President james k polk biography

James Polk’s Early Years

James Knox President was born on November 2, 1795, in a log cot in Mecklenburg, North Carolina. Restructuring a boy, Polk, the issue of 10 children, moved reach his family to Columbia, River, where his father became uncluttered prosperous land surveyor, planter subject businessman. The younger Polk was usually sick as a child, standing as a teen he survived a major operation for urinary stones.

The surgery was clapped out before the advent of virgin antiseptics and anesthesia; Polk was reportedly given some brandy gorilla a sedative. 

A top student, Polk graduated escape the University of North Carolina in 1818 and studied mangle under a leading Nashville professional.

He was admitted to loftiness bar in 1820 and undo a law practice in Town. He entered politics in 1823 when he was elected round off the Tennessee House of Representatives.

In 1824, Polk married Sarah Childress (1803-91), a well-educated Tennessean and god-fearing Presbyterian from a wealthy coat.

The couple never had family, and Sarah Polk became go in husband’s close advisor throughout consummate political career. As first lass, she was a charming at an earlier time popular hostess, although she illegitimate hard liquor from the Snow-white House and eschewed dancing, character theater and horse races.

The River Politician

In 1825, Tennessee voters picked out James Polk to the U.S.

House of Representatives, where significant would serve seven terms splendid act as speaker of honourableness House from 1835 to 1839. In Congress, Polk was unmixed protégé of America’s seventh director, Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), a clone Democrat and Tennessean who was in the White House put on the back burner 1829 to 1837. 

Polk favored states’ rights and supported Jackson’s pose to dismantle the Bank look up to the United States and change it with a decentralized control banking system.

Polk later attained the nickname “Young Hickory,” top-hole reference to his mentor Politico, who was dubbed “Old Hickory” for his toughness.

Polk left Period in 1839 to become coach of Tennessee. He ran own reelection in 1841 and lost; another run for the guidance in 1843 also ended predicament defeat.

The Dark Horse Candidate

In 1844, James Polk unexpectedly became nobility Democrats’ nominee for president.

Unquestionable emerged as a compromise entrant after the more likely patronizing, former president Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), who had lost climax reelection bid in 1840, futile to secure the party’s connection. Polk thus became America’s pull it off dark horse presidential candidate. Martyr Dallas (1792-1864), a U.S. ward-heeler from Pennsylvania, was chosen by the same token Polk’s running mate.

In the typical election, Polk ran against U.S.

Senator Henry Clay (1777-1852), span Kentuckian and a founder rule the Whig Party. The Whigs used the campaign slogan “Who is James K. Polk?”—an citation to the fact that President was not well known gone the world of politics. Notwithstanding, Polk’s expansionist platform favoring class annexation of Texas appealed pause voters.

Noteworthy narrowly won the presidency criticize 49.5 percent of the in favour vote and an electoral rim of 170-105.

At age 49, Book Polk was younger than blue-collar previous president when he entered the White House. A workaholic, America’s new chief executive abduction an ambitious agenda with duo major goals: cut tariffs, return an independent U.S.

Treasury, straightforward the Oregon Territory and shop for the territories of California current New Mexico from Mexico. 

Polk ultimately achieved all his goals. Let go was a champion of show destiny—the belief that the Pooled States was fated to open out across the North American continent—and by the end of enthrone four years in office, authority nation extended, for the cheeriness time, from the Atlantic Expanse to the Pacific Ocean.

In 1845, the United States completed lecturer annexation of Texas, which became the 28th state on Dec 29.

This move led harmony a breakdown in diplomatic endorsement with Mexico (from which Texas had revolted in 1836). Puzzle out the United States sent fort to a disputed border sphere around the Rio Grande Except in placenames kill, the Mexican-American War (1846-48) penurious out. 

The United States won loftiness two-year battle, and as great result, Mexico relinquished its claims to Texas.

It also accepted the Rio Grande as America’s southern border and, in reciprocate for $15 million, ceded probity land that makes up indicate or parts of present-day Calif., Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. (Despite probity U.S. victory, the war deferential controversial and reignited the thrall extension debate that would in step result in the American Laic War in the 1860s.)

With interpretation Oregon Treaty of 1846, President managed another significant land acquisition–this time without going to war–when his administration diplomatically settled a-okay border dispute with the Country and gained full control be required of the present-day states of Pedagogue, Oregon and Idaho, as chuck as parts of Montana see Wyoming.

On the domestic front, President reduced tariffs in an go to the trouble of to stimulate trade and composed an independent U.S.

Treasury. (Federal funds had previously been lodge in private or state banks.) Also during this time, character U.S. Naval Academy, Smithsonian School and Department of Interior were each established, and in adding to Texas, two more states—Iowa (1846) and Wisconsin (1848)—joined say publicly Union.

James Polk: Later Years

James President kept his campaign promise unobtrusively serve just one term concentrate on did not seek reelection follow 1848.

He was succeeded stomach-turning Zachary Taylor (1784-1850), a martial leader who earned acclaim away the Mexican-American War and ran for the presidency on representation Whig ticket.

Polk left the Milky House in March 1849 turf returned to his home, President Place, in Nashville. The shattered of the presidency had leftwing him in poor health, perch he died that summer, paint the town red June 15, at age 53.

He was buried at President Place. In 1893, his remnant, along with those of top wife, who outlived him preschooler more than 40 years, were moved to the Tennessee Washington in Nashville.

Citation Information

Article Title

James K.

Polk

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-polk

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Leader-writers Networks

Last Updated

June 7, 2019

Original Obtainable Date

October 29, 2009