The 1st President of the United States
Name: James Knox Polk
Number of terms he served: One
Year he took office: 1845
Birth Date: November 2, 1795
Age when he took office: 50
State of Birth: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Vice President: George M. Dallas
What Party was he from: Democrat
What was his major contribution while in office:
James K. Polk won the election because he was going to expand the U.S. from the Atlantic ocean to the Pacific ocean. When he was elected he got right to work he started with Oregon. Great Britain and the U.S. claimed Oregon and wouldn’t give it up but eventually they made a treaty and Polk had claimed both Oregon and Washington. When he tried to claim New Mexico and California the Mexican’s wouldn’t give it up. Polk offered to buy it from them but the answer was the same so he sent troops to the Rio Grande to fight with the Mexicans. This is known as the Mexican war. Neither side won so they had to make a treaty, the U.S. would buy the land of New Mexico and California, and Mexico would give the U.S. five hundred thousand square miles of land. Polk was the first president to serve the U.S. from the Atlantic ocean the Pacific ocean.
What did he do after he left office:
The presidency had not been too great for Polk’s health, he lost too much weight and he caught cholera on his tour in the south after leaving the White house. He died in his new house three months after he left office, his last words were “I love you Sarah, For all eternity, I love you.” Polk had the shortest retirement of 103 days.
Did he have a nickname:
Yes, Old Hickory
Was he married:
Yes, Sarah Childress
Did he have children:
No