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| | ==James K. Polk and War with Mexico== | | ==James K. Polk and War with Mexico== |
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| − | The Democrats officially won back the presidency with James Polk. The issue of Texas had become so important to Americans, that Polk won on a platform of annexing Texas to the United States. | + | The Democrats officially won back the presidency with James Polk, who was supported by the still-popular Jackson. Polk was the hardest-working president ever, and even died from exhaustion soon after leaving office after serving only one term. He was also the first "dark horse" candidate, which means that no one expected him even to win the nomination of his Democratic Party. He was nominated to run for president only after the leading contenders were all rejected by the delegates to the national convention for the Democratic Party. In fact, Polk had gone to the convention hoping at most to be the vice presidential candidate for Martin Van Buren, but the the Democratic Party rejected nominating Van Buren again for president. |
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| − | Looking at Polk and the issues he worked on will tell you a good deal about America during the 1840s. The South was gaining more and more influence and power. Many people were working against slavery, and formed the Liberty party. This anti-slavery sentiment did not waver and continued to grow toward the Civil War. Manifest Destiny was important, and Polk's support of westward expansion helped him to win the election.
| + | Polk's opponent in the presidential race was the Whig Party leader Henry Clay, who scoff at how little known Polk was. Clay and his supporters began to ask rhetorically, "Who is Polk?"<ref>http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/presidents/polk/horse_1</ref> Polk responded to the criticism by championing Manifest Destiny (and expansion of the nation's territory). He supported annexing Texas (which would be a slave state) to acquire southern support and supporting adding Oregon as a free state to gain northern votes. The issue of Texas had become so important to Americans, that Polk won on a platform of annexing Texas to the United States. Polk won based on his pro-expansion position. Only nine months after his inauguration, Texas became part of the Union. |
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| − | Only nine months after his inauguration, Texas became part of the Union.
| + | <>Polk, a Democrat supported by the South, wanted more southern territory. In the Slidell Mission, Polk sent an attorney to Mexico to negotiate the border with Texas. He also hoped to buy New Mexico and California. But the Mission failed. |
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| − | Polk, a Democrat supported by the South, wanted more southern territory. In the Slidell Mission, Polk sent an attorney to Mexico to negotiate the border with Texas. He also hoped to buy New Mexico and California. But the Mission failed. | |
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| | So Polk initiated (debated) a way to ignite a war with Mexico by sending Zachary Taylor down with some soldiers to stand close to the border of Mexico in 1846. He encouraged settlers to move closer and closer to the border. | | So Polk initiated (debated) a way to ignite a war with Mexico by sending Zachary Taylor down with some soldiers to stand close to the border of Mexico in 1846. He encouraged settlers to move closer and closer to the border. |