James K. Polk
(1795-1849)
WHO HE WAS:
James Knox Polk, the 11th President of the United States, was a leader whose vision of Manifest Destiny expanded the nation's borders to the Pacific Ocean. Polk, born in North Carolina and a political protégé of Andrew Jackson, served as the Speaker of the House and Governor of Tennessee before his presidency. His tenure was marked by significant territorial acquisitions and a strong stance on national expansion.
WHAT S/HE SAID:
"No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure."
WHY S/HE MATTERED:
James K. Polk's single-term presidency profoundly altered the shape of the United States. His administration was instrumental in securing the territories that would become part of the states of California, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, thus realizing the vision of a nation that spanned coast-to-coast.