the Senate of Tennessee (1819–1822). He resigned the position in order to run his successful campaign for the state legislature in 1822, in which he defeated an incumbent. Polk's oratory became popular, earning him the nickname "Napoleon of the Stump. "^[12]

He courted Sarah Childress, and they married on January 1, 1824. Sarah Childress Polk ( September 4, 1803 &ndash August 14, 1891) wife of James K New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1824 ( MDCCCXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Polk was then 28, and Childress was 20 years old. Through their marriage, they had no children. They were married until his death in 1849. During Polk's political career, Sarah was said to assist her husband with his speeches, give him advice on policy matters and was always active in his campaigns. An old story told that Andrew Jackson had encouraged their romance when they began to court. ^[13]

Polk became a supporter of Andrew Jackson, then the leading politician of Tennessee. Andrew Jackson (March 15 1767 June 8 1845 was the seventh President of the United States (1829&ndash1837 In 1824, Jackson ran for President, while Polk campaigned for the House of Representatives. In the United States presidential election of 1824, John Quincy Adams was elected President on February 9 1825 after the election was decided by the House Overall results General Election of 1825 The following states did not hold general elections for the House in 1824 and instead scheduled their elections in Polk succeeded at age twenty-nine, but Jackson was defeated. Though Jackson had won the popular vote, neither he nor any of the other candidates (John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and William H. Crawford) had obtained a majority of the electoral vote. An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office John Quincy Adams (July 11 1767 &ndash February 23 1848 was an American diplomat and politician who served as the sixth President of the United States Henry Clay Sr ( April 12, 1777 &ndash June 29, 1852) was a nineteenth-century American statesman and Orator who William Harris Crawford ( February 24, 1772 &ndash September 15, 1834) was an important American politician The House of Representatives then had to select the victor. In his first speech, Polk expressed his belief that the House's decision to choose Adams was a violation of the will of the people. He even proposed, unsuccessfully, that the Electoral College be abolished. An electoral college is a set of many electors who are empowered to elect a candidate to a particular Office.

In Congress, Polk was a firm supporter of Jacksonian democracy. The United States House of Representatives is one of two chambers of the United States Congress. Jacksonian Democracy refers to the political philosophy of United States President Andrew Jackson and his supporters He opposed the Second Bank of the United States, favored gold and silver over paper money, distrusted banks, and preferred agricultural interests over industrial ones. The Second Bank of the United States was a bank chartered in 1816 five years after the expiration of the First Bank of the United States. This behavior earned him the nickname "Young Hickory," an allusion to Andrew Jackson's sobriquet, "Old Hickory. " After Jackson defeated Adams in the presidential election of 1828, Polk rose in prominence. The United States presidential election of 1828 featured a rematch between incumbent President John Quincy Adams and chief rival Andrew Jackson. He became leader of the pro-Administration faction in Congress. As chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, he was a chief lieutenant to President Jackson to abolish the National Bank. Committee of Ways and Means is the chief Tax -writing committee of the United States House of Representatives.

Speaker of the House

In December 1835, Polk defeated John Bell for the Speakership of the House, which he held for four years, during the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Congresses. John Bell may refer to John Bell (Bishop of Worcester (died 1556 English clergyman John Bell (traveller (1691–1780 Scottish The Twenty-fourth 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-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government consisting of the United States Senate and Jackson left office two years later, to be succeeded by fellow Democrat Martin Van Buren. Martin Van Buren (December 5 1782 July 24 1862 was the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841 Polk led a splintered House of Representatives: there was one vote difference between the Democrats and the Whigs when he was chosen; there were several third-party Representatives, and the Democrats and Whigs were themselves divided into factions.

Polk worked for Jackson's policies as speaker, and Van Buren's when he succeeded; he appointed committees with Democratic Chairmen and majorities, including the New York radical C. C. Cambreleng as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, although he maintained the facade of traditional bipartisanship. Churchill Caldom Cambreleng (1786 - 1862 was a member of the U Economic issues were the chief business of the House in his time, which included the Panic of 1837; Polk prevented the repeal of the anti-inflationary Specie Circular, and attempted, but failed, to pass the Independent Treasury plan, by which the Treasury would itself hold the revenues of the United States, instead of lending them to a private Bank or Banks as operating capital. The Panic of 1837 was a Panic in the United States built on a speculative fever The Specie Circular ( Coinage Act) was an executive order issued by U The Independent Treasury was a system for the retaining of government funds in the United States Treasury and its subtreasuries independently of the national banking and financial

Polk attempted to make a more orderly House; he maintained the gag rule against abolitionist petitions against slavery, and he himself steadily declined to react to Whig personal attacks by dueling, as was still customary. A gag rule is a rule that limits or forbids the raising consideration or discussion of a particular topic by members of a legislative or decision-making body ^[14]

Governor of Tennessee

In 1838, the political situation in Tennessee—where, in 1835, Democrats had lost the governorship for the first time in their party's history—convinced Polk to return to help the party at home. Leaving Congress in 1839, Polk became a candidate in the Tennessee gubernatorial election, defeating the incumbent Whig, Newton Cannon by about 2,500 votes, out of about 105,000. The Whig Party was a Political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Newton Cannon ( May 22, 1781 &ndash September 16, 1841) was Governor of the U ^[15] Though he revitalized Democrats in Tennessee, his victory could not put a stop to the political decline of the Democratic Party elsewhere in the nation.

