Why the 11th president is severely underrated
Ever heard of James K. Polk? The 11th president of the U.S? Don’t worry, most Americans haven’t either. But guess what, now is your chance to learn about him. If you regard hard-work and honesty as prime virtues, you’ll love ol’ Young Hickory.
In my opinion, Polk is the MOST underrated U.S president throughout American History. He was not the kind to waste time saying he’ll get things done, instead he invested his time and effort to get them done. The term “sea to shining sea” wouldn’t have presented itself hadn’t Polk been such a humble and exceptional guy. He got more work done in his presidency than most of the presidents COMBINED. Unlike most (if not all) politicians, Polk made a promise of expanding America from the east coast to the west, and he graciously kept it. Along with that, he cut tariffs (taxes on imported goods) SIGNIFICANTLY and reestablished an independent U.S Treasury.
The concept of Manifest Destiny (you’ve probably heard this somewhere but you don’t know where) underlies that we are DESTINED, as a nation, to expand from the Atlantic Ocean to the infamous Pacific Ocean. And judging by his actions, James K. Polk was a FIRM believer of these principles.
So, how did he acquire access to the land in the west? Through a series of actions, the first being sending troops to the Rio Grande River (the border) in an effort to receive Mexico’s territory. Obviously, when Polk sent his troops to the border, it was an act of war, specifically the Mexican-American War. Given that Mexico lost, the U.S gained access to California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Seven down, four to go!!! This time, Polk decided to take a less belligerent approach and negotiated a border dispute with the British to obtain the remaining land, which was Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Mazel tov!
Unfortunately, Polk passed away shortly after his presidency in 1848. However, his spirit is most definitely among us and he will always have a special place in our hearts.
Check out the original article at http://www.briskfeed.com/blog/james-k-polk-the-11th-president-is-underrated
Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhV-t-EoBGs
http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-polk
