I suppose you could also look at this map and conclude that Polk was a brutal imperialist invader, but let’s not think about that. And while he certainly didn’t have the long-lasting legacy of a Lincoln or Roosevelt or Kennedy, he is, I would argue, the most underrated President. baseball. Change ). He was a great orator, earning him the nickname “Napoleon of the Stump.”. James K. Polk was a good President Jeff Fleishman History November 2, 2015 Most people think of James Knox Polk as one of those old, random Presidents from the 1800s. Cuba was close to the United States and had slavery, so the idea was appealing to Southerners. Before and during that war, most Americans, including Congress, were not in favor of a war with Mexico. James K. Polk was an accomplished, hardworking president.  Eventually, we’d fight a civil war about it. He went on to accomplish his full agenda and didn’t run again, because James K. Polk was a cool and decent man. Enough anti-slavery Whigs in the north voted for him that he was able to garnish 2.3% of the popular vote, or enough to give the election to Polk. He entered the presidency full of eagerness and with an expressed zeal to put his aims into effect. You see the yellow Northwest region? Thank you for the A2A- Polk has long been my favorite president. ( Log Out /  A few years before Polk’s election, the Whigs* enacted the famous Black Tariff, an increased tariff that led to a sharp decline in international trade. ( Log Out /  James K Polk set four distinct goals to accomplish during his presidency; reestablishment of Independent Treasury System, reduction of tariffs, acquiring some or all of Oregon Country, and acquiring California and New Mexico. Number three: Reduce tariffs. James K. Polk took office as the eleventh President of the United States and served from 1845 to 1849. James K. Polk Poll This poll will examine the choices for the James K. Polk reading selection which will be the next President covered in the Presidential Series. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Life span: Born: November 2, 1795, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Died: June 15, 1849, Tennessee James Knox Polk died at the age of 53, after becoming very ill, and possibly contracting cholera during a visit to New Orleans. Scholars have called Polk the “least known consequential president” of the United States. In this regard, when a student asks, “Was James K. Polk a good president?,” I can start an answer by saying that he was a man of his times, but also a … Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog. Of Polk, Truman wrote, "This choice may surprise some people." He authorized his ambassador to Spain, Romulus Mitchell Saunders, to negotiate the purchase and offer Spain up to $100 million (an astounding sum at the time). James K. Polk's Presidency When Polk became president, his main goal was to expand the borders of the United States all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Polk’s War was actually the Mexican War of 1846-48. What killed Taylor? Polk went three-for-three, then bowed out gracefully. Depending on whom one reads, Polk comes across as either a nearly great President or as a man who missed great opportunities. . James Knox Polk served as the eleventh president of the United States of America and displayed characteristics that many admired. Polk wouldn’t stand for that. The goal here was to avoid undue speculation in western lands as the nation expanded its territory. Polk was elected at 49 years of age, and at the time he was the youngest President in American history. brooklyn.  As president, Polk worked to significantly increase the size of the United States. Benjamin Harrison:  “Are the doctors here? But he really did leave an extraordinary legacy.  He only ran for one term, and he extended the U.S. from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.  The U.S.-Canada border was set at the 49th parallel – from the Rockies to the Pacific. He also went on a bit of a power trip. Polk’s system entrusted the federal government to exclusively manage government funds and required that disbursements be made in hard specie, such as gold or silver, or in paper backed by gold and silver.  However, “Young Hickory” (an allusion to fellow Democrat Andrew Jackson) won the election, and his promise to only run for one term and his pledge to expand America’s westward boundary would both be tested during his presidency. Mexico owned much of the Southwest. Chester A. Arthur: “Life is not worth living.”. It was Civil War photographer Matthew Brady that photographed Polk while in office. This would eliminate the idea of having a national bank for good. Perhaps the most surprising is James K. Polk, who served as our 11th president from 1845 to 1849. By John C. Pinheiro. However, Spain was still making huge profits in Cuba (notably in sugar, molasses, rum, and tobacco), and so the Spanish government rejected the offer. George Healy painted the portraits of James and Sarah. Number one: acquire land from Mexico and Britain. And the US annexed Texas. James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849.He previously was Speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and Governor of Tennessee (1839–1841). In 1846, Polk approved a law restoring the Independent Treasury System, under which government funds were held in the Treasury and not in banks or other financial institutions. Along with George Washington, Andrew Johnson, Chester A. Arthur, Calvin Coolidge and Lyndon B. Johnson, he is one of six Presidents to have died while his direct successor was in office.  