The United States and its Formative Years… Part 11
The administration of James Knox Polk
The election of 1844 was a rowdy affair in that neither party was able to put together a campaign that the party officials could truly get behind. Polk finally garnered his party’s nomination on the 9th ballot, receiving 233 votes. In the general election, he received 170 electoral college votes.
He was inaugurated March 4, 1845; in his inaugural address he stated his aim to serve but one term as President. In his address he set out 4 specific goals, first to reestablish the Independent Treasury System, second to adjust the tariff system, third to acquire as much of the Oregon country as possible and fourth to acquire as much of Northern California and its harbors as possible. His foreign policy goals would represent the first territorial American gains since the Adams- Onis Treaty of 1819.
January 1, 1845 the great Irish Potato famine began driving a rush by Irish immigrants into the US.
June 25, 1845 Polk orders General Zachery Taylor to the north bank of Rio Grand River to protect against an invasion by elements of the Mexican Army.
July 1, 1845 the phrase “Manifest Destiny” begins to be used throughout the US.
October 10, 1845 the US Naval Academy opens at Annapolis, Maryland under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy, George Bancroft.
December 29, 1845 Texas becomes the twenty eighth state of the Union.
February 4, 1846 Mormons begin the migration to Utah under the direction of Brigham Young.
May 13, 1846 President Polk signs a “Declaration of War” against Mexico after Mexican troops clashed with General Taylor’s troops on the north shore of the Rio Grand River.
June 14, 1846 a small group of Americans declare “The Bear Flag Revolt” claiming California to be a free and independent republic.
June 15, 1846 the “Oregon Treaty” is ratified by the US Senate and sets the boundary between Canada and the United States at the 49th parallel granting the US clear title to the present day states of Idaho, Washington and Oregon.
July 18, 1846 Congress passes Polk’s “Tariff Bill of 1846” lowering tariffs to revenue only levels.
August 3, 1846 Polk vetoes the “Rivers and Harbors Act” calling it unconstitutional.
August 6, 1846 Polk signs into law the “Independent Treasury”, fulfilling one of the major tenants of his agenda calling it “The Constitutional Treasury”.
August 10, 1846 Congress authorizes establishment of the “Smithsonian Institution”.
November 1, 1946 the Whig Party regains control of the House of Representatives.
December 8, 1846 Iowa becomes the twenty-ninth state of the Union.
February 22, 1847 General Zachery Taylor defeats a Mexican Army under the command of General Santa Ana at the “Battle of Buena Vista”.
July 22, 1847 the first Mormon settlers arrive in the Salt Lake Valley.
September 14, 1847 General Winfield Scott captures the Mexican capital, Mexico City.
January 24, 1848 gold is discovered in California causing a rush of people into California.
February 2, 1848 the “Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo” is signed by Nicholas Trist. The treaty grants possession of large sections of the current day states of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming. It also confirms the Rio Grand as the border of Texas. Under the treaty the US agrees to settle monetary claims by American business men and pay Mexico 15 million Dollars for the lands Mexico ceded to the United States.
May 29, 1848 Wisconsin becomes the thirtieth state in the Union.
July 12, 1848 at the “Seneca Falls Convention”, women’s suffrage is debated as well as other demands.
November 1, 1848 Polk’s party regains control of the House of Representatives.
November 7, 1848 Zachery Taylor is elected as the twelfth President of the United States.
March 3, 1849 the United States ‘Department of the Interior’ is created, melding the General Land Office, the Bureau Indian Affairs, the Pension Office, the Bureau of the Census and the Patent Office into one department.
March 5, 1849 Zachery Taylor is inaugurated as the twelfth President of the United States.
President James Knox Polk in one term in office would oversee the second largest land acquisition in the history of the United States, eclipsed only by Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase.
He would live but 3 months after his presidency ended, he would die June 4, 1849.
This finishes this series as most of the land area of the contiguous 48 states would be complete except for the Gadsden Purchase of June 8, 1854. Polk’s Presidency was one of the most effective in that he accomplished the bulk of his domestic and foreign agenda.
Walt Mow 2026
