Polk_Presidency

James K. Polk
 * = By: Annie Fan ||

﻿Profile of Polk:

 * Name: James K. Polk
 * Political Party: **__Democrat__**
 * Years in Office:__1845 - 1849__
 * Home State: Tennessee
 * Other Candidates during election: Henry Clay (Whig), J.G. Birney (Liberty)


 * Cabinet (Parts) : **
 * ﻿ **


 * || Polk Administration ||
 * President || **James K. Polk** ||
 * Vice President || Geroge M. Dallas ||
 * Secretary of State || James Buchanan ||
 * Secretary of Treasury || Robert J. Walker ||
 * Secretary of War || William L. Marcy ||
 * Key Personal Details**
 * Guaduated from University from North Carolina, later entered politics as part of the Tenessee legislature as a lawyer
 * As a friend of Andrew Jackson Polk served for Jackson during the **Bank Wars**
 * In 1839 he became governor of Tenessee after serving fourteen years in the House of Representatives annd as a speaker
 * Even though not well-known by the people, he received presidential nomination of the democratic party due to his ambition on **manifest destiny**

**Texas**

 * Once Polk became president, he won the congressional support, and Texas officially became a state in Feb, 1845

**Oregon**

 * Another ambition of Polk was to gain all of **Oregon**. After the British minister rejected the proposal of Polk of setting the Canadian-American boundary at the 49th parallel, Polk began using a slogan **"Fifty-four forty or fight"**, referring that America actually wanted to draw the boundary further north of Oregon ( At 54' 40 Line)
 * Since neither sides wanted a war, they agreed to draw the **49th parallel** with approval of congress on June 15, 1846 which still is the boundary today.

**Mexican-American War**

 * The admission of the statehood of Texas led the diplomatic relations between Mexico and the U.S. broke off. On May 13, 1846, after an attack on General Taylor's army near Rio Grande by a group of Mexican troops, the U.S. officially declared war on Mexico.
 * President Polk encouraged the ones who supported annexing more territories from Mexico. As a result he ordered more troops into California and New Mexico. With the help of the army, the **Bear Flag Revolution** resulted in the sucessful conquest of California.
 * **Treaty of Guadalupe** : Feb 2, 1848, Mexico agreed to cede California and New Mexico territories (Known as the **Mexican cession** ) to the U.S. after Mexico City fell into the hands of the U.S. troops. Rio Grande would be the New boundary between America and Mexico. In return, America would pay Mexico $15 million worth of expense.

**Legacies of Presidency**

 * The 49th parallel boundary between Canada and U.S. / Rio Grande as Mexico and U.S. boundary remained until today
 * Admission of the statehood of Texas
 * Gained the Mexican Cession and expanded the U.S. territories futher

In about less than two decades after the Polk presidency, the **Civil War** would Erupt. In those twenty year, Polk would be the only presiden who actually made major acheivements during the Antebellum Era. The most important acheivement of Polk would be defining the permanent boundaries between Canada, Mexico and America which are still in existance today, as well as gaining **California**, which became an extremely important state to the west and to the nation as well in the future.
 * Significance of Presidency**


 * Citation:**

Alan Brinkley - A Survey - American History, Twelfth Edition []