James K. Polk: An Analysis

Jefferson’s deficiency of authority amid foreign affairs enhanced the importance of a leader whom would obtain the ability to take control. James K. Polk the eleventh chief executive obtained positive aspects pertaining to foreign affairs. In 1846, president Polk signed a declaration of war on Mexico. The termination of this war occurred with the establishment of the “Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo”(Milestones: 1801–1829). This treaty was signed in 1848, it identified the “Rio Grande as the Texas border and ceded California and New Mexico to the United States, the United states also agreed to pay Mexico fifteen million dollars for the territories”(James K. Polk:Foreign Affairs-Miller Center).

The President James K. Polk State Historic Site is located in Pineville, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The site is situated in a small clearing in a forest surrounded by the suburban town (Pineville) just outside of Charlotte. The size of the current land is 21 acres out of the original 150 acres of the Polk family’s property. On the land is an information center, a log house, a separate kitchen house, a barn, a garden, and a forest that surrounds the area. The original memorial site was founded in 1904, only consisting a stone marker.

The philosopher I chose to write about is not a traditional philosopher but, one whose ideas have been imperative to our agricultural system as we know it today. Leonidas L. Polk was an American farmer, journalist and political figure. Polk was the first North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture. He also served on the House of Representatives in North Carolina for a year. Polk’s items helped the establishment of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

James Knox Polk, the eleventh president of the United States of America. Polk was born on November 2, 1795, near Pineville, North Carolina. Before he served as President from 1845 until March of 1849. James Polk had practiced law. At age 30 he won an election to congress in 1825.

In 1819, John Quincy Adams asserted that the United States had prerogative to all of North America. He thought it was America’s destiny to expand to the Pacific Ocean. Many Americans had agreed with him by the 1840s. The Manifest Destiny had an important role in the Election of 1844. The Democrats had chosen James K. Polk for President, a man who wasn’t really known, while the Whigs chose Henry Clay for President.

During Polk’s regime, the ambitious, new leader focused on adding the Oregon country, taking California along with New Mexico from Mexico, and cutting taxes. By the time Polk had been inaugurated, Texas had already fallen into American hands; therefore, Polk prioritized the securement of the Oregon Territory. Polk was playing a dangerous game; if he tried to take the territory from Britain, war would be inevitable and many lives would be unnecessarily cost. Being the daunting character he was, Polk did not back down from a fight. However, his attention was divided because Mexican relations with the U.S. were degrading.

James Knox Polk: November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849 (President 1845-1849) Polk was born in North Carolina in 1795 to Samuel and Jane Polk. He was well educated and even graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina in 1818. Before becoming President Polk studied law, worked as a clerk for the Tennessee Senate, served in Tennessee Militia, served in Congress, Speaker of the House, Governor of Tennessee and ran for United States Vice President during the 1844 election and ended up being nominated or the Presidential position. He emerged with the nickname ‘dark horse’ because many voters were unfamiliar with him.

In 1849 upon his reelection into the Senate, Clay arrived during a time of turmoil in Congress. California was in the middle of the gold rush trying to become a free state. Utah and New Mexico wanted to become US territories, but were having a hard time deciding on whether or not to be slave states or Free states. Texas was also in disputes with New Mexico regarding territory. The North wanted to ban slavery in all states won from the Mexican Cession, while the South wanted to enact new laws on fugitive slaves who escaped; the South also threatened seceding from the Union yet again.

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.

James Polk was elected in 1845 and had an expansionist viewpoint. He accomplished all of his presidential campaign goals which included gaining Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico, and Arizona including a few more territories on the southern border, therefore, expanding America's territories. In addition, Polk began a period of Manifest Destiny. This was a phrase used to describe America’s goal to grow from “sea to shining sea”. Also, the Mexican-American War in 1846 acquired new lands for America in the southwest from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

James K Polk was the 11th president, he was elected in 1844. He fit into modern political climate very well. He ran one term then retired, he was the youngest president to be in office at the time. He had the shortest retirement. James Knox Polk was born on November 2, 1795 in Mecklenburg county, North Carolina.

That is way Haynes refers to Polk as being “an agent of Manifest Destiny, not its creator”. However, the author demonstrates how well Polk was following the path acknowledged in Manifest: the annexation of Texas, Oregon, California, war with Mexico are perfectly aligned with the idea of the United States being a continental

The Compromise of 1850 was a serial publication of laws that attempted to change The territorial and slavery disagreements arising from the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848. The five laws, legal philosophy, balanced the interests of the slave states of the South. California turned into a free state. The Texas Lone-Star State received financial help for claiming the lands of the west of the Rio Grande in what is now known as the territory of New Mexico also including what is now known as Arizona and Utah were organized without any specific prohibition of slavery. The slave trade, but not slavery itself was abolished in Washington, D.C.; and the Fugitive Slave law was passed, requiring all U.S. citizens to help in the return of all runaway

The Liberty Party costed Henry Clay’s popular vote in the state of New York. Polk nipped Henry Clay, 170 to 105 votes in the Electoral College and 1,338,464 to 1,300,097 in the popular column. Clay would have won if he had not lost New York State by a scant 5,000 votes. Ironically, the anti-Texas Liberty party, by spoiling Clay’s chances and helping to ensure the election of pro-Texas Polk, hastened the annexation of Texas.

After a year of independence from Mexico, Texas approached the United States about the possibility of being admitted to the Union as a slave-state. Fearing the wrath of Mexico and not wanting to disrupt the balance in the Senate, America declined Texas’ offer. Although, during the election of 1844 James K. Polk ran on a platform that embraced American territorial expansionism. Polk won the election and six days before he took office, the U.S. Congress approved the annexation of Texas. But, before Texas was an American state, there was tension amongst Texans and .