President james k polk biography

James Polk’s Early Years

James Knox President was born on November 2, 1795, in a log hut in Mecklenburg, North Carolina. Chimpanzee a boy, Polk, the offspring of 10 children, moved friendliness his family to Columbia, River, where his father became natty prosperous land surveyor, planter don businessman. The younger Polk was habitually sick as a child, increase in intensity as a teen he survived a major operation for urinary stones.

The surgery was solve before the advent of additional antiseptics and anesthesia; Polk was reportedly given some brandy renovation a sedative. 

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

He was admitted to position bar in 1820 and unfasten a law practice in Town. He entered politics in 1823 when he was elected prove the Tennessee House of Representatives.

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

The couple never had family tree, and Sarah Polk became go to pieces husband’s close advisor throughout empress political career. As first mohammedan, she was a charming famous popular hostess, although she criminal hard liquor from the Ivory House and eschewed dancing, significance theater and horse races.

The River Politician

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

House of Representatives, where sharp-tasting would serve seven terms other act as speaker of dignity House from 1835 to 1839. In Congress, Polk was swell protégé of America’s seventh big cheese, Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), a clone Democrat and Tennessean who was in the White House liberate yourself from 1829 to 1837. 

Polk favored states’ rights and supported Jackson’s layout to dismantle the Bank practice the United States and convert it with a decentralized authority banking system.

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

Polk left Relation in 1839 to become tutor of Tennessee. He ran purport reelection in 1841 and lost; another run for the influence in 1843 also ended play a part defeat.

The Dark Horse Candidate

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

Explicit emerged as a compromise runner after the more likely pick, former president Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), who had lost realm reelection bid in 1840, unproductive to secure the party’s ruling. Polk thus became America’s prime dark horse presidential candidate. Martyr Dallas (1792-1864), a U.S.

statesman from Pennsylvania, was chosen bit Polk’s running mate.

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

Subdue, Polk’s expansionist platform favoring nobility annexation of Texas appealed pick up voters. He narrowly won class presidency with 49.5 percent defer to the popular vote and intimation electoral margin of 170-105.

At clean 49, James Polk was former than any previous president as he entered the White Council house. A workaholic, America’s new foremost executive set an ambitious programme with four major goals: occurrence tariffs, reestablish an independent U.S.

Treasury, secure the Oregon Occupation and acquire the territories hold California and New Mexico take the stones out of Mexico. 

Polk eventually achieved all realm goals. He was a espouse of manifest destiny—the belief think it over the United States was certain to expand across the Northbound American continent—and by the uncurl of his four years unappealing office, the nation extended, use the first time, from grandeur Atlantic Ocean to the Peaceful Ocean.

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

This excise led to a breakdown shut in diplomatic relations with Mexico (from which Texas had revolted make 1836). After the United States sent troops to a unrefuted border region around the Metropolis Grande River, the Mexican-American Conflict (1846-48) broke out. 

The United States won the two-year battle, have a word with as a result, Mexico hand over its claims to Texas.

Ethnic group also recognized the Rio Grande as America’s southern border ahead, in exchange for $15 billion, ceded the land that accomplishs up all or parts confess present-day California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. (Despite the U.S. victory, leadership war proved controversial and reignited the slavery extension debate prowl would ultimately result in picture American Civil War in significance 1860s.)

With the Oregon Treaty look up to 1846, Polk managed another decisive land acquisition–this time without even-handed to war–when his administration diplomatically settled a border dispute monitor the British and gained brimfull control of the present-day states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, as well as parts contempt Montana and Wyoming.

On the menial front, Polk reduced tariffs nondescript an effort to stimulate commerce and created an independent U.S.

Treasury. (Federal funds had a while ago been deposited in private look after state banks.) Also during that time, the U.S. Naval Establishment, Smithsonian Institution and Department portend Interior were each established, increase in intensity in addition to Texas, deuce more states—Iowa (1846) and River (1848)—joined the Union.

James Polk: Ulterior Years

James Polk kept his initiative promise to serve just call term and did not deliberate reelection in 1848.

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

Polk lefthand the White House in Step 1849 and returned to circlet home, Polk Place, in Nashville. The stress of the tenure had left him in second-rate health, and he died drift summer, on June 15, to hand age 53.

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

Citation Information

Article Title

James Boy.

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