James K. Polk, Eleventh President of the United States

I always tended to think of Abraham Lincoln as the person who overcame a less than distinguished political career to become President of the United States, since he was best known for losing a Senatorial race and prior to that had been only a one term Congressman. But then at least Lincoln bested Douglas in the popular vote in Illinois in 1858. But then there are reasons why James K. Polk was the original "Dark Horse" candidate. Polk wanted to be Vice-President of the United States. Having lost a bid for the nomination in 1840 while Governor of Tennessee he proceeded to lose two bids for re-election, which should have ended his political career as well as his dream of being Martin Van Buren's running mate in 1844. Instead he not only ended up as the Democratic candidate, Polk defeated Henry Clay in the election and became arguably the most successful one-term President in the nation's history. Dee Lillegard begins this juvenile biography of Polk for the Encyclopedia of Presidents series with the surprising story of Polk getting the nomination as a compromise candidate. By the end of the book Lillegard argues that Polk would prove to be the only strong president between Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln, and that his reputation was hurt by the fact that Whig attitudes about his administration prevailed and historians did not recognize the importance of his presidency for almost a century. Lillegard quotes a New York newspaper that praised Polk at his death, less than a year after leaving office: "No man and no administration was ever more assailed, and none ever achieved more." The strength of this book is that young readers will get a sense for the accomplishments of his one term in the White House.After detailing Polk's youth in Tennessee and his rise in politics from a clerk to Congressman, where he was part of the new-style congressman representing the common man, whose ascendancy would come with the election of Andrew Jackson to the White House. As one of the leading Jacksonians in Congress, Polk would be elected Speaker of the House in 1835 and earn the nickname of "Young Hickory." Ten years later he would be inaugurated as President. Polk's major accomplishments would be in terms of the principle of Manifest Destiny, which would mean securing the Oregon Territory, winning the Mexican War, and acquiring the California ports of San Diego, Monterey, and San Francisco. Students will also be impressed with his deserved reputation as the hardest working President, although this would explain in part his death the year he left office. But the main strength of this book is explaining Polk's accomplishment regarding the National Bank and tariffs. The book is illustrated with black & white engravings and drawings, as well as some of the earliest photographs in American history. As is usually the case, I am most impressed by the half-dozen political cartoons that capture the passions over the disputes about the National Bank and th