In the presidential election of 1840, Van Buren was overwhelmingly defeated by a popular Whig, William Henry Harrison. The United States presidential election of 1840 saw President Martin Van Buren fight for re-election against an economic depression and a Whig Party This article is about the general and president For his great-great-grandson see William H Polk received one electoral vote from Tennessee for Vice President in the election. 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 ^[16] Polk lost his own gubernatorial re-election bid to a Whig, James C. Jones, in 1841, by a slightly greater margin. James Chamberlain Jones ( April 20, 1809 October 29, 1859) was the Governor of Tennessee from 1841 to 1845 and a United He challenged Jones in 1843 but was defeated once again. Throughout all three of these campaigns, he focused on the policy differences on the economy between the Whigs and the Democrats. He attacked the Whig platform on economic policies during these campaigns. These three campaigns of attacking the Whigs chiefly helped him gain a national spotlight within the Democratic Party, which helped him win the nomination for president in 1844.

Election of 1844

Main article: United States presidential election, 1844

Polk initially hoped to be nominated for vice-president at the Democratic convention, which began on May 27, 1844. The United States presidential election of 1844 saw Democrat James Knox Polk defeat Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The leading contender for the presidential nomination was former President Martin Van Buren, who wanted to stop the expansion of slavery. Other candidates included James Buchanan, General Lewis Cass, Cave Johnson, John C. Calhoun, and Levi Woodbury. 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. Cave Johnson ( January 11, 1793 &ndash November 23, 1866) was for fourteen years a Democratic U John Caldwell Calhoun (March 18 1782 &ndash March 31 1850 was a leading United States Southern politician and political philosopher from South Carolina during Levi Woodbury ( December 22, 1789 September 4, 1851) was the first justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to have attended The primary point of political contention involved the Republic of Texas, which, after declaring independence from Mexico in 1836, had asked to join the United States. The Republic of Texas was a sovereign Nation in North America between the United States and Mexico that existed from 1836 to The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Van Buren opposed the annexation but in doing so lost the support of many Democrats, including former President Andrew Jackson, who still had much influence. Van Buren won a simple majority on the convention's first ballot but did not attain the two-thirds supermajority required for nomination. After six more ballots, when it became clear that Van Buren would not win the required majority, Polk was put forth as a "dark horse" candidate. This article describes dark horse candidates For other uses see Dark Horse. The eighth ballot was also indecisive, but on the ninth, the convention unanimously nominated Polk, supported by Jackson.

Prior to the convention, Polk was called to the home of Andrew Jackson, by Jackson himself. Jackson told Polk that he was his favorite for the nomination of the Democratic Party. Even with this support, Polk still instructed his managers at the convention to support Van Buren, but only if it was certain that Van Buren had a chance to win the nomination. This assured that if a deadlock convention occurred, initial supporters of Van Buren would pick Polk as a compromise candidate for the Democrats. In the end, this is exactly what happened as a result for Polk's support of westward expansion. ^[17]

When advised of his nomination, Polk replied: "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. Suffrage (from the Latin suffragium, meaning "voting tablet" and figuratively "right to vote" probably from suffrago "hough" and originally " Because the Democratic Party was splintered into bitter factions, Polk promised to serve only one term if elected, hoping that his disappointed rival Democrats would unite behind him with the knowledge that another candidate would be chosen in four years. ^[18]

Polk's Whig opponent in the 1844 presidential election was Henry Clay of Kentucky. The United States presidential election of 1844 saw Democrat James Knox Polk defeat Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign Henry Clay Sr ( April 12, 1777 &ndash June 29, 1852) was a nineteenth-century American statesman and Orator who (Incumbent Whig President John Tyler—a former Democrat—had become estranged from the Whigs and was not nominated for a second term. John Tyler Jr (March 29 1790 January 18 1862 was the tenth President of the United States (1841-1845 and the first ever to obtain that office via succession ) The question of the annexation of Texas, which was at the forefront during the Democratic Convention, once again dominated the campaign. The Texas Annexation of 1845 was the voluntary Annexation of the Republic of Texas by the United States of America as Texas, the Polk was a strong proponent of immediate annexation, while Clay seemed more equivocal and vacillating.

Another campaign issue, also related to westward expansion, involved the Oregon Country, then under the joint occupation of the United States and Great Britain. Oregon Country or Oregon (to be distinguished from the American State also called Oregon) was a predominantly American term referring to See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The Democrats had championed the cause of expansion, informally linking the controversial Texas annexation issue with a claim to the entire Oregon Country, thus appealing to both Northern and Southern expansionists. (The slogan "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight", often incorrectly attributed to the 1844 election, did not appear until later; see Oregon boundary dispute. The Oregon boundary dispute (or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of ) Polk's consistent support for westward expansion—what Democrats would later call "Manifest Destiny"—likely played an important role in his victory, as opponent Henry Clay hedged his position. Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to expand from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean.

