James+K.+Polk

=James K. Polk= = "With me it is exceptionally true that the Presidency is no bed of roses." = = -James K. Polk  = = Background Information:  =  Eleventh President of the United States of America  Born on November 2, 1795, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina  Died on June 15, 1849, in Nashville, Tennessee  Attended University of North Carolina where he studied law Was a clerk for the state senate  Then became a member of the House of Representatives from Tennessee A big supporter of President Andrew Jackson Became the speaker of the House of Representatives  Was a dark horse candidate that was elected to run for presidency on the democrat ticket  Married to Sarah Childress  = Presidency:  = __ Term: __ Began on March 4, 1845 Ended on March 4, 1849

__Political Party:__ Democrat

__Cabinet:__ Vice President: George M. Dallas Secretary of State: James Buchanan Secretary of War: William L. Marcy Secretary of the Treasury: Robert J. Walker

__Issues During Presidency:__ - Walker Tariff of 1846: made sure that the tariffs were at the price for revenue only and made a set rate for all goods. No longer charging higher tariffs based on the goods value. -Independent Treasury Act of 1846: the federal government was now in charge of government money, and required that money have hard specie to back up its value. -Annexed Texas: led to the Mexican War -American Mexican War: issue was over the border between Texas and Mexico, in 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, that declared U.S. paid $15 million for California and New Mexico, and the Texas border was at the Rio Grande -Wilmot Proviso: 1846, act declared that slavery would not exist in the new territory received from the Mexican War. Act did not pass and resulted in more controversy over the issue of slavery. -49th Parallel: compromised with Great Britain the Oregon Territory, and was able to acquire Oregon, Idaho, and Washington

__Important Points from Inaugurals:__ __First Inaugural Address:__ "The Constitution itself, plainly written as it is, the safeguard of our federative compact, the offspring of concession and compromise, binding together in the bonds of peace and union this great and increasing family of free and independent States, will be the chart by which I shall be directed." -That the States have a contract binding the states stay united under the same government

"All must see that if it were possible for them to be successful in attaining their object the dissolution of the Union and the consequent destruction of our happy form of government must speedily follow." -Without this union the government will no longer exist

-Focused on strict constitution -Texas is our territory and we are going to fight for it against Mexico -A lot of his political ideals were the same as Andrew Jackson -Saw political parties as a good way to keep the government intact -Reflects on Federalist #10 where expansion of territory is good because it will increase the republic, and a large republic is benefical to the nation

=Legacy:= He expanded the United States territory into the nation that it is today, and he made sure to fulfill his goals as president.

Work Cited: Information: Jame K. Polk First Inaugural Address ( 1845) http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/james_k_polk.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jamespolk []

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