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James K Polk Photo By Political Graveyard from Ann Arbor, MI –

Top 15 Facts about James K. Polk

James Knox Polk served as the 11th President of the United States from March 1845 to March 1849. Before he was elected president, He served as the speaker of the House of Representatives from 1835-1839 and governor of Tennessee from 1839-1841.

Despite winning the 1844 presidential election as the dark horse candidate, James Polk is regarded by many as the best one-term President of the United States.

As president, Polk kept his campaign promises by serving a single term and meeting major goals he had set during his one-term tenure as the head of state.

Polk also managed to resolve a boundary dispute with Great Britain over Oregon country, where he managed to secure the territory for the United States.

He also led the United States into the Mexican-American war and, following a victory, He oversaw the territorial expansion of the United States.

Take a look at these facts about James K. Polk.

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1. James K. Polk underwent surgery at 17 to remove urinary bladder stones

James Polk was born in North Carolina to Samuel Polk and his wife Jane and was the oldest of 10 children. His family moved to Tennessee when he was 11.

In his early years, James was sickly and had to receive his education at home and the age of 17, James underwent emergency surgery to remove bladder stones which at the time was very risky since anesthesia or sterilization was not available yet, so the future head of state had to be awake throughout the whole operation.

2. James K. Polk started formal Education at 18

Following successful surgery, James Polk was able to start formal education for the first time.

After just 2.5 years in school, he was accepted into the University of North Carolina, where he performed well and managed to graduate being among the top of his class.

He then returned to Tennessee to study law and later opened a law practice in Columbia.

3. James K. Polk won the presidency as a dark horse candidate

James K. Polk going through Pennsylvania Photo By Cornell University Library –

Before the 1844 presidential election, James Polk had lost two bids to be re-elected as governor of Tennessee in 1841 when he was voted out of office, and in 1843 when his second bid failed again.

In 1844, he was not expected to run for president, but delegates of the Democratic National Convention could not settle on the desired nominee.

Martin Van Buren, the presumptive nominee, desired a second term as president, but the Democratic Party disliked his sentiments against the annexation of Texas.

The majority of party members believed that strongly supporting the Western expansion was key to defeating Henry Clay. After a convention, the party decided to settle on James K. Polk after nine votes from the delegates.

In the presidential election, Polk was up against Henry Clay and though they both received 50% of the popular vote, Polk edged Clay with electoral votes garnering 170 out of 275 votes.

4. James K. Polk worked for 12 hours a day

James K. Polk LCCN Photo By Popular Graphic Arts –

In his term as the president, Polk normally worked for 12 hours a day and rarely took a day off. Over his tenure as head of state, he had only 27 days off.

He seldom left Washington and if he wanted to seek the congress, he would do it himself.

5. James K. Polk was boring

Polk had a strict moral attitude, and a dull tone, and was known to be a very stern person. His wife banned hard liquor from the White House, and some people credited his boringness to his inability to drink socially.

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6. Americans could stop by the White House during James K. Polk鈥檚 鈥淥ffice Hours鈥�

LBJ Polk Home Photo By Polk Association Photographer –

In Polk鈥檚 time, an American citizen was granted entry to the White House during 鈥渙ffice hours鈥� for two days a week. Citizens could stop by to seek favors, but Polk found the constant interruptions annoying.

7. James K. Polk obtained the first patch of Pacific coastline

Sail of USS James K. Polk Photo By U.S. Navy –

After pledging in his presidential campaign to settle the boundary of Oregon territory with the British, Polk was able to acquire the disputed territory once in office.

Polk鈥檚 supporters were pushing for 鈥渇ifty-four forty or fight鈥� about the northernmost latitude of Oregon country and though both the British and Americans jointly occupied the land, the United States wanted the west coast of North America to itself.

Polk agreed with the British to draw a border at the 49th parallel, which gave the United States its first patch of the Pacific coastline (present-day Oregon, Idaho, and Washington)

8. James K. Polk was a champion of manifest destiny

Coined by John O鈥橲ullivan, manifest destiny was a belief that the United States had a right to extend across North America. By the end of his tenure at the office, Polk had successfully managed to extend the nation鈥檚 borders from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.

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9. James K. Polk鈥檚 war

In May 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico after the death of 11 U.S. soldiers at the hands of Mexican troops in April 1846.

Mexican soldiers were angered about lost lands through the annexation of Texas, and their act is believed to be a rebellion against the then-Mexican president. 

The war dubbed 鈥淢r Polk鈥檚 War鈥� by James Polk鈥檚 critics started after Polk ignored evidence that U.S. troops had crossed to Mexico before being attacked. The war was over by the end of 1847 after Mexico sued for peace.

10. James K. Polk’s Untimely Death

Tomb of President James K. Polk Photo By Barnard, George N., 1819-1902-

After completing his one-term presidency in 1849 and deciding to retire, Polk died just three months later at the age of 53. He is said to have died from cholera after doctors prescribed treatments that did more harm than good.

This would make his retirement the shortest of any head of state of the United States.

James Polk left the White House after a successful tenure as president in March 1849 and returned to his Nashville home. Polk鈥檚 poor health claimed his life later in June that year and was buried at his Polk Place home.

James Polk was in a marriage for 25 years but never had any children. The surgery in his early years is often accredited to have made him sterile

James Polk and his wife were the only presidential couple not having children while together.

11. James K. Polk’s Career As State Legislator

James’ first mentor was Grundy. However, when he was in the legislature, he opposed him on matters such as land reform. He also began to support the policies of Andrew Jackson then a military hero for his victory at the Battle of New Orleans.

James was later nominated for a seat in the U.S. When he won, it boosted his presidential chances and offered him political experience as well as military accomplishments.

12. James K. Polk As Chairman of The Ways and Means

In December 1833, he became the chairman of Ways and Means which is a powerful position in the House. A chairman, he supported Andrew Jackson’s withdrawal of federal funds from the Second Bank.

In April 1834, the Ways and Means Committee reported a bill to regulate state deposit banks and enabled Jackson to deposit funds in pet banks. James also got legislation passed to allow the sale of the government’s stock in the Second Bank.

13. James K. Polk As Governor of Tennesee

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

From 1839 to 1841, he was the ninth governor of Tennessee. His administration mainly focused on internal improvements and economic problems which resulted from the Panic of 1837. However, scholars note that he only ran for governor at the urging of Andrew Jackson and other Democratic leaders.

14. James K. Polk’s Fiscal Policy

On August 6, 1846, he signed the Independent Treasury Act into law. It provided the public revenues which were retained in the Treasury building and in the sub-treasuries in various cities which were separate from private or state banks.

The system remained intact until the passage of the Federal Reserve Act in 1913.

15. James K. Polk’s Legacy

He is remembered as a successful president who is regarded as a man of destiny and a political chess master. He is determined as the most effective president prior to the Civil War.

Most of the other presidents referred to James as a great president that always did what he had to do. Historians have criticized James for not perceiving that his territorial gains set the table for civil war.

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