Tag: Expansion and Reform

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, portrait by Alexander Gardner

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) WHO HE WAS: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is revered as one of the nation’s most iconic leaders. Born in a log cabin and largely self-taught, Lincoln rose from humble beginnings to guide the country through the Civil War, preserving the Union and emancipating slaves. His eloquence, wisdom,

James Buchanan

James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States

James Buchanan (1791-1868) WHO HE WAS: James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States, was the last to serve before the American Civil War. His presidency is often associated with inaction in the face of growing sectional tensions, which ultimately escalated into secession and conflict after he left office. A lