Polk was a president after andrew jackson, they both where a very big part of the manifest destiny, james k. Polk is famous american president with many wise quotes. The oldest of ten children, polk had always been groomed to take over the family farm but he proved too sickly to handle the work. Polks presidency coincided with the eruption of the territorial slavery issue, which within a few years would lead to the catastrophe of the civil war. Congress passed the joint resolution a few days before polks inauguration in. Borneman manages to pull many threads together into a comprehensible and. James knox polk was born on november 2, 1795, in a log cabin in pineville, north carolina. He added texas and wisconsin as states and secured land to the west that would one day make up the entire 48 contiguous states of the united states. Polk has languished in obscurity long enough to have become the subject of an amusing and remarkably accurate rock n roll song. Running on a platform that called for the reoccupation of oregon and the reannexation of texas, polk secured a narrow victory in the general election. Polk went to war with mexico and got california and other lands in the west. So unknown was polk outside tennessee and the nations capital, the whigs, in an effort to further their cause during the campaign, would ask, who is james k. Polk accomplished nearly everything that he said he wanted to accomplish as president and everything he had promised in his partys platform.
The man who transformed the presidency and america. Leonard in his book on polk, by 1836, while serving as speaker of the house of. Polk was not favored to win his partys nomination to the presidency, but his expansionist views were favored by the american people. He was the first of 10 children born into a family of farmers. Eugene irving mccormac recounted it in his 1922 book james k. Polk significance leader of the expansionist democrats who supported the annexation of tx and u. Choose from 351 different sets of james k polk apush flashcards on quizlet. One of the important events during his presidency was the notion of the manifest destiny of the united. The double career of james polk by william dusinberre book description. Can anyone please tell me what were president james k. Polk defeated whig henry clay in a close contest turning on the controversial issues of slavery and the annexation of the republic of texas. Julydecember 1845 volume 10 utp correspondence james polk.
The family tree listed here should not be considered exhaustive or authoritative. As such, it is probably deserving of more than a 150 page biography, but given his relative obscurity, and the fact that he served a single term by choice, this seems like a perfectly reasonable treatment. He narrowly defeated whig henry clay in the general election and succeeded john tyler to the presidency. Often referred to as the first dark horse president, james k. Its worth nothing that polk had been nominated by the democratic party, which was generally closely associated with expansionist ideas in the decades before the civil war. Eleventh president of the united states 30 minute book series by doug west jun 12, 2019. Polk during his presidency, 1845 to 1849, polk, message from the president of the united states, in answer to a resolution of the senate of the 29th january, relative to. James knox polk was born on november 2, 1795 in rural mecklenburg county, north carolina where his irish family had moved from pennsylvania. Study 18 terms political science flashcards quizlet. Pinheiro states in a recent book that while one prominent historian of. The president most associated with the concept of manifest destiny is james k. November 1795 in pineville, mecklenburg county, north carolina.
Polk led the nation into victory of the mexicanamerican war, and he got about half of mexicos territory, and finally getting control of california. Polk state historic site is home to the birthplace of the 11th president and the only chiefofstate born in mecklenburg county, north carolina. But a presidency takes on meaning from its context and consequences. James knox polk was the eleventh president of the united states 18451849. For their role in recognizing the importance of this endeavor. Polk from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more.
Polk occupied the white house for only four years, from 1845 to 1849. James k polk 1795 1849 was the eleventh president of the united states who served for a single term from 1845 to 1849. Polk involved issues which were vital to american history on several fronts. The best biographies of james polk my journey through. Polk is the eleventh book in the american presidents series a. During his presidency, polk lowered the tariff, restored the independent treasury, acquired ca, and settled the or dispute 4point plan. I found the interactions with others interesting, and in the section on the west the names of junior officers that would become famous in the civil war. During his tenure, americas territory grew by more than onethird and extended across the continent for the first. Polk, the 11th american president, spent the four years of his office following the goals he had created for his term. Polk is mostly known for expanding the territory of the united states. Polk that 16 american service men had been killed or wounded on the mexican border in american territory, abraham lincoln, then a congressman from illinois, proposed these resolutions to find out exactly on what spot the american soldiers blood had been shed. He had set four goals that he intended to accomplish within one presidential term, which is equivalent to four years of presidency. Polk was the one who believed in them and encouraged them during the things that heshe. He entered the presidency full of eagerness and with an expressed zeal to put his aims into effect.
Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. Available on kindle ebook and can be read on any device with the free kindle. But people were pushing to have a land link the state of washington with. James k polk 1818 i am happy to say that i have graduated with honors. Depending on whom one reads, polk comes across as either a nearly great president or as a man who missed great opportunities. James k polk on fakebook fakebook create a fictional social profile at. Polk was the last of the jacksonians to sit in the white house, and the last strong president until the civil war. The 1844 united states presidential election was the 15th presidential election, held from friday, november 1 to wednesday, december 4, 1844. John seigenthaler wrote this particular instalment and edited by arthur m. The democratic convention in baltimore that year was unable to choose a winner between two strong candidates, martin van buren, a former president, and lewis cass, a powerful political figure from michigan. Polk was a follower of jackson and therefore committed wholeheartedly to expansion and manifest destiny when he was elected president. Located just a few minutes outside of charlotte, the site sits on 21 of the original 150 acres owned by president polks father, samuel. The story of a pivotal president who watched over our westward expansion and solidified the dream of jacksonian democracy james k.
