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James K. Polk, the eleventh President, took office in 1845
with four major goals, which he hoped to accomplish with
his administration: first, he intended to reduce the tariff;
second, he wanted to reestablish an independent
treasury; third, he hoped to settle the Oregon boundary
dispute with Great Britain; and last, he wanted the United
States to acquire California. If the success of a President’s administration is judged on whether
or not he accomplishes his goals, James Polk should be remembered as one of our greatest of
Presidents, as he fulfilled all four of his goals. Historians have also recognized him as one of
America’s greatest “expansionist” Presidents. During his years as President, the United States
acquired most of the land forming nine of our states as well as Texas becoming a state in the
Union. It was by this very goal of acquisition that he was nominated in the first place.
Although he had served as Speaker of the House, he was not known very well nationally, and
the Democratic Party was desperately looking for a candidate to defeat the rival Whig Party.
The leading candidate for the Democratic nomination was former President Martin Van Buren,
but he opposed annexing Texas for fear of war with Mexico. His chief rival, Lewis Cass, also
failed to get the necessary 2/3 vote required on the first eight ballots. Because of his strong
pro-annexing of Texas position, Polk’s name was suggested as a compromise. On the ninth
ballot he was chosen as the Party’s “dark horse” candidate. The Whigs nominated Henry
Clay, who had unsuccessfully run for President twice before. Polk won by about 40,000.
Born in 1795 near Pineville, North Carolina, he was the son of Irish immigrants. When he was
still in his youth, his family moved to farmland in central Tennessee. He graduated at the top of
his class from the University of North Carolina in 1818. He then returned to Tennessee and
worked in the law office of Felix Grundy, a prominent Tennessee attorney and politician. It was
Grundy who introduced Polk to the great Andrew Jackson. A mutual admiration developed
between the two, and Polk was often referred to in his younger political days as “Young
Hickory.”
Polk married Sarah Childress, the daughter of a wealthy country merchant, in 1924. She sup
ported his political aspirations to the fullest and served as his official secretary when he
became President. Both she and James held true to their strict moral values and banned all
dancing, card-playing and drinking in the White House. They did hold receptions twice month
ly, but there were no refreshments of any kind. This austere program, however, was accepted
by the people as the nation was at war with Mexico at the time.
When Polk’s term ended and his goals were achieved, he refused to seek re-election—true to
his earlier statement when elected that he would not seek the office a second time. He died in
1849.
31
Name
Presidential Trivia
1.
Polk’s campaign slogan during the election of 1844
2.
When a candidate for the presidency wins the nomination when he is not expected to
candidate.
win, he is referred to as a
3.
When Polk was chosen as the Democratic candidate, the delegates chose
as his running mate, a man who declined the nomination because of his loyalty to Martin
Van Buren.
4.
The Whig campaign slogan during the election of
5.
James Polk’s estate in Nashville, Tennessee, was referred to as
6.
Polk’s wife Sarah was brought up in a strict religious environment and both attended the
Church regularly.
7.
One of Polk’s objectives, to lower the
called the
8.
James K. Polk’s Vice President
9.
The eventual agreed-upon parallel that divided the United States from British Canada
10.
The event that happened in
1848
1844 was
import tariff, was accomplished through legislation
that enticed
100,000
people to head for California in
1849
11.
The man most responsible for James
12.
By the terms of the treaty that ended the war with Mexico, the United
ico
for California and New Mexico.
K.
Polk winning the presidency
States paid
Mex
AMEB
Name
For Thinking and
DISCUSSIng
V
1.
What was the meaning of the Democratic campaign slogan ‘54-4O or Fight”?
2.
Another popular term of the day was “manifest destiny.” What was the meaning of this
nationalistic philosophy?
3.
Why was James K. Polk considered one of America’s most successful Presidents?
4.
Why did Polk refuse to run for re-election?
POLK