In the election, Polk and his running mate, George M. Dallas, won in the South and West, while Clay drew support in the Northeast. George Mifflin Dallas (July 10 1792 &ndash December 31 1864 was a U The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost The Northeast is a region of the United States. As defined by the U Polk lost his home state of Tennessee as well as North Carolina, his alma mater. However, Polk won the crucial state of New York (with the support of many Van Buren supporters, since it was his home state), where Clay lost supporters to the third-party candidate James G. Birney of the Liberty Party, who was anti-slavery. James Gillespie Birney (b February 4, 1792 &ndash November 25, 1857) was an Abolitionist, Politician and Jurist Also contributing to Polk's victory was the support of new immigrant voters, who were angered at the Whigs' policies. Polk won the popular vote by a margin of about 39,000 out of 2. 6 million, and took the Electoral College with 170 votes to Clay's 105. ^[19] Polk won 15 states, while Clay won 11. ^[20]

Polk is still the only Speaker of the House of Representatives ever to be elected President of the United States.

Presidency

When he took office on March 4, 1845, Polk, at 49, became the youngest man at the time to assume the presidency. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common According to a story told decades later by George Bancroft, Polk set four clearly defined goals for his administration:

• The re-establishment of the Independent Treasury System. George Bancroft (October 3 1800 &ndash January 17 1891 was an American Historian and Statesman who was prominent in promoting Secondary education The Independent Treasury was a system for the retaining of government funds in the United States Treasury and its subtreasuries independently of the national banking and financial
• The reduction of tariffs. Tariffs in American history have played different roles in trade policy and the Economic history of the United States.
• Acquisition of some or all of the Oregon Country. The Oregon boundary dispute (or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of
• The purchase of California from Mexico. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America.

Pledged to serve only one term, he accomplished all these objectives in just four years. By linking acquisition of new lands in Oregon (with no slavery) and Texas (with slavery), he hoped to satisfy both North and South. During his presidency James K. Polk was known as "Young Hickory" and "The Napoleon of the Stump" for his speaking skills.

Fiscal policy

In 1846, Congress approved the Walker Tariff (named after Robert J. Walker, the Secretary of the Treasury), which represented a substantial reduction of the high Whig-backed Tariff of 1842. The 1846 Walker tariff was a Democratic bill that reversed the high rates of Tariffs imposed by the Whig -backed " Black Tariff " Robert John Walker ( July 23, 1801 &ndash November 11, 1869) was an American economist and statesman 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 The Tariff of 1842, or Black Tariff as it became known was a protectionist Tariff schedule adopted in the United States to reverse the effects of The new law abandoned ad valorem tariffs; instead, rates were made independent of the monetary value of the product. An ad valorem tax ( Latin: according to value) is a Tax based on the value of Real estate or Personal property. Polk's actions were popular in the South and West; however, they earned him the enmity of many protectionists in Pennsylvania. For the protectionist Australian political party from the 1880s to 1909 see Protectionist Party The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern

In 1846, Polk approved a law restoring the Independent Treasury System, under which government funds were held in the Treasury rather than in banks or other financial institutions. This established independent treasury deposit offices, separate from private or state banks, to receive all government funds.

Slavery

Polk's views on slavery made his presidency bitterly unpopular between proponents of slavery, opponents of slavery, and advocates of compromise. During his presidency, many abolitionists harshly criticized him as an instrument of the "Slave Power," and claimed that the expansion of slavery lay behind his support for the annexation of Texas and later war with Mexico. The Slave Power (sometimes referred to as the " Slaveocracy " was a term used in the Northern United States (primarily in the period 1840-1875 to characterize The Texas Annexation of 1845 was the voluntary Annexation of the Republic of Texas by the United States of America as Texas, the ^[21] Polk stated in his diary that he believed slavery could not exist in the territories won from Mexico,^[22] but refused to endorse the Wilmot Proviso that would forbid it there. The Wilmot Proviso was introduced on August 8, 1846, in the United States House of Representatives as a rider on a $2 million appropriations Polk argued instead for extending the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific Ocean, which would prohibit the expansion of slavery above 36° 30' west of Missouri, but allow it below that line if approved by eligible voters in the territory. The Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee William Dusinberre has argued that his diary, which he kept during his presidency, was written for later publication, and does not represent Polk's real policy; most historians accept it.

