Changes

In addition to all of Polk's accomplishments in adding territory, he also had a habit if seeing every single visitor that came to the White House!  Still a young man, Polk died shortly after leaving office of an exhaustion-induced illness.

In addition to all of Polk's accomplishments in adding territory, he also had a habit if seeing every single visitor that came to the White House!  Still a young man, Polk died shortly after leaving office of an exhaustion-induced illness.

==Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore==

==Taylor, Fillmore and the Compromise of 1850==

When 1848 rolled around, Americans were ready to elect another war hero:  Zachary Taylor.  The Whig Party, hurting from its defeat in 1844, figured it could win in 1848 by nominating a popular general who had fought the Mexicans.  General Zachary Taylor was the man, and he won.

When 1848 rolled around, Americans were ready to elect another war hero:  Zachary Taylor.  The Whig Party, hurting from its defeat in 1844, figured it could win in 1848 by nominating a popular general who had fought the Mexicans.  General Zachary Taylor was the man, and he won.

Taylor's vice president, Millard Fillmore, succeeded him in office, the second time a vice president replaced a president due to his death.  Fillmore, who was from New York, was an average American who had been born in a log cabin, and who succeeded through hard work.<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/mf13.html</ref>  He then played a key part in passing the Compromise of 1950, one of the most important pieces of legislation in the entire 19th century.

Taylor's vice president, Millard Fillmore, succeeded him in office, the second time a vice president replaced a president due to his death.  Fillmore, who was from New York, was an average American who had been born in a log cabin, and who succeeded through hard work.<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/mf13.html</ref>  He then played a key part in passing the Compromise of 1950, one of the most important pieces of legislation in the entire 19th century.

The Compromise of 1950 admitted California as a state, and established that the South had the right to bring slaves into the United State's South West Territories.  The Compromise also abolished the slave trade in DC, although slavery itself was allowed to continue.  Specifically, this Compromise enacted the following:

The Compromise of 1950 admitted California as a state, and established that the South had the right to bring slaves into the United State's Southwest Territories.  The Compromise also abolished the slave trade in D.C., although slavery itself was allowed to continue.  Specifically, this Compromise enacted the following in a series of separate laws:

*admitted California as a free state

*admitted California as a free state

*enacted tougher federal fugitive slave laws and strictly enforced them (Clay pushed this through the Senate)

*enacted tougher federal fugitive slave laws and strictly enforced them (Clay pushed this through the Senate)

*Texas received $10M to pay off its debt in return for accepting a narrower western boundary and give up claims to New Mexico and others

*Texas received $10M to pay off its debt in return for accepting a narrower western boundary and give up claims to New Mexico and others

The Fugitive Slave Act was particularly offensive to northerners and especially outrageous to abolitionists.  It amended the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 in order to appoint federal commissioners to catch slaves who fled to northern states, without giving them due process.

The Fugitive Slave Act was particularly offensive to northerners and especially outrageous to abolitionists.  It amended the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 in order to appoint federal commissioners to catch slaves who fled to northern states, without giving them due process.