 An Overview of James Polk's AdministrationAs President, James Knox Polk successfully
directed the Mexican War, which won
enough Western territory to fom nine states. He carried
out every item of his political program, making him the
most successful President since George Washington.
But all was not entirely well during
his term. Reformers called attention to the hardships of
children working in factories and to the poverty of
immigrants. Slavery rested uneasily in the thoughts of
many Americans. A lack of concern by Polk for these
social problems made reformers dislike him. They regarded
him as a tool of the slaveowners. Polk's demeanor didn't
help their perceptions either. He was cold, silent,
narrow, and ungenerous. He did not seek a second term,
and few people regretted it.
| Election
of 1844 |
| Candidate James
Knox Polk
Henry
Clay
|
Popular Vote 1,338,464
1,300,097
|
Electoral Vote 170
105
|
| |
|
| His
Vice-President and Cabinet |
| Vice-President |
George M. Dallas |
| Secretary of State |
James Buchanan |
| Secretary of the
Treasury |
Robert J.
Walker |
| Secretary of War |
William L. Marcy |
| Attorney General |
John Y. Mason
Nathan Clifford (1846)
Isaac Toucey (1848) |
| Postmaster General |
Cave Johnson |
| Secretary of the Navy |
George Bancroft
John Y. Mason (1846) |
| |
|
| U.S.
Events During His Administration |
States
Admitted Texas
(1845), Iowa (1846), Wisconsin
(1848)
Territories Organized Oregon
(1848), Minnesota (1849)
Population in 1849 22,700,000 |
| 1845 |
The U.S. Naval Academy at
Annapolis was established. |
| 1846-1848 |
The Mexican War ended in a U.S.
victory and annexation of land from Mexico. |
| 1846 |
Congress passed the Walker
Tariff. |
| 1846 |
Congress passed the Independent
Treasury Act. |
| 1846 |
The Oregon Treaty with Great
Britain established the boundary between the
Oregon Territory and Canada at the 49th Parallel. |
| 1846 |
Elias Howe patented the sewing
machine. |
| 1847 |
The first U.S. postage stamps,
picturing George Washington and Benjamin
Franklin, were issued. |
| 1848 |
Gold
was discovered in California. |
| 1849 |
The Department of the Interior
was established. |
| |
|
| World
Events During His Administration |
| 1845-1847 |
A potato famine swept through
Ireland. |
| 1847 |
Liberia became the first Negro
republic in Africa. |
| 1848 |
Marx and Engels issued The
Communist Manifesto. |
| 1848 |
Revolutions flared in France,
Germany,
and Italy. |
Mexican War
Henry Clay
Robert J. Walker
Texas
Wisconsin
Oregon
California
Gold Rush
France
Germany
Italy
Questions or comments about this
page?
|