Polk was a slaveholder for his entire life. His father, Samuel Polk, had left Polk more than 8,000 acres (32 km²) of land, and divided about 53 slaves to his widow and children after Samuel died. James inherited twenty of his father's slaves, either directly or from deceased brothers. In 1831, he became an absentee cotton planter, sending slaves to clear plantation land that his father had left him near Somerville, Tennessee. Somerville is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. Forty years later Polk sold his Somerville plantation and, together with his brother-in-law, bought 920 acres (3. 7 km²) of land, a cotton plantation near Coffeeville, Mississippi. Coffeeville is a town in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, United States. He ran this plantation for the rest of his life, eventually taking it over completely from his brother-in-law. Polk rarely sold slaves, although once he became President and could better afford it, he bought more. Polk's will stipulated that their slaves were to be manumitted after his wife Sarah had died. Manumission is the act of freeing a slave, done at the will of the owner However, the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and the 1865 Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution freed all remaining slaves in rebel states more than thirty-nine years before the death of his wife in 1891. The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution officially abolished and continues to prohibit Slavery, and with limited exceptions such as those ^[23]

Foreign policy

Polk was committed to expansion: Democrats believed that opening up more land for yeoman farmers was critical for the success of republican virtue. (See Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to expand from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean. ) Like most Southerners, he supported the annexation of Texas. To balance the interests of North and South, he wanted to acquire the Oregon Country (present-day Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia) as well. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C He sought to purchase California, which Mexico had neglected.

Texas

Main article: Texas Annexation

President Tyler interpreted Polk's victory as a mandate for the annexation of Texas. The Texas Annexation of 1845 was the voluntary Annexation of the Republic of Texas by the United States of America as Texas, the Acting quickly because he feared British designs on Texas, Tyler urged Congress to pass a joint resolution admitting Texas to the Union; Congress complied on February 28, 1845. In the United States Congress, a joint resolution is a legislative measure that requires approval by the Senate and the House and is presented The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 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 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Texas promptly accepted the offer and officially became a state on December 29, 1845. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The annexation angered Mexico, which had lost Texas in 1836. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was fought from October 2 1835 to April 21 1836 between Mexico and the Texas (Tejas portion of the Mexican Mexican politicians had repeatedly warned that annexation would lead to war.

Oregon territory

Main article: Oregon boundary dispute

Polk put heavy pressure on Britain to resolve the Oregon boundary dispute. The Oregon boundary dispute (or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain (but normally referred to The Oregon Treaty, officially known as the Treaty with Great Britain in Regard to Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains, Buchanan-Packenham The Oregon boundary dispute (or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of Since 1818, the territory had been under the joint occupation and control of Great Britain and the United States. Previous U. S. administrations had offered to divide the region along the 49th parallel, which was not acceptable to Britain, which had commercial interests along the Columbia River. The 49th parallel north is a Circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. The Columbia River (known as Although the Democratic platform asserted a claim to the entire region, Polk was prepared to quietly compromise. When the British again refused to accept the 49th parallel boundary proposal, Polk broke off negotiations and returned to the "All Oregon" position of the Democratic platform, which escalated tensions along the border.

Expansionists after the 1844 election shouted "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!" This slogan, often associated with Polk, was in fact the position of his rivals in the Democratic Party, who wanted Polk to be as uncompromising in acquiring the Oregon territory as he had been in annexing Texas. Polk wanted territory, not war, and compromised with the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Aberdeen. George Hamilton-Gordon 4th Earl of Aberdeen KG KT FRS PC (28 January 1784&ndash14 December 1860 styled Lord Haddo from 1791 The Oregon Treaty of 1846 divided the Oregon Country along the 49th parallel, the original American proposal. The Oregon Treaty, officially known as the Treaty with Great Britain in Regard to Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains, Buchanan-Packenham Although there were many who still clamored for the whole of the territory, the treaty was approved by the Senate. By settling for the 49th parallel, Polk angered many midwestern Democrats. Many of these Democrats believed that Polk had always wanted the boundary at the 49th, and that he had fooled them into believing he wanted it at the 54th parallel. The portion of Oregon territory acquired by the United States later formed the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and parts of the states of Montana and Wyoming. Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern The State of Wyoming ( is a sparsely populated state in the western region of the United States.

War with Mexico

Main article: Mexican-American War

After the Texas annexation, Polk turned his attention to California, hoping to acquire the territory from Mexico before any European nation did so. The main interest was San Francisco Bay as an access point for trade with Asia. San Francisco Bay is a shallow productive Estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento In 1845, he sent diplomat John Slidell to Mexico to purchase California and New Mexico for $20-30 million. John Slidell (1793 &ndash July 26, 1871) was an American politician lawyer and businessman New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Slidell's arrival caused political turmoil in Mexico after word leaked out that he was there to purchase additional territory and not to offer compensation for the loss of Texas. The Mexicans refused to receive Slidell, citing a technical problem with his credentials. In January 1846, to increase pressure on Mexico to negotiate, Polk sent troops under General Zachary Taylor into the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande — territory that was claimed by both the U. Zachary Taylor (November 24 1784 &ndash July 9 1850 was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. The Nueces River is a river in the US state of Texas, approximately 315 mi (507 km long S. and Mexico.

