The 14th President of the United States
Name: Franklin Pierce
Number of terms he served: One
Year he took office: 1853
Birth Date: November 23, 1804
Age when he took office: 49
State of Birth: Hillsborough, New Hampshire
Vice President: William R. King
What Party was he from: Democrat
What was his major contribution while in office:
Franklin Peirce was an eloquently spoken man, he was the first president to memorize his inauguration speech. He spoke of his opinion on slavery, that owning slaves was in no way illegal. He told of how the topic of slavery would split the U.S. apart. The first thing Peirce did in office was the Gadsden Purchase. James Gadsden spent ten million dollars on 29,644 square miles of land in Arizona and New Mexico. Now for the first time a cartographer could draw all 48 states in a complete map. Peirce also wanted to get Cuba, he sent Secretary of State William L. Marcy to negotiate a purchase or if the Cubans didn’t accept to take Cuba by force. This made many northerners upset because they thought if Peirce got the land he would make slavery legal there and it would set off the balance of slaves and free states.
What did he do after he left office:
After office Pierce traveled much with Jane but even while he traveled he tried giving political advise. When the next election came around the Democrats asked Pierce to run as a compromise candidate but he declined. Because of his drinking addiction his health worsened. On the second anniversary of Jane’s death Pierce was baptized into her faith and he began the life of a farmer. His health again worsened in 1869 and he died on October 8th.
Did he have a nickname:
Yes, Handsome Frank
Was he married:
Yes, Jane Means Appleton
Did he have children:
Yes, three, Franklin, Frank, and Benjamin