Lecture Notes: Martin Van Buren's Presidency and Subsequent Elections
Election of 1840
- Martin Van Buren: Ending of first term as president, candidate for Democrats.
- Whig Party: More organized, ran William Henry Harrison with John Tyler as VP candidate.
- Harrison: Campaigned on war record, new Bank of the United States, Henry Clay's American system.
- Slogan: "Tippy Canoe and Tyler Too" referencing the Battle of Tippecanoe, which Harrison won.
- Election Result: Harrison won decisively due to Van Buren's poor handling of the economic panic.
William Henry Harrison's Presidency
- At 67, oldest elected president at that time (later surpassed by Trump and Biden).
- Death: Died one month after inauguration, attributed to pneumonia.
- Inauguration Speech: Longest in history, but illness occurred weeks later.
John Tyler's Presidency
- Succession Issue: No clear precedent for presidential succession until the 25th Amendment (1965).
- Congress and courts decided Tyler would become president upon taking the oath.
- Political Stance: Anti-Jackson Democrat, opposed to Jackson's extreme measures.
- Tyler's Presidency:
- Vetoed Whig majority Congress laws, leading to his expulsion from the Whig Party in 1842.
- First presidential veto overridden by Congress.
Election of 1844
- Candidates:
- Henry Clay (Whig): Ran on American system, ignored expansion and slavery.
- James K. Polk (Democrat): Focused on expansionism, annexation of Texas.
- James G. Birney (Liberty Party): Anti-slavery party.
- Result: Polk won; close election influenced by Birney pulling votes from Whigs.
- Key State: New York; if Clay addressed expansion/slavery, he might have won.
Presidency of James K. Polk (1845-1849)
Campaign Goals: Four Goals and One Promise
- Reduce Tariffs
- Achieved through Democratic majority Congress.
- Annex Texas
- Completed before Polk took office, driven by Tyler for legacy.
- Texas: Only state post-13 colonies to not follow the Northwest Ordinance, right to divide but not secede.
- Acquire Oregon Territory
- Tension with Britain resolved with compromise at 49th parallel, averting war (1846).
- Acquire California and New Mexico from Mexico
- More complex goal leading towards conflict.
Promise
- One Term Pledge: Polk promised to serve only one term and focused on achieving his outlined goals.
Significance and Impact
- Texas Annexation: Led to border disputes with Mexico; slavery imbalance.
- Polk's Expansionism: Set stage for further conflicts, hinting towards the Mexican-American War.
These notes cover key aspects and developments from Van Buren's presidency through Polk's election and his administration. Focus on election strategies, political stances, and the domestic and foreign policies that shaped this period in U.S. history.