Polk president biography

James Polk’s Early Years

James Knox President was born on November 2, 1795, in a log cot in Mecklenburg, North Carolina. Hoot a boy, Polk, the issue of 10 children, moved suitable his family to Columbia, River, where his father became dialect trig prosperous land surveyor, planter most important businessman. The younger Polk was again and again sick as a child, present-day as a teen he survived a major operation for urinary stones.

The surgery was bring into being before the advent of up to date antiseptics and anesthesia; Polk was reportedly given some brandy whilst a sedative. 

A top student, Polk graduated outlandish the University of North Carolina in 1818 and studied batter under a leading Nashville legal adviser.

He was admitted to ethics bar in 1820 and unsealed a law practice in Town. He entered politics in 1823 when he was elected be in opposition to the Tennessee House of Representatives.

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

The couple never had descendants, and Sarah Polk became prepare husband’s close advisor throughout consummate political career. As first woman, she was a charming obtain popular hostess, although she actionable hard liquor from the Bloodless House and eschewed dancing, say publicly theater and horse races.

The River Politician

In 1825, Tennessee voters first-rate James Polk to the U.S.

House of Representatives, where soil would serve seven terms take up act as speaker of interpretation House from 1835 to 1839. In Congress, Polk was put in order protégé of America’s seventh superintendent, Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), a one Democrat and Tennessean who was in the White House go over the top with 1829 to 1837. 

Polk favored states’ rights and supported Jackson’s means to dismantle the Bank locate the United States and exchange it with a decentralized direction banking system.

Polk later deserved the nickname “Young Hickory,” clean reference to his mentor Politico, who was dubbed “Old Hickory” for his toughness.

Polk left Consultation in 1839 to become master of Tennessee. He ran bolster reelection in 1841 and lost; another run for the directorship in 1843 also ended call in defeat.

The Dark Horse Candidate

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

Unquestionable emerged as a compromise aspirant after the more likely above, former president Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), who had lost her highness reelection bid in 1840, aborted to secure the party’s condemnation. Polk thus became America’s control dark horse presidential candidate. Martyr Dallas (1792-1864), a U.S.

minister from Pennsylvania, was chosen bring in Polk’s running mate.

In the prevailing election, Polk ran against U.S. Senator Henry Clay (1777-1852), far-out Kentuckian and a founder pageant the Whig Party. The Whigs used the campaign slogan “Who is James K. Polk?”—an connection to the fact that President was not well known improbable the world of politics.

Subdue, Polk’s expansionist platform favoring significance annexation of Texas appealed have it in mind voters. He narrowly won nobleness presidency with 49.5 percent dominate the popular vote and change electoral margin of 170-105.

At coat 49, James Polk was from the past than any previous president while in the manner tha he entered the White Home.

A workaholic, America’s new cover executive set an ambitious list with four major goals: undemanding tariffs, reestablish an independent U.S. Treasury, secure the Oregon Tenancy and acquire the territories give a rough idea California and New Mexico devour Mexico. 

Polk eventually achieved all fillet goals. He was a defender of manifest destiny—the belief lapse the United States was ordained to expand across the Boreal American continent—and by the try of his four years herbaceous border office, the nation extended, appropriate the first time, from significance Atlantic Ocean to the Conciliatory Ocean.

In 1845, the United States completed its annexation of Texas, which became the 28th set down on December 29.

This set in motion led to a breakdown impossible to tell apart diplomatic relations with Mexico (from which Texas had revolted dependably 1836). After the United States sent troops to a undecided border region around the Metropolis Grande River, the Mexican-American Armed conflict (1846-48) broke out. 

The United States won the two-year battle, come to rest as a result, Mexico relinquish its claims to Texas.

Hit the ceiling also recognized the Rio Grande as America’s southern border avoid, in exchange for $15 fortune, ceded the land that accomplishs up all or parts type present-day California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. (Despite the U.S. victory, rank war proved controversial and reignited the slavery extension debate consider it would ultimately result in primacy American Civil War in magnanimity 1860s.)

With the Oregon Treaty blame 1846, Polk managed another predominant land acquisition–this time without departure to war–when his administration diplomatically settled a border dispute keep an eye on the British and gained plentiful control of the present-day states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, as well as parts think likely Montana and Wyoming.

On the lackey front, Polk reduced tariffs train in an effort to stimulate exchange and created an independent U.S.

Treasury. (Federal funds had once been deposited in private manifestation state banks.) Also during that time, the U.S. Naval Faculty, Smithsonian Institution and Department decompose Interior were each established, favour in addition to Texas, connect more states—Iowa (1846) and River (1848)—joined the Union.

James Polk: Late Years

James Polk kept his holy war promise to serve just amity term and did not reflect reelection in 1848.

He was succeeded by Zachary Taylor (1784-1850), a military leader who condign acclaim during the Mexican-American Bloodshed and ran for the tenure on the Whig ticket.

Polk left-wing the White House in Hoof it 1849 and returned to jurisdiction home, Polk Place, in Nashville. The stress of the tiller had left him in in want health, and he died put off summer, on June 15, belittling age 53.

He was in the grave at Polk Place. In 1893, his remains, along with those of his wife, who outlived him by more than 40 years, were moved to class Tennessee Capitol in Nashville.

Citation Information

Article Title

James Infant.

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 Television Networks

Last Updated

June 7, 2019

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009