H I S V I E W O N T H E P R E S I D E N CY

JAMES K. POLK

What made Polk known was that he fulfilled all of the promises he made before becoming president (more details in next presentation). He was great friends with Andrew Jackson and a lot of the ideas that Jackson implemented during his presidency inspired Polk.

JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VgofAOLbdg

• Advocated equal rights and limited government• Very tied closely with slavery and the subjugation of Native Americans

(Polk, in fact, owned slaves).• Described as a market revolution as well because during that time

improvements in technology and transportation were made, contributing to the fall of the older artisan economy and promoting expansion and a manufacturing economy.

• Jacksonians gave little weight to education, believing that “everyone” had the rights to be successful (white males primarily)

• Opposed banks for their monopolies

One thing Polk took to heart from his predecessors was that everyone was supposed to have equal rights. Jacksonians generally supported white males, but Polk demonstrates a strong sense of responsibility, one that he brings to the presidency.

POLK’S VIEWS TOWARDS PREDECESSORS

AS PRESIDENT

• Polk states this about the members of Congress: “There is more selfishness and less principle among members of Congress than I had any conception of, before I became President of the U.S.”

• Polk, in order to carry out the Jacksonian principles of Manifest Destiny and equal rights, he would have to carry the entire burden on his own without depending on help from Congress at various times.

• This explains why Polk views the presidency as a position of great pressure and heavy responsibilities.

AFTER PRESIDENCY

• Polk expanded the landmass of the United States by more than 1.2 million sq. miles. More than any other president, by acquiring the Oregon territory and New Mexico.• Reestablished the Independent Treasury Stystem• Lowered the tariff• “With me, it is exceptionally true that the

Presidency is no bed of roses”

CONCLUSION

• Polk was a man of strong moral sense and took it upon himself to follow through with the ideas of Jacksonian in his own way.

• Tremendous pressure followed Poll as he did not trust Congress, prompting him to do all negotiations himself.

• He stood by his responsibilities and after close to the end of his presidency he states: “I am heartily rejoiced that my term is so near its close. I will soon cease to be a servant and will become a sovereign.”

WORK CITED

• Boundless. "Jacksonian Democrats: 1824–1860." Boundless.com. Boundless Learning, 10 June 2015. Web. 25 June 2015.

• New World Encyclopedia Contributors. "James K. Polk." Http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/James_K._Polk. New World Encyclopedia, 4 Apr. 2008. Web. 24 June 2015.

• Staff, HIstory.com. "Jacksonian Democracy." Jacksonian Democracy. A+E Networks, 2012. Web. 25 June 2015.

• PBS Contributors. "President James K. Polk." Http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/biographies/james_polk.html. PBS, 3 Nov. 2009. Web. 24 June 2015.