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James K. Polk was the 11th president of the United States from 1845 to 1849, known for expanding the territory of the country through the Mexican–American War. He was a Democrat, a lawyer, and a former speaker of the House of Representatives and governor of Tennessee.
- James Polk’s Early Years
- The Tennessee Politician
- The Dark Horse Candidate
- James Polk as President
- James Polk: Later Years
James Knox Polk was born on November 2, 1795, in a log cabin in Mecklenburg, North Carolina. As a boy, Polk, the eldest of 10 children, moved with his family to Columbia, Tennessee, where his father became a prosperous land surveyor, planter and businessman. The younger Polk was often sick as a child, and as a teen he survived a major operation for...
In 1825, Tennessee voters elected James Polk to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he would serve seven terms and act as speaker of the House from 1835 to 1839. In Congress, Polk was a protégé of America’s seventh president, Andrew Jackson(1767-1845), a fellow Democrat and Tennessean who was in the White House from 1829 to 1837. Polk favored ...
In 1844, James Polk unexpectedly became the Democrats’ nominee for president. He emerged as a compromise candidate after the more likely choice, former president Martin Van Buren(1782-1862), who had lost his reelection bid in 1840, failed to secure the party’s nomination. Polk thus became America’s first dark horse presidential candidate. George Da...
At age 49, James Polk was younger than any previous president when he entered the White House. A workaholic, America’s new chief executive set an ambitious agenda with four major goals: cut tariffs, reestablish an independent U.S. Treasury, secure the Oregon Territory and acquire the territories of California and New Mexico from Mexico. Polk eventu...
James Polk kept his campaign promise to serve just one term and did not seek reelection in 1848. He was succeeded by Zachary Taylor(1784-1850), a military leader who earned acclaim during the Mexican-American War and ran for the presidency on the Whig ticket. Polk left the White House in March 1849 and returned to his home, Polk Place, in Nashville...
Sep 13, 2024 · Learn about James K. Polk, the 11th president of the United States who expanded the country's territory to the Pacific Ocean and won the Mexican-American War. Explore his biography, presidency, facts, family, and legacy.
Apr 2, 2014 · James Polk was the 11th and youngest (at the time) president of the United States (1845–1849). Polk’s annexation of Texas led to the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), and the U.S. victory ...
James K. Polk was the Speaker of the House from 1835 to 1839 and became President in 1845. He was a strong expansionist who annexed Texas, acquired Oregon and California, and fought a war with Mexico.
Learn about the life and achievements of James K. Polk, the 11th president of the United States who served from 1845 to 1849. He was a Democrat who supported the annexation of Texas and the Mexican–American War, and reduced tariffs and established the independent treasury system.
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Sep 15, 2019 · Learn about the 11th president of the United States, who led the country during the Mexican War and expanded its territory. Find out his biography, achievements, and legacy in this article.