Polk only ran for one term, and while he was president the map of the United States changed quite a bit. He was a slaveholder for his entire life, and he did not support emancipation. Say all you want about Polk, at least he was a man of his word. Born November 2, 1795 Pineville, North Carolina Died June 15, 1849 Nashville, Tennessee. Martin Van Buren had signed  this into law in 1840, but it was quickly repealed by the Whig-dominated Congress. At the time, James Polk was the youngest man to serve as president. Here are some other random facts about James K. Polk: Polk’s legacy takes many forms, most notably in the form of Oh yeah, I’ve heard of that guy, I wonder what the K stands for. Martin … Polk was 49 years old in the painting. Polk stated that the fourteen to fifteen hours needed to pose for the portrait was time wasted. He consistently ranks in the top 12 greatest … He won with 107 electoral votes. Manifest Destiny? Polk. After acquiring the Oregon territory and Texas and much of the southwest, Polk just kinda went for it and tried to purchase Cuba. Texas  was still an independent sovereign country. And so he worked with his Secretary of the Treasury, Robert Walker, to reduce the tariff rates. Well, who was he? *Those darn Whigs, up to their old tricks again! I know more about him than any reasonable person should. He was one of three Presidents who had no children. James K Polk (1795 1849) was the eleventh President of the United States who served for a single term from 1845 to 1849. At the time of Polk’s election (1845), the possibility that the US could become a huge, coastal nation was still uncertain.  As a matter of fact, I didn’t truly realize the importance of Polk until I was a teacher.  The U.S. got California (and present-day New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, with parts of Colorado, Utah, and Texas). *They also had to win the Mexican-American War. Polk threatened Great Britain with war over the northern boundary to … Polk was not expected to run for president in 1844. Let’s talk about land. James Polk served only one term as President.  Committed to the idea of “Manifest Destiny,” Polk expanded the western boundary of United States all the way to the Pacific Ocean. How cool is that? Independent Treasury? #OTD FDR was nominated for the third time. That’s Polk. A third of this country’s land was acquired in his four years. Polk was chief executive of a nation that accomplished more than a victory over Mexico. James Knox Polk was the only U.S. President to tell the American People what he planned to do, and once elected do that, serve one term and go home. That left the President free to concentrate on his agenda of territorial expansion at all costs. He was President during the gold rush in California. For all eternity, I love you.”. He left it four years later exhausted and enfeebled by his efforts. Second, Polk focused on his goals and ignored everything else. Sources for this include this Wait But Why post, this random page I found on the Internet, and, of course, our good friends at Wikipedia. James K Polk is famous for leading US successfully during the MexicanAmerican War and for achieving all the four major goals he set for his presidency. The eldest of ten children, James lived in a tidy and well-organized household supervised by a stern mother, Jane Knox Polk, who believed in raising her children according to the strict Presbyterian \"gospel of duty.\" But he was Once again, Americans were asking, who is James K. Polk? James Polk was the 11th and youngest (at the time) president of the United States (1845–1849). The nation would face some difficult times sorting out what to do with all of this vast new territory. Also Polk! He is the only US President to have also served as Speaker of the House. Check!! The delegates of the 1844 Democratic Convention thought he would make a good president. Polk’s annexation of Texas led to the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), and … Net revenue collected also increased, from $30 million annually under the Black Tariff to almost $45 million annually by 1850.  So, does winning a war make a person a good president? random thoughts and interviews. He worked out a compromise with the Brits to acquire the whole of the Oregon Territory. Check!!! This is the first picket of the White House, January 1917. It also improved relations with Britain that had soured over the Oregon boundary dispute. James K. Polk - James K. Polk - Presidency: Not yet 50 years of age, Polk was the youngest successful presidential candidate up to that time.  Believing that the troop advancement was a provocation of war, Mexican forces attacked the U.S. troops stationed in the disputed territory. The presidency of Polk was dominated by an aggressive foreign policy which saw the territory of the United States grow by more than one-third making America a coast to coast nation for the first time.  Nevertheless, I believe that James K. Polk was an influential president, and his accomplishments – no matter how unbecoming from our present perspective – at least carry weight due to the sheer fact that he kept his campaign promises. Dark Horse Candidate.  