Slidell returned to Washington in May 1846, having been rebuffed by the Mexican government. Polk regarded this treatment of his diplomat as an insult and an "ample cause of war",^[24] and he prepared to ask Congress for a declaration of war. Meanwhile Taylor crossed the Rio Grande River and briefly occupied Matamoros, Tamaulipas. Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states of Mexico, it is located in the northeast Taylor continued to blockade ships from entering the port of Matamoros. Mere days before Polk intended to make his request to Congress, he received word that Mexican forces had crossed the Rio Grande area and killed eleven American soldiers. Polk then made this the casus belli, and in a message to Congress on May 11, 1846, he stated that Mexico had "invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil. Casus belli is a Latin language expression meaning the justification for acts of war Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople For the game see 1846 (board game. Year 1846 ( MDCCCXLVI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display "

Some in Congress expressed doubts about Polk's version of events. ^[25] but Congress overwhelmingly approved the declaration of war. Many Whigs feared that opposition would cost them politically by casting themselves as unpatriotic for not supporting the war effort. ^[26]

In the House, anti-slavery Whigs led by John Quincy Adams voted against the war; among Democrats, Senator John C. Calhoun was the most notable opponent of the declaration. John Quincy Adams (July 11 1767 &ndash February 23 1848 was an American diplomat and politician who served as the sixth President of the United States John Caldwell Calhoun (March 18 1782 &ndash March 31 1850 was a leading United States Southern politician and political philosopher from South Carolina during

By the summer of 1846, American forces under General Stephen W. Kearny had captured New Mexico. Stephen Watts Kearny (IPA; "Kar-ney" ( August 30, 1794 October 31, 1848) was one of the foremost antebellum frontier officers Meanwhile, Army captain John C. Frémont led settlers in northern California to overthrow the Mexican garrison in Sonoma (in the Bear Flag Revolt). John Charles Frémont ( January 21, 1813 July 13, 1890) was an American military officer, explorer, the The California Republic, also called the Bear Flag Republic, was the result of a revolt by Americans on June 14 1846, in the town of Sonoma General Zachary Taylor, at the same time, was having success on the Rio Grande, although Polk did not reinforce his troops there. The United States also negotiated a secret arrangement with Antonio López de Santa Anna, the Mexican general and dictator who had been overthrown in 1844. Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón ( February 21, 1794 &ndash June 21, 1876) often known as Santa Santa Anna agreed that, if given safe passage into Mexico, he would attempt to persuade those in power to sell California and New Mexico to the United States. Once he reached Mexico, however, he reneged on his agreement, declared himself President, and tried to drive the American invaders back. Santa Anna's efforts, however, were in vain, as Generals Taylor and Winfield Scott destroyed all resistance. Winfield Scott ( June 13, 1786 &ndash May 29, 1866) was a United States Army general Diplomat, and presidential candidate Scott captured Mexico City in September of 1847, and Taylor won a series of victories in northern Mexico. Even after these battles, Mexico did not surrender until 1848, when they agreed to peace terms set out by Polk.

Polk sent diplomat Nicholas Trist to negotiate with the Mexicans. Nicholas Philip Trist ( June 2 1800 - February 11 1874) was an American Diplomat. Lack of progress prompted the President to order Trist to return to the United States, but the diplomat ignored the instructions and stayed in Mexico to continue bargaining. Trist successfully negotiated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, which Polk agreed to ratify, ignoring calls from Democrats who demanded the annexation of the whole of Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo in Spanish) is the Peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to The treaty added 1. 2 million square miles (3. 1 million km²) of territory to the United States; Mexico's size was halved, whilst that of the United States increased by a third. California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming were all included in the Mexican Cession. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. The State of Wyoming ( is a sparsely populated state in the western region of the United States. The treaty also recognized the annexation of Texas and acknowledged American control over the disputed territory between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. The Nueces River is a river in the US state of Texas, approximately 315 mi (507 km long Mexico, in turn, received the sum of $15 million. The war claimed less than 20,000 American lives but over 50,000 Mexican ones. ^[27] It may have cost the United States $100 million. ^[28] Finally, the Wilmot Proviso injected the issue of slavery in the new territories, even though Polk had insisted to Congress and in his diary that this had never been a war goal. The Wilmot Proviso was introduced on August 8, 1846, in the United States House of Representatives as a rider on a $2 million appropriations

The treaty, however, needed ratification by the Senate. In March 1848, the Whigs, who had been so opposed to Polk's policy, suddenly changed position. Two-thirds of the Whigs voted for Polk's treaty. This ended the war and legalized the acquisition of the territories. Later in 1848, the Whigs nominated Zachary Taylor, the hero of the war, for President. Zachary Taylor (November 24 1784 &ndash July 9 1850 was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. Taylor said there would be no future wars, but he refused to criticize Polk, who kept his promise not to run for reelection.

The war had serious consequences for Polk and the Democrats. It gave the Whig Party a unifying message of denouncing the war as an immoral act of aggression carried out through abuse of power by the President (even though they did vote for the funding of it). In 1848, the House of Representatives voted to censure Polk for starting the war. Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap ^[29] Another consequence was the toll on Polk's health. As a result of the strain of managing the war effort directly and in close detail, his health markedly declined toward the end of his presidency.

