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James PolkFull Name: James PolkBorn: November 2, 1795 in NC Died June 15, 1849 Presidential Term: 11 (March 4, 1845 - March 5, 1849)
President James Polk is regarded by most historians as a strong and controversial president, yet a fairly successful one. He was born in Pineville, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte. When James was 11, his family moved to Tennessee, where he lived until his marriage. Polk served in the House of Representatives from Tennessee from 1825 to 1839, including four years as Speaker of the House. He then served for two years as Governor of Tennessee until 1841. He began his term as President in 1845, after beating fellow Martin Van Buren in the Democratic Primaries and Whig Henry Clay in the general election. Polk served just one term in office, though it was an effective term. His two main accomplishments were his treaty with Britain to resolve the Oregon boundary dispute at the 49th parallel, and his victory in the Mexican-American War. Both events ended in large amounts of land acquired by the United States, however both had its own controversies. America and Britain had previous co-existed in the Oregon Territory since 1818. Polk though, seeking American expansion, urged Britain to bring some finality to the issue. The slogan "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!" became popular by Americans who demanded the border with Britain to be at the 54th parallel. Since Polk wanted land not war, he was able to strike the bargain with Britain, thus ending decades of controversity and adding more land to America. Polk won his Presidential election in large due to his stance on annexing Texas. Van Buren did not favor it, and Clay wanted a more gradual process. Polk, however, was accused of manufacturing stories to incite people to support the war. Representative Abraham Lincoln was particularly critical of Polk's arguments for war. So much so that Lincoln suffered politically for his harsh criticism of the President. In the end, Polk is remembered for his accomplishments in the Mexican-American war, which included land in present-day Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. President Polk, though surrounded by controversies his entire time in office, is remembered for his accomplishments of adding large amounts of land to America. He chose not to run for a second term, and died just a few months after his term ended. He is buried in the Tennessee Capitol grounds. Historical Sites Related to James PolkJames K. Polk Memorial Association, Columbia, TN 38402 Major Events During Presidency
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