James Knox Polk Dbq

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James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the Unites States. He was born November 2, 1795, in Pineville, North Carolina. He served as President from March 4, 1845 through March 4, 1849. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He made the Election of 1844 one of the most memorable in history. He had defeated Henry Clay, in Clay’s third and final attempt at being President. Polk was a slaveholder; he had many slaves on his Tennessee and Mississippi Plantations. He knew that Abolitionism would destroy the North, and he tried to warm them of such. He accomplished every goal he had set for his presidency. Polk’s main priority was geographic expansion. First of all, Polk wanted the annexation of Texas, California, and New Mexico. He wanted all three preferably by purchase. Secondly, even though he is known for his expansions, he was known for his domestic issues as well; he greatly reduced tariff costs. Thirdly, he wanted to bring the United States …show more content…

He wanted to move west and get as much land as possible. He was not looking to go to war for what he wanted, but it also didn’t stop him. As mentioned, Polk was a slave holder he was very for slavery. When he took office bills were being passed for Texas to be a slave state. The votes were barely passed in the Senate, but a landslide in the House. The Whig leader, Aghast, was astonished that America would allow more land to be used for slaves. Polk dropped other inquiries to settle the dispute over the Oregon Territory with Britain. Here, Polk said, “he would go to the brink of war… and it would not be their fault” (Tindall). Britain realized their trade was much too important to risk over that territory. This was ratified with the Buchanan-Pakenham Treaty on June 18, 1846. By this time they were almost at war with Mexico. This allowed them to gain Texas as a state also the future states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, parts of Montana and

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