This guy came out of nowhere, and few expected him to win the presidential election of 1844. Why Polk was America’s most successful President. Under his leadership the United States fought the Mexican War (1846–48) and acquired vast territories along the Pacific coast and in the Southwest. The Silent Sentinels exercising their First Amendment rights. Polk succeed because he focused on the big goals and ignored politics. how the government change during polk presidency. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The presidency of James K. Polk began on March 4, 1845, when James K. Polk was inaugurated as President of the United States, and ended on March 4, 1849. James K. Polk was our 11th president. Sarah was his wife. Although Polk lacked charm and was known for his boring disposition, few could match his record of acquired land for the U.S. Polk is most well known for the fact that he is the only President to have sketched out a set of goals in his first terms and leave office having accomplished them. Exports, which are affected by overall trade patterns, dropped by approximately 20%. He was the first president to be under the age of 50.  As president Polk worked to acquire the Oregon Country for the United States – perhaps feigning the possibility of another war with Great Britain. He would go on to win the third term, and a fourth as well.  In this regard, when a student asks, “Was James K. Polk a good president?,” I can start an answer by saying that he was a man of his times, but also a man of his word. Similarly one may ask, why was James K Polk a good president? Most people think of James Knox Polk as one of those old, random Presidents from the 1800s. James K. Polk, in full James Knox Polk, (born November 2, 1795, Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, U.S.—died June 15, 1849, Nashville, Tennessee), 11th president of the United States (1845–49). But imagine if they had accepted? Residents of much of the western United States can thank President James K. Polk for making them Americans. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. He went on to achieve all of his four primary goals.  First of all, Polk was a “dark horse” candidate. The war … ( Log Out /  Amidst a military confrontation along the Rio Grande, Congress overwhelmingly declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846 – the first major conflict for the United States in nearly three decades. After fighting for almost two years (April 1846 to February 1848), the United States defeated Mexico. John Adams said, “Thomas Jefferson survives!” even though Jefferson had actually passed away several hours earlier. And so it did. Perhaps Polk is best known for leading the nation during the Mexican-American War. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Before becoming President, Polk served as … A third candidate, James Birney, was an abolitionist who was the nominee for the Liberty party. $100,000 bill: Which presidents are on money? He was a Democrat, and assumed office after defeating Whig Henry Clay in the 1844 presidential election. He is often listed as the worst president we’ve ever had. Curse those Whigs! In delivering the proposal to Congress, Polk and Walker both successfully predicted that a reduction in tariff rates would stimulate trade, including imports. I bet the other Presidents are jealous. And while he certainly didn’t have the long-lasting legacy of a Lincoln or Roosevelt or Kennedy, he is, I would argue, the most underrated President. President of the United States. I’d like to spend a few moments discussing his Presidency, because it really did shape the America we know today. And that’s, eh, well, let’s not talk about that. Lower tariffs and stimulated trade?  Subsequently, in a war message to Congress, Polk said of the affair, “Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.”  Side note: A freshman Whig Congressman from Illinois (and future president) named Abraham Lincoln questioned whether the “spot” of the attack was actually on American soil in his now famous “Spot Resolutions.”. James Polk defied the political odds Alice Paul said, "I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. James Knox Polk was the only U.S. President to tell the American People what he planned to do, and once elected do that, serve one term and go home. The Oregon Territory was under the joint occupation and control of the United Kingdom and the United States. 2 Although photography was still in its infancy, Plumbe’s image captured the personalities of Polk… Roosevelt and James K. Polk. He then laid out a very clear, rational agenda with three main goals. Polk’s final years took a toll on his health, and he died of cholera three months after leaving office. In 1843, imports into the United States nearly halved from their 1842 levels. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. Now, I must admit that Polk was not a perfect President. I don't want to hear your Washington's, your FDR's, your Eisenhower's or your Lincoln's, 11th President of the United States, James K. Polk, was the greatest man to ever lead the young Republic. But in Polk’s four years, the US acquired half of Mexico for a fee of $15 million*. You see that pink Southwest region? People have this weird obsession with the last words of a President’s life, and I’d like to take a moment to reflect on Polk’s last words, because they are really a thing of beauty. He was the first "dark horse" in presidential politics. You see that blue Texas region?