Cuba

In the summer of 1848, President Polk authorized his ambassador to Spain, Romulus Mitchell Saunders, to negotiate the purchase of Cuba and offer Spain up to $100 million, an astounding sum of money at the time for one territory (equivalent to about $2. Romulus Mitchell Saunders ( 3 March 1791 – 21 April 1867) was an American politician from North Carolina. 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 6 billion in 2006 dollars[1]). In economics inflation or price inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services over a period of time Cuba was close to the United States and had slavery, so the idea appealed to Southerners but was unwelcome in the North. The Spanish government rejected Saunders' overtures.

Department of the Interior

One of Polk's last acts as President was to sign the bill creating the Department of the Interior (March 3, 1849). The United States Department of the Interior ( DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally This was the first new cabinet position created since the early days of the Republic.

Administration and cabinet

The Polk Cabinet
OFFICE	NAME	TERM
President	James K. 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 Polk	1845 – 1849
Vice President	George M. Dallas	1845 – 1849
Secretary of State	James Buchanan	1845 – 1849
Secretary of Treasury	Robert J. Walker	1845 – 1849
Secretary of War	William L. Marcy	1845 – 1849
Attorney General	John Y. Mason	1845 – 1846
	Nathan Clifford	1846 – 1848
	Isaac Toucey	1848 – 1849
Postmaster General	Cave Johnson	1845 – 1849
Secretary of the Navy	George Bancroft	1845 – 1846
	John Y. Mason	1846 – 1849

Supreme Court appointments

Polk appointed the following Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court:

• Levi Woodbury – 1845 (of New Hampshire) (Note: this was a recess appointment, later confirmed by the Senate). 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 George Mifflin Dallas (July 10 1792 &ndash December 31 1864 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 James Buchanan Jr (April 23 1791 – June 1 1868 was the fifteenth President of the United States (1857–1861 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 Robert John Walker ( July 23, 1801 &ndash November 11, 1869) was an American economist and statesman The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington 's administration William Learned Marcy ( December 12, 1786 - July 4, 1857) was an American statesman who served as 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 John Young Mason ( April 18, 1799 &ndash October 3, 1859) was an American politician and diplomat Nathan Clifford ( August 18, 1803 &ndash July 25, 1881) was an American statesman diplomat and jurist Isaac Toucey ( November 15, 1792 July 30, 1869) was an American statesman who served as a U The United States Postmaster General is the executive head of the United States Postal Service. Cave Johnson ( January 11, 1793 &ndash November 23, 1866) was for fourteen years a Democratic U The United States Secretary of the Navy ( SECNAV) is the Civilian head of the Department of the Navy. George Bancroft (October 3 1800 &ndash January 17 1891 was an American Historian and Statesman who was prominent in promoting Secondary education John Young Mason ( April 18, 1799 &ndash October 3, 1859) was an American politician and diplomat The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. Levi Woodbury ( December 22, 1789 September 4, 1851) was the first justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to have attended
• Robert Cooper Grier – 1846 (of Pennsylvania)

(Polk also nominated George W. Robert Cooper Grier ( March 5, 1794 - September 25, 1870) was an American Jurist who served on the Supreme Court of Woodward in 1846 (of Pennsylvania), but he was rejected by the Senate).

Congress

29th Congress (March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1847)

• Senate: 31 Democrats, 31 Whigs, 1 Other (President Pro Tempore- Willie P. The Twenty-ninth 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 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (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 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Mangum (Whig-NC), Ambrose H. Servier (D-AR), and David R. Atchison (D-MO))
• House: 143 Democrats, 77 Whigs, 6 Others (Speaker- John W. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Davis of Indiana)

30th Congress (March 4, 1847 – March 4, 1849)

• Senate: 36 Democrats, 21 Whigs, 1 Other (President Pro Tempore- David R. The Thirtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government consisting of the United States Senate and the Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (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 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Atchison (D-MO))
• House: 115 Whigs, 108 Democrats, 4 Others (Speaker- Robert C. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Winthrop of Massachusetts)

States admitted to the Union

• Texas – December 29, 1845
• Iowa – December 28, 1846
• Wisconsin – May 29, 1848

Post-presidency

Polk's time in the White House took its toll on his health. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence Full of enthusiasm and vigor when he entered office, Polk left on March 4, 1849, exhausted by his years of public service. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common He lost weight and had deep lines on his face and dark circles under his eyes. He is believed to have contracted cholera in New Orleans, Louisiana, on a goodwill tour of the South. Cholera, sometimes known as Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera, is an infectious Gastroenteritis caused by the Bacterium New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America ^[30] He died at his new home, Polk Place, in Nashville, Tennessee, at 3:15 p. m. on June 15, 1849. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common He was buried on the grounds of Polk Place. Polk's devotion to his wife is illustrated by his last words: "I love you, Sarah. For all eternity, I love you. "^[31] She lived at Polk Place for over forty years after his death. She died on August 14, 1891. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Polk was also survived by his mother, Jane Knox Polk; Presidents Garfield and Kennedy were also survived by their mothers. ^[32]

Polk had the shortest retirement of all Presidents at 103 days. This is a list of United States Presidents by age. This table can be sorted to display United States Presidents by name order of office date of birth age at ascension length He was the youngest former president to die in retirement at the age of 53. He and his wife are buried in a tomb on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol Building in Nashville, Tennessee. The Tennessee State Capitol, located in Nashville Tennessee, is the home of the Tennessee legislature, and the location of the Governor 's office The tomb was moved to this location in 1893 after his home at Polk Place was demolished.

