James K. Polk: A Biographical Companion

by Mark E. Byrnes

Overview

This A–Z encyclopedia provides a detailed overview of America's 11th president and connects Polk's public and personal life to his historical significance.

In 1844, James K. Polk was not a promising presidential nominee—he was not popular, charismatic, or even well known. But by the time he left office in 1849, he had acquired the enormous Oregon Territory by negotiation and had taken by force more than half of Mexico's territory, an area of about 500,000 square miles.

Yet Polk's territorial successes inspired the rancorous debate over whether slavery should be allowed in the new territories—a debate that ended in civil war. Modern critics charge that Polk's actions toward Mexico were amoral if not immoral. In this comprehensive examination of Polk's life and career, our 11th president emerges as a complex man and a skillful politician who pursued power relentlessly.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781576070567
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/02/2001
Series:	Biographical Companions
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.75(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Mark E. Byrnes is associate professor of political science at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
	Introduction	xi
	James K. Polk: A Biographical Companion	1
	Adams, John Quincy	1
	Allen, William	3
	Ancestry	4
	Assassination Threats	5
	Bancroft, George	7
	Bank of the United States	8
	Bell, John	10
	Benton, Thomas Hart	12
	Birth	13
	Blair, Francis P.	14
	Boyhood and Early Education	15
	Brown, Aaron V.	17
	Buchanan, James	19
	Cabinet	25
	Caldwell, Silas	26
	Calhoun, John C.	27
	Cannon, Newton	29
	Carroll, William	30
	Cass, Lewis	31
	Catron, John	33
	Children	34
	Clay, Henry	35
	Clerk of the Tennessee Senate	37
	Clifford, Nathan	38
	College Education	39
	Commander in Chief	41
	Congress, Member of	43
	Crockett, David	45
	Cuba	47
	Dallas, George M.	49
	Dark Horse	50
	Death and Burial	51
	Democratic Party	53
	Diary, Correspondence, and Papers	54
	Donelson, Andrew Jackson	56
	Dueling	57
	Eaton, John H.	59
	Eaton Affair	60
	Election of 1823	61
	Election of 1825	61
	Election of 1827	63
	Election of 1829	64
	Election of 1831	64
	Election of 1833	65
	Election of 1835	66
	Election of 1836	67
	Election of 1837	68
	Election of 1839	68
	Election of 1840	70
	Election of 1841	71
	Election of 1843	73
	Election of 1844	75
	Election of 1848	78
	Financial Affairs	81
	Friends	82
	Gold	85
	Governor of Tennessee	86
	Grant, Ulysses S.	87
	Grier, Robert C.	88
	Grundy, Felix	88
	Health	91
	Historical Rating	93
	Homes and Lodgings	94
	Houston, Sam	97
	Inaugural Address	101
	Inauguration	102
	Independent Treasury	104
	Interior, Department of the	105
	Internal Improvements	106
	Jackson, Andrew	109
	Johnson, Andrew	112
	Johnson, Cave	114
	Jones, James C.	116
	Laughlin, Samuel	119
	Legal Career	120
	Legislative Leader	122
	Liberty Party	123
	Lincoln, Abraham	124
	Madison, Dolley	127
	Manifest Destiny	128
	Marcy, William L.	129
	Marriage	130
	Mason, John Y.	131
	Masonry	132
	Mexican War	134
	Mormons	139
	Native Americans	141
	Naval Academy	142
	Newspapers	143
	Nicknames	144
	Nullification	145
	Office Seekers	147
	One-Term Pledge	149
	Oregon	150
	Panama	153
	Parents	154
	Patronage	155
	Personality	157
	Physical Appearance	159
	Pierce, Franklin	159
	Pillow, Gideon J.	160
	Plantations	162
	Political Philosophy	164
	Polk Doctrine	165
	Polk, Ezekiel	165
	Polk, Sarah Childress	167
	Polk, William	174
	Presidential Campaign Biography	175
	Presidential Transitions	176
	Religious Beliefs	179
	Retirement	182
	Roorback Forgery	182
	Scott, Winfield	185
	Siblings	187
	Slavery	190
	Smithsonian Institution	193
	Social Life as President	194
	Speaker of the House	197
	State Legislator	198
	Tariff Policy	201
	Taylor, Zachary	203
	Texas	204
	Toucey, Isaac	206
	Trips and Vacations	207
	Trist, Nicholas	208
	Tyler, John	209
	Van Buren, Martin	213
	Walker, James	217
	Walker, Joseph Knox	218
	Walker, Robert J.	220
	Washington Monument	221
	Whig Party	222
	White House	223
	White, Hugh Lawson	225
	Will	226
	Wilmot Proviso	228
	Woodbury, Levi	229
	Wright, Silas	230
	Yell, Archibald	233
	Yucatan	234
	Primary Documents	237
	Chronology	261
	Bibliography	267
	Index	275

Editorial Reviews

"[I]n the only encyclopedic works devoted to these presidents entries for people, events, and concepts are presented in an accessible A–Z format. Authoritative. . .these attractive volumes would work for students at the high-school level and up."
[Combined review of Andrew Johnson and James Polk in the Biographical Companions series]” —Booklist

From the Publisher