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| | *instigated, fought and won the Mexican War (also called the Mexican-American War) (ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo) | | *instigated, fought and won the Mexican War (also called the Mexican-American War) (ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo) |
| | *annexed Texas (1845) | | *annexed Texas (1845) |
| − | *settled Oregon dispute (1846) | + | *settled dispute with British (Canada) by setting northwest boundary in Oregon Treaty (1846) |
| | *reduced tariffs | | *reduced tariffs |
| | *reestablished an independent treasury (bank) | | *reestablished an independent treasury (bank) |
| − | *announced that there was gold in California | + | *admitted Iowa as a free state in 1846 (under the Missouri Compromise), with Iowa having the highest percentage of farmland of any state |
| | + | *set off the gold rush by announcing there was gold in California (1849) |
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| | To Polk's credit, he really did what he said he would, unlike most politicians. He achieved the greatest territorial expansion of the United States (excluding the later acquisition of Alaska). Polk acquired the territory covered by the future states of Texas, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Washington, and Oregon, and portions of Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, and Montana. | | To Polk's credit, he really did what he said he would, unlike most politicians. He achieved the greatest territorial expansion of the United States (excluding the later acquisition of Alaska). Polk acquired the territory covered by the future states of Texas, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Washington, and Oregon, and portions of Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, and Montana. |
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| | Polk was unhappy with the terms of this Treaty. He wanted even more Mexican territory. But he felt he had little choice other than submit this Treaty to the U.S. Senate for ratification, which it did on March 10, 1848 by a margin of 38 to 14. The 2/3rd minimum required for ratification was 2/3rd of 52, or 35. The Treaty had passed by a margin of only 4 votes. | | Polk was unhappy with the terms of this Treaty. He wanted even more Mexican territory. But he felt he had little choice other than submit this Treaty to the U.S. Senate for ratification, which it did on March 10, 1848 by a margin of 38 to 14. The 2/3rd minimum required for ratification was 2/3rd of 52, or 35. The Treaty had passed by a margin of only 4 votes. |
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| − | Soon after the war began in 1846, Congressman David Wilmot introduced a rider (Aug. 1846) to an appropriations bill stipulating that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist" in any territory acquired from this war. Southern senators blocked this "Wilmot Proviso," but it was so powerful that it captured the abolutionist sentiment all the way until (and through) the Civil War. The Wilmot Proviso had an influence on politics much as the call to stop abortion (and overturn ''Roe v. Wade'') does today. | + | Soon after the war began in 1846, Congressman David Wilmot introduced a rider (Aug. 1846) to an appropriations bill stipulating that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist" in any territory acquired from this war. Southern senators (especially South Carolina Senator John Calhoun) blocked this "Wilmot Proviso," but it was so powerful that it captured the abolutionist sentiment all the way until (and through) the Civil War. The Wilmot Proviso had an influence on politics much as the call to stop abortion (and overturn ''Roe v. Wade'') does today. |
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| − | | + | 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. |
| − | Oregon Treaty 1846: treaty with England that set boundary between US and BC
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| − | Wilmot Proviso 1846: Penns. David Wilmot introduced anti-slavery ban on land acquired from Mex.; Sen. Calhoun defeated
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| − | Iowa enters Union "1846: Iowa enters union, as a free state under the Missouri Comproise; highest % farmland of any state"
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| − | Barnburners "1848: antislavery faction that split Dem Party, enabling Whigs to elect Taylor; loyal Dems were ""Hunkers"""
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| − | Zachary Taylor "Whig Pres. 1848: gen. in war,died after 1 year,encouraged both NM+CA to apply for admission as free st."
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| − | Gold in California "Jan. 1849, Polk announced that gold had been found in California. This set off the Gold Rush (“the 49ers"")"
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| − | In the end, Polk also worked himself to death, dying just a few months after leaving office. He used to see every visitor that came to the White House!
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| | ==Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore== | | ==Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore== |