Polk's relatives include Scotty McLennan, (through his mother, Alice Polk Warner) who has served as the Dean for Religious Life at Stanford University since January 1, 2001, where he also teaches undergraduate and Graduate School of Business courses. The Reverend William L McLennan Jr &mdash better known as "Scotty McLennan" &mdash was born on November 21 1948 son of William Lillingston McLennan and Alice Polk In Academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit or over a specific area of concern or both Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University or simply Stanford, is a private Research university located in New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The Stanford Graduate School of Business (also known as Stanford Business School or Stanford GSB) is one of the professional

Reputation

Polk's historic reputation was largely formed by the attacks made on him in his own time; the Whigs claimed that he was drawn from a well-deserved obscurity; Senator Tom Corwin of Ohio remarked "James K. Thomas Corwin, also known as Tom Corwin and The Wagon Boy ( July 29, 1794 December 18, 1865) was a politician from Polk, of Tennessee? After that, who is safe?"; the Republican historians of the nineteenth century inherited this view. Polk was a compromise between the radical Democrats of the North, like David Wilmot and Silas Wright, and the plantation owners who were led by John C. Calhoun; the radicals thought that when they did not get their way, it was because he was the tool of the slaveholders, and the conservatives of the North insisted that he was the tool of the radicals. This article is about an American politician For the actor of the same name see David Wilmot. Silas Wright Jr ( May 24, 1795 – August 27, 1847) was an American Democratic politician John Caldwell Calhoun (March 18 1782 &ndash March 31 1850 was a leading United States Southern politician and political philosopher from South Carolina during These views were long reflected in the historical literature, until Arthur M. Schesinger, Jr and Bernard De Voto argued that Polk was nobody's tool, but set his own goals and achieved them. Bernard Augustine DeVoto ( January 11, 1897 - November 13, 1955) was an American Historian and Author who specialized ^[33]

See also

• James K. Polk Ancestral Home
• James K. Polk, a song by They Might Be Giants

References

Cited Texts

• Borneman, Walter R. (2008). Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America. New York: Random House, Inc. . ISBN 978-1-4000-6560-8.  
• Bergeron, Paul H. The Presidency of James K. Polk. 1986. ISBN 0-7006-0319-0.
• De Voto, Bernard The Year of Decision: 1846 Houghton Mifflin, 1943.
• Dusinberre, William. Slavemaster President: The Double Career of James Polk. 2003. ISBN 0-19-515735-4. Questia edition (subscription)
• Dusinberre, William. "President Polk and the Politics of Slavery. " American Nineteenth Century History 3. 1 (2002): 1-16. ISSN 1466-4658. Argues Polk misrepresented the strength of abolitionism, grossly exaggerated the likelihood of slaves' massacring white families, and seemed to condone secession.
• Eisenhower, John S. D. "The Election of James K. Polk, 1844. " Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 53. 2 (1994): 74-87. ISSN 0040-3261.
• Haynes, Sam W. ; Oscar Handlin (ed. ). James K. Polk and the Expansionist Impulse. New York: Longman. ISBN 978-0-673-99001-3.  
• Kornblith, Gary J. "Rethinking the Coming of the Civil War: a Counterfactual Exercise. " Journal of American History 90. 1 (2003): 76-105. ISSN 0021-8723. Asks what if Polk had not gone to war?
• Leonard, Thomas M. James K. Polk: A Clear and Unquestionable Destiny. 2000. ISBN 0-8420-2647-9.
• McCormac, Eugene Irving. James K. Polk: A Political Biography to the End of a Career, 1845-1849. Univ. of California Press, 1922. (1995 reprint has ISBN 0-945707-10-X. ) Extreme anti-Jacksonian views.
• McCoy, Charles A. Polk and the Presidency. 1960.
• Morrison, Michael A. "Martin Van Buren, the Democracy, and the Partisan Politics of Texas Annexation. " Journal of Southern History 61. 4 (1995): 695-724. ISSN 0022-4642. Discusses the election of 1844. online edition
• Paul; James C. N. Rift in the Democracy. 1951. on 1844 election
• Schlesinger, Arthur M. , Jr. Age of Jackson Little Brown, 1945. Pp. 439ff on Polk
• Schouler, James. Democrats and Whigs, 1831-1847. Vol. 4 of History of the United States of America: Under the Constitution. 1917.
• Sellers, Charles. James K. Polk, Jacksonian, 1795-1843. 1957.
• Sellers, Charles. James K. Polk, Continentalist, 1843-1846. 1966.
• Seigenthaler, John. John Lawrence Seigenthaler (ˈsiːgɛnˌθɔːlɚ born July 27 1927 is an American journalist, writer and political figure. James K. Polk: 1845–1849. 2003. ISBN 0-8050-6942-9.
• Smith, Justin H. The War with Mexico, Macmillan, 1919. Still the standard source, used, for example, Dusinberre.

