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James Knox Polk ( / poʊk /; [1] November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 11th president of the United States from 1845 to 1849. He also served as the 13th speaker of the House of Representatives from 1835 to 1839 and the ninth governor of Tennessee from 1839 to 1841.
The presidency of James K. Polk began on March 4, 1845, when James K. Polk was inaugurated as President of the United States, and ended on March 4, 1849. He was a Democrat , and assumed office after defeating Whig Henry Clay in the 1844 presidential election .
Often referred to as the first “dark horse” President, James K. Polk was the last of the Jacksonians to sit in the White House, and the last strong President until the Civil War.
Oct 29, 2009 · James K. Polk (1795-1849) served as the 11th U.S. president from 1845 to 1849. During his tenure, America’s territory grew by more than one-third and extended across the continent for the first...
Jun 11, 2024 · James K. Polk (born November 2, 1795, Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, U.S.—died June 15, 1849, Nashville, Tennessee) was the 11th president of the United States (1845–49). Under his leadership, the United States fought the Mexican War (1846–48) and acquired vast territories along the Pacific coast and in the Southwest.
James Polk was shaped by his upbringing on the western frontier and his constant interactions with enslaved people. These experiences framed his attitudes toward slavery and westward expansion, as well as his evolution as a slave owner. Click here to learn more about the enslaved households of President James K. Polk.
Dec 10, 2018 · More Resources. JAMES K. POLK EVENT TIMELINE. FIRST LADY SARAH POLK. JAMES K. POLK PRESIDENTIAL SITES AND ORGANIZATIONS. James K. Polk Papers (Library of Congress) James K. Polk Project, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. James Polk Home National Historic Landmark, Columbia, TN.
James K. Polk was an avowed expansionist, committed to acquiring California and New Mexico from Mexico even at the risk of war. Polk acquired the then British-held territory of Oregon and negotiated for its border to be located along the 49th parallel.
Scholarly essays, speeches, photos, and other resources on James Polk, the 11th US president (1845-1849), including information about the annexation of Texas, the Mexican War, and Manifest Destiny
Often referred to as the first "dark horse" President, James K. Polk was the last of the Jacksonians to sit in the White House, and the last strong President until the Civil War. He was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in 1795.
