James Polk Trivia

1. What US President was considered James K. Polk's mentor?

From Quiz President James K. Polk

Answer: Andrew Jackson

Jackson, who was friends with Polk's father Sam, was a frequent visitor to the Polk home. Andrew and Rachel Jackson had no children of their own and often took promising young men "under their wings". As a young lawyer, Polk loyally supported Jackson in his political endeavors. Jackson was a driving force behind Polk's successful bid to gain the Democratic presidential nomination in 1844. Polk garnered the nickname "Young Hickory" because of his relationship to "Old Hickory".

From Quiz The 11th President

Answer: Speaker of the House of Representatives

He was Speaker of the House from 1835-1839. Up to that time no other president has been Speaker of the House.

From Quiz James K. Polk

Answer: University of North Carolina

He was a very brilliant young man becoming the salutatorian Latin scholar in his year group and going on to be elected to legislation at 28 years of age.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: 1795

Yup, that's when he was born.

From Quiz President James K. Polk

Answer: Henry Clay

Clay won his party's nomination for US President three times (1824, 1832, 1844). However, he was never able to win the general election. The closest he came to being President was the 1844 election. Clay lost when Polk carried New York by just 5,000 votes gaining the additional electoral votes needed to give the Democrat the win.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: 11th

Right after John Tyler.

From Quiz James K. Polk

Answer: Sarah Childress, no children

Sarah and James married in 1824. James stayed focused on his political career and decided to make America a larger country. Extra information about other answers: Letitia was John Tyler's wife and they did have eight boys and seven girls. Anna was William Henry Harrison's wife and they had six boys and five girls. Margaret was Zachary Taylor's wife and they had one boy and five girls.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: Lawyer

Seems like a lot of presidents were previously lawyers...

From Quiz President James K. Polk

Answer: Great Britain

In 1818 the US and England negotiated a treaty which called for the joint occupation of Oregon for a period of ten years. The treaty was extended indefinitely in 1827. However, obtaining Oregon was s priority for Polk when he entered office in 1845. Under the direction of Secretary of State James Buchanan an agreement was reached averting a possible war and on June 15, 1846 the Senate ratified a treaty with Britain which gave the US control of the Oregon territory.

From Quiz The 11th President

Answer: Thanksgiving dinner

She was the hostess of the first annual Thanksgiving dinner at the White House.

From Quiz President James K. Polk

Answer: Fifty-four, Forty or Fight

The debate over where Oregon's northern border became a source of contention during the negotiations with England. In an 1824 treaty with Russia the northern boundary of Oregon was located at the southern boundary of Russia's Alaska at the 54th parallel. During negotiations the Polk administration agreed to move the northern boundary to the 49th parallel. This move was not acceptable to many and the phrase "Fifty-four, Forty or Fight" became a rallying cry for those who wanted "all of Oregon". Many mistakenly believe that this motto was part of Polk's election campaign in 1844, but the phrase did not become prominent until the negotiations became heated the following year. "Remember the Alamo" became the battle cry of those fighting for Texas independence in 1836, some nine years before Polk became President.

From Quiz James K. Polk

Answer: 10

James was the son of a prosperous farmer, Samuel Polk, who obviously had more than enough children to help run his farm.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: Democratic

Who WAS from the Sneezer party? I forget.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: 1844

What can I say? It was 1844.

From Quiz President James K. Polk

Answer: He promised not to run for a second term

The Whig Party generally supported the idea of a one term presidency and they were poised to use the idea of Andrew Jackson's (a Polk supporter) two term presidency as a weapon against Polk. Also Polk knew that many of his fellow Democrats also desired the presidency and that by pledging to serve only one term he would cement the support of such powerful men as John Calhoun, Lewis Cass and James Buchanan. The feeling was that these men and other future office seekers would unite around Polk if they knew that in four years they could run for President. By making this pledge Polk took away a campaign issue from the Whigs and solidified the support of his Democratic rivals. Despite the call by many party leaders to run for re-election in 1848, Polk kept his pledge.

From Quiz The 11th President

Answer: Guadalupe Hidalgo

The war lasted about a year and a half and resulted in Mexico's complete defeat. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war. The Rio Grande became Texas' southern border. The United States also acquired California and all of New Mexico territory, a.k.a. the Mexican Cession. The United States now extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

From Quiz James K. Polk

Answer: Trust

He never trusted his work to anyone else, so he did it all himself.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: George M. Dallas

Henry Clay was his opponent in the elections.

From Quiz President James K. Polk

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

In 1847, Lincoln, a new Congressman from Illinois, introduced eight strongly worded questions questioning Polk's decision to go to war. A year later he voted with his fellow Whigs to condemn the war as unnecessary and unconstitutional. His strong opposition led his law partner and close friend William Herndon to challenge Lincoln's attack on Polk but the future President insisted that Polk had overextended his Presidential powers. His opposition won him friends in the Whig party but caused his Democratic opponents in Illinois to label him a traitor. Seeing that he could not win, Lincoln chose not to run for re-election in 1848. Ironically as President, Lincoln used greater executive powers then Polk during the US Civil War.

From Quiz The 11th President

Answer: Department of the Interior

The first appointment though, was made by Zachary Taylor (the 12th president).

From Quiz James K. Polk

Answer: Gold rush

Large lumps of gold were found in Sacramento, California. This gold rush can truly be attributed to James Polk because if the land had not been acquired for the United States by his leadership the Mexicans would have got the gold instead.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: To the shores of the Pacific

Rather large expansion, if you ask me.

From Quiz President James K. Polk

Answer: He died, probably from cholera

After leaving office, Polk went on a long and tiresome farewell tour throughout the south. While Polk enjoyed the adulation of the people they went through areas stricken with cholera and soon he and Sarah found themselves sick. They finally reached Nashville almost a month after leaving Washington. Exhausted from the trip Polk spent the next few weeks visiting family and overseeing the remodeling of his home, Polk Place, but he never fully recovered from his ailments. On June 15, 1849 at the age of fifty-three Polk died. His return to private life lasted only 103 days. At the time of this writing his life span after serving as president remains the shortest ex-presidency in history.

From Quiz James K. Polk

Answer: 1849

They said that he had been ill for several weeks and that diarrhea was fatal in the West.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: Gold was discovered

From Quiz President James K. Polk

Answer: The grounds of the Tennessee state capital

Polk's wife Sarah died in 1893, some forty-two years after the death of the president. During her life she made sure that his tomb, located on the property of their Nashville home became a shrine to the man she loved. Polk Place was so honored that during the Civil War and the Battle of Nashville it was considered neutral ground by both Union and Confederate forces. The Polk's plan was for the state of Tennessee to preserve their retirement home as a memorial to the president after Sarah died. However that did not happen and after her death the remains of both were taken and entombed on the grounds of the Tennessee state capitol. Sadly, Polk Place was demolished in 1900.

From Quiz The 11th President

Answer: North Carolina

He was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina on November 2nd, 1795.

From Quiz President James Polk

Answer: Knox & knox

Rather odd middle name, I think...

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:49 AM

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