Primary sources

• Cutler, Wayne, et al. Correspondence of James K. Polk. 1972-2004. ISBN 1-57233-304-9. 10 vol. scholarly edition of the complete correspondence to and from Polk.
• Polk, James K. The Diary of James K. Polk During His Presidency, 1845-1849 edited by Milo Milton Quaife, 4 vols. 1910. Abridged version by Allan Nevins. 1929, online

External links

• Extensive essay on James K. Polk and shorter essays on each member of his cabinet and First Lady from the Miller Center of Public Affairs
• Inaugural Address of James K. Polk.
• Biography of James K. Polk. The White House (Official Site).
• First State of the Union Address (1845).
• Second State of the Union Address (1846).
• Third State of the Union Address (1847).
• Fourth State of the Union Address (1848).
• POTUS - James Knox Polk
• Works by James K. Polk at Project Gutenberg
• Obituary of President Polk in The Liberator (June 22, 1849)
• Smithsonian's "Establishing Borders: The Expansion of the United States, 1846-48" with essay and lesson plans

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by John Alexander Cocke	Member from Tennessee's 6th congressional district 1825 – 1833	Succeeded by Balie Peyton
Preceded by William Fitzgerald	Member from Tennessee's 9th congressional district 1833 – 1839	Succeeded by Harvey Magee Watterson
Political offices
Preceded by Gulian C. Verplanck	Chairman of the United States House Ways and Means Committee 1833 – 1835	Succeeded by Churchill C. Cambreleng
Preceded by John Bell	Speaker of the United States House of Representatives December 7, 1835 – March 4, 1837; September 4, 1837 – March 4, 1839	Succeeded by Robert M.T. Hunter
Preceded by Newton Cannon	Governor of Tennessee 1839 – 1841	Succeeded by James C. Jones
Preceded by John Tyler	President of the United States March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849	Succeeded by Zachary Taylor
Party political offices
Preceded by Martin Van Buren	Democratic Party presidential candidate 1844	Succeeded by Lewis Cass
Notes and references
1. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. John Alexander Cocke was an American politician who represented Tennessee as a member of the United States House of Representatives. The 6th Congressional District of Tennessee is a Congressional district in Middle Tennessee. Balie Peyton (1803-1878 was an American lawyer and politician who represented Tennessee's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives William Fitzgerald was an American politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives. The 9th Congressional District of Tennessee is a Congressional district in southwestern Tennessee. Harvey Magee Watterson ( November 23, 1811 &ndash October 1, 1891) was an American Lawyer, Newspaper editor, and politician Gulian Crommelin Verplanck ( August 6, 1786 &ndash March 18, 1870) was a New York politician and sometime man of letters Committee of Ways and Means is the chief Tax -writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Churchill Caldom Cambreleng (1786 - 1862 was a member of the U John Bell (also known as "The Great Apostate") ( February 15, 1797 &ndash September 10, 1869) was a U The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer&mdashor speaker &mdashof the United States House of Representatives. Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter ( April 21, 1809 &ndash July 18, 1887) American Statesman, was born in Essex Newton Cannon ( May 22, 1781 &ndash September 16, 1841) was Governor of the U James Chamberlain Jones ( April 20, 1809 October 29, 1859) was the Governor of Tennessee from 1841 to 1845 and a United John Tyler Jr (March 29 1790 January 18 1862 was the tenth President of the United States (1841-1845 and the first ever to obtain that office via succession 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 Zachary Taylor (November 24 1784 &ndash July 9 1850 was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. Martin Van Buren (December 5 1782 July 24 1862 was the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841 This is a list of the candidates for the offices of President of the United States and Vice President of the United States of the modern Democratic Party of the United The United States presidential election of 1844 saw Democrat James Knox Polk defeat Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign Lewis Cass ( October 9, 1782 – June 17, 1866) was an American military officer and Politician. The Democratic Party vice-presidential nominee was split this year between two candidates. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. 2. The Democratic Party vice-presidential nominee split this year between Polk and Richard M. Johnson and Littleton W. Tazewell

Persondata
NAME	Polk, James Knox
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Eleventh president of the United States
DATE OF BIRTH	2 November 1795
PLACE OF BIRTH	Pineville, North Carolina
DATE OF DEATH	15 June 1849
PLACE OF DEATH	Nashville, Tennessee

The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Richard Mentor Johnson (October 17 1780 or 1781 &ndash November 19 1850 was the ninth Vice President of the United States, serving in the administration of Martin Littleton Waller Tazewell ( December 17, 1774 May 6, 1860) was a U Events 1570 - A Tidal wave in the North Sea devastates the coast from Holland to Jutland, killing more than 1000 Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Pineville is a town in Mecklenburg County North Carolina located between Charlotte and York County South Carolina. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

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