James Knox Polk , (1795 - 1849), is the eleventh President of the United States of America. He is elected for a mandate of 1845 with 1849.

Polk is the gasoline even of the unexpected candidate made at the top. Once with the capacity it pursues its politics foreign and interior, implements it during a mandate and refuses to represent itself. The United States increases of Oregon but the attempt at acquisition of California and New Mexico will result in a war with Mexico.

Biography

J.K. Polk is born the November 2nd 1795 in the State from North Carolina. His/her father, Samuel Polk, and his/her mother, Jane Knox, are farmers who have more than fifty slaves. It makes its studies of right to the university of North Carolina, becomes lawyer and enters the political life. He was freemason.

Political career

J.K. Polk is elected with the Chambre of the representatives of the United States from which he becomes the president. He is then elected governor of the State of the Tennessee. He becomes the candidate of the Democratic party to the presidential election of 1844 when the favorite, Martin Van Buren, is eliminated because of its opposition to the annexation of the Texas. Relatively little known, it makes a vigorous campaign and is hardly finally largely elected by the electoral college in spite of a popular vote in its favor.

Presidency

1845

March 4th: nomination of James K. Polk as an eleventh president of the United States.

1846

January 13rd: James Polk sends 4000 soldiers under the orders of the general Zachary Taylor to the border between Texas and Mexico. At the end of the War between the United States and Mexico the armies will respectively include/understand 7200 and 32000 men. The American army had fought only against Indian tribes during the three previous decades and it was mainly made up of German and Irish immigrants recent.

May 13rd: the United States declares the war in Mexico. It lasts seventeen months and the Taylor general will capture the town of Monterey, California and will beat the armies of the general Santa Anna in Buena Vista.

June 15th: the United States and the United Kingdom sign a treaty to divide the territory of Oregon on the level of the parallel 49ème. James Polk signs this compromise in spite of his promise of electoral campaign and the slogan “54°40 or to die” which referred to the parallel located nearly 600 km more at north.

August 22nd: annexation of New Mexico

1848

February 2nd: signature of a treaty between the United States and Mexico which loses a third of its surface of which California. The Rio Grande becomes the border between Texas and Mexico in exchange of a payment of 15 million dollars. The conflict will have cost the life of 25000 Mexicans and 12000 American.

December 5th: president Polk confirms the gold discovery in California, it starts the “gold rush” of 1849.

Foreign politics

Polk arrives at the presidency with two objectives: to regulate the problems of border with the United Kingdom in the territory of Oregon and with Mexico in the State of Texas and in California. Its slogan of countryside proposed the extension of the northern border to Alaska but the compromise with the British divides the territory of Oregon from which a part will become Canada. More in the south, Mexico refuses the purchase offer of California but the war started on the border texane will make them lose the territories of California, of New Mexico, of Arizona, of Utah as well as part of Colorado and Wyoming, the whole for a compensation of 15 million dollars. At the end of its mandate the chart of the United States practically resembles the current chart.

Interior policy

Polk is with the head of an energetic government which separates the federal prerogatives clearly and those of the States. It restores an independent federal budget and refuses to use federal funds for the particular needs for a State thus making it possible to reduce the customs duties.

Policy concerning the civic rights, the minorities and immigration

In spite of its popularity it does not tackle in particular the problem of the Esclavage concerning the statute of the new States bought in Mexico.

Policy partisane

During the nomination of the candidate of the Democratic party to the elections of 1844, Martin Van Buren, the former president, represents himself but as he is opposed to the annexation of Texas the delegates prefer Polk and his expansionist program to him. The Whig candidate is, him also against the annexation and Polk is found elected with a narrow majority. It will become exhausted to fill its program during the four years of its mandate and will benefit from its retirement only for hardly three months.

Reprocess

Enormous completed work during its presidency is paid on its health. He dies the June 15th 1849, 53 years old, a few months after the end of his mandate whereas he withdrew himself in the State of the Tennessee.

His wife will survive to him 42 years and will play a part during the American Civil War while receiving in her house, considered as neutral ground, the northerner leaders and Southerners.

Anecdotes

It is Sarah Polk who, in 1844, institutes the practice to make play the music of “Hello to the Chief” during public appearances of her husband because she considers that if not nobody pays attention to him.

The first photography of a president in his office is taken the February 14th 1848.

The mandate of Polk finishes the March 4th 1849 but its successor, Zachary Taylor, refuse to lend oath one Sunday. It will be installed only on March 5th and it is the president of the Senate which will take up the duty during only one day.

See too

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Simple: James K. Polk