Welcome to Gaia! ::

James Knox Polk

James Knox Polk, the "dark horse" of 1844 felt glad when his term was about to expire. "With me," he said, "it is emphatically true that the presidency is no 'bed of roses." I am sure I shall be a happier man in my retirement than I have been during the four years I have filled the highest office." Although he was happy to leave office, he died about 3 months after he resigned making him have the shortest time as ex-president. I may only be a teen but I believe that the reason why he died was because he was unable to live without presidency. ((Nah, not really))
James Polk became the eleventh president after getting 170 electoral votes and 1,338,464 popular votes against his opponent, Henry Clay, receiving 105 electoral and 1,300,097 popular. His Vice President was George M. Dallas, the secretaries were James Buchanan (Secretary of State,) Robert J. Walker (Secretary of the Treasury,) and William L. Marcy (Secretary of War.) He lived a short time after his presidency and people believe that the reason why he died so soon was because he worked so very hard during his term.
One thing that happened during his presidency was the Mexican War. How it happened was James Polk sent an envoy to Mexico with almost $20,000,000 to offer for the land which we know as the West (area of Texas, New Mexico, and California.) Unfortunately, the Mexicans thought it to be aggression and attacked the envoy making Congress declare war. Americans won many of the battles and occupied Mexico City. Finally, Mexico gave New Mexico and California for $15,000,000 and American assumption of the damage claims. But even before that Polk and Great Britain signed a treaty for the land we know as Oregon, Idaho, and Washington, as well as some parts of Canada. Extremists said “54’ 40’ or fight” but James Polk did not want a war, luckily for him, neither did Great Britain. The treaty was signed in 1846 after proposing that Canadian boundary is extended to the 49th parallel.
James Polk, a president who had many promises, such as his promise to only run 1 term, was one who worked night and day. Some things that happened during his presidency that many people don’t know are that he was the first president to voluntarily not run for second term, he was the first President to have his inauguration reported by telegraph, and that he was the only president who was also the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
So in conclusion, James Polk, the eleventh President of the United States of America, was a man who achieved so much in his 4 years. One final fact that people should know is that he, during his 4 year term, spent only 37 days away from his desk. Many people may not know who he was, but he was the person that nearly doubled the area of the United States during only 4 years. Some people actually say that the reason he died was because of exhaustion, and I believe they are right.

Just letting people learn a little about American history... and yes, I know that it is the more boring of histories of the world but hell...

Aren't I an evil owner?

And I'm unlocking it