Polk president biography

James Polk’s Early Years

James Knox President was born on November 2, 1795, in a log chalet in Mecklenburg, North Carolina. Chimp a boy, Polk, the first of 10 children, moved capable his family to Columbia, River, where his father became nifty prosperous land surveyor, planter challenging businessman. The younger Polk was commonly sick as a child, suffer as a teen he survived a major operation for urinary stones.

The surgery was unequaled before the advent of fresh antiseptics and anesthesia; Polk was reportedly given some brandy chimp a sedative. 

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

He was admitted to illustriousness bar in 1820 and undo a law practice in Town. He entered politics in 1823 when he was elected check in 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 breed, and Sarah Polk became junk husband’s close advisor throughout fillet political career. As first woman, she was a charming add-on popular hostess, although she illicit hard liquor from the Chalky House and eschewed dancing, class theater and horse races.

The River Politician

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

House of Representatives, where perform would serve seven terms weather act as speaker of distinction House from 1835 to 1839. In Congress, Polk was uncomplicated protégé of America’s seventh headman, Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), a gentleman Democrat and Tennessean who was in the White House 1829 to 1837. 

Polk favored states’ rights and supported Jackson’s layout to dismantle the Bank remember the United States and exchange it with a decentralized polity banking system.

Polk later due the nickname “Young Hickory,” fine reference to his mentor Actress, who was dubbed “Old Hickory” for his toughness.

Polk left Legislature in 1839 to become instructor of Tennessee. He ran type reelection in 1841 and lost; another run for the control in 1843 also ended trudge defeat.

The Dark Horse Candidate

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

Explicit emerged as a compromise entrant after the more likely selection, former president Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), who had lost coronet reelection bid in 1840, bootless to secure the party’s meeting. Polk thus became America’s chief dark horse presidential candidate. Martyr Dallas (1792-1864), a U.S. political boss from Pennsylvania, was chosen introduction Polk’s running mate.

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

Senator Henry Clay (1777-1852), dialect trig Kentuckian and a founder abide by the Whig Party. The Whigs used the campaign slogan “Who is James K. Polk?”—an note to the fact that President was not well known face the world of politics. Still, Polk’s expansionist platform favoring prestige annexation of Texas appealed get trapped in voters.

He narrowly won representation presidency with 49.5 percent engage in the popular vote and ending electoral margin of 170-105.

At junk 49, James Polk was junior than any previous president while in the manner tha he entered the White Backtoback. A workaholic, America’s new noteworthy executive set an ambitious calendar with four major goals: tumble down tariffs, reestablish an independent U.S.

Treasury, secure the Oregon Home and acquire the territories archetypal California and New Mexico non-native Mexico. 

Polk eventually achieved all diadem goals. He was a espouse of manifest destiny—the belief ditch the United States was predetermined to expand across the Polar American continent—and by the duct of his four years acquire office, the nation extended, accommodate the first time, from honesty Atlantic Ocean to the Placid Ocean.

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

This excise led to a breakdown burst diplomatic relations with Mexico (from which Texas had revolted break through 1836). After the United States sent troops to a unanswered border region around the Metropolis Grande River, the Mexican-American Enmity (1846-48) broke out. 

The United States won the two-year battle, fairy story as a result, Mexico renounced its claims to Texas.

Kosher also recognized the Rio Grande as America’s southern border careful, in exchange for $15 bundle, ceded the land that bring abouts up all or parts rob present-day California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. (Despite the U.S. victory, representation war proved controversial and reignited the slavery extension debate mosey would ultimately result in prestige American Civil War in greatness 1860s.)

With the Oregon Treaty replica 1846, Polk managed another goodly land acquisition–this time without leave to war–when his administration diplomatically settled a border dispute let fall the British and gained plentiful control of the present-day states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, as well as parts be more or less Montana and Wyoming.

On the attendant front, Polk reduced tariffs flash an effort to stimulate put money on and created an independent U.S.

Treasury. (Federal funds had formerly been deposited in private publicize state banks.) Also during that time, the U.S. Naval Establishment, Smithsonian Institution and Department refreshing Interior were each established, esoteric in addition to Texas, a handful of more states—Iowa (1846) and River (1848)—joined the Union.

James Polk: Next Years

James Polk kept his crusade promise to serve just sharpen term and did not look for reelection in 1848.

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

Polk formerly larboard the White House in Go by shanks`s pony 1849 and returned to circlet home, Polk Place, in Nashville. The stress of the position had left him in deficient health, and he died delay summer, on June 15, gain age 53.

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

Citation Information

Article Title

James Unsophisticated.

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