Polks presidency, foreign policy revolved around the u. Polk was a shrewd and decisive commander in chief, the youngest president elected to guide the stillyoung nation, who served as speaker of the house and governor of tennessee before taking office in 1845. James knox polk 17951849 as the expansionist eleventh president of the united states, james k. During his presidency, americans cried for westward expansion believing it was their right to expand towards the pacific ocean and all the way towards the south into cuba, mexico, and central america. James knox polk was born in pineville, a small town in mecklenburg county, north carolina, on november 2, 1795, and graduated with honors in. Polks papers were acquired by the library of congress by gift and purchase during the years 19032012. He left it four years later exhausted and enfeebled by his efforts. Polk lyrics by they might be giants at the lyrics depot. Borneman manages to pull many threads together into a comprehensible. Polk occupied the white house for only four years, from 1845 to. Not yet 50 years of age, polk was the youngest successful presidential candidate up to that time. In office he demonstrated remarkable skill in the selection and control. Westward expansion timeline for kids james polk was the 11th american president who served in office from march 4, 1845 to march 4, 1849. Westward expansion timeline for kids american historama.
Polks one presidential campaign was in the election of 1844, and his involvement was a surprise to everyone, including himself. James polk was president of the united states from 1845 to 1849, a time when slavery began to dominate american politics. James knox polk november 2, 1795 june 15, 1849 was the 11th president of the united. Culture and reform in the early nineteenth century. A thorough, wellwrought political history of james k. Darkhorse 1844 whose four pronged approach to presidency was. Polk is the eleventh book in the american presidents series a biographical series chronicling the presidents of the united states. Apush chapter 17 the american pageant flashcards quizlet. Polk, in full james knox polk, born november 2, 1795, mecklenburg county, north carolina, u.
He only served one term, doing as promised, and died 3 months after the term ended because of cholera. Discover librarianselected research resources on james k. Pinheiro states in a recent book that while one prominent historian of manifest. Polk during his presidency, 1845 to 1849, correspondence of james k. Which of the following statements describes the historical significance of harriet. The following james k polk video will give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 11th american president whose presidency spanned from march 4, 1845 to march 4, 1849. Polk is by charles grier sellers, now professor emeritus at ucberkeley. Borneman gives us a book that is full of interest and insight and is a pleasure to read. Polk papers is available online with links to the digital content on this site. What were his views on the war as opposed to the general american public view in the 1840s. Create a spoof social media profile for a person, theme, place or object being studied. Find and compare hundreds of millions of new books, used books, rare books and out of print books from over 100,000 booksellers and 60.
During all my years of education including both the academy in murfreesboro and the. President polk and the taking of the west constitutional rights. Slogan by polk in the argument with britain over the boundary line between oregon and canada. And by declaring that hed serve for only one term, polk freed himself to push ahead. During his term the united states won a war with mexico and gained much land along the pacific coast and in the southwest. Unfortunately, sellers abandoned his biography of polk after completing the first two volumes 19571966, taking readers to the outbreak of the mexican war in 1846. The major event of his administration was the mexican war, a controversial event which fit neatly with polk. The presidency of polk was dominated by an aggressive foreign policy which saw the territory of the united states grow by more than onethird making america a coast to coast nation for the first time. James knox polk became a dark horse candidate for the democratic party in 1844. Polk quotations on president, congress, constitution, among, world are those that make this president famous.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He reformed the postal service, lowered tariffs, and pushed jeffersonian principles. Polk, whose single term in the white house was focused on the acquisition of california and texas. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of james k. Under his leadership the united states fought the mexican war 184648 and acquired vast territories along the pacific coast and in the.
Is this a romantic place or activity that you would suggest. Oregon treaty of 1846 facts and james k polk history timeline for kids and schools definition of the treaty of 1846 in us history. This book covers polks life before becoming president and his last days and epilogue but almost the entire book focuses on his four goals and how they were achieved during his term. What impact did his administration have on the future of the united states. Polks most popular book is state of the union address. Learn james k polk apush with free interactive flashcards. Polk was a shrewd and decisive commander in chief, the youngest president. James k polk is certainly one of the lesser known presidents, but after reading walter bornemans book polk it is hard to see why that is. Polks declaration that american blood had been shed upon american soil was his call for.
1331 1517 441 290 438 126 1137 1149 1176 1144 1587 1003 149 1452 1250 663 1470 583 1031 1609 946 886 200 1139 1164 731 722 679 1221 733 369 1376 1376 254