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James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849)
was the 11th President
of the United States (1845–1849). Polk was born in Mecklenburg
County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and Governor
of Tennessee (1839–1841). Polk was the surprise (dark horse) candidate for president in 1844, defeating Henry Clay of the rival Whig
Partyby
promising to annex Texas. Polk was a leader of Jacksonian
Democracy during the Second
Party System.
Polk was the last strong pre–Civil War president, and he is the earliest of
whom there are surviving photographs taken during a term in office. He is noted
for his foreign policy successes. He threatened war with Britain over the issue of which nation owned
the Oregon Country, then backed away and split the
ownership of the region with Britain.
When Mexico rejected American annexation
of Texas, Polk led the nation to a sweeping victory in the Mexican-American
War, which
gave the United States most of its present Southwest. He secured passage of the Walker tariff of 1846, which had low rates that
pleased his native South, and he established a treasury system that lasted
until 1913.
Polk oversaw the opening of the U.S.
Naval Academy and the Smithsonian
Institution,
the groundbreaking for theWashington
Monument,
and the issuance of the first postage stamps in the United States. He promised to
serve only one term and did not run for reelection. He died of cholera three months after his term ended.
Scholars have ranked him favorably on the list of greatest presidents for his ability to set an agenda and
achieve all of it. Polk has been called the "least known consequential
president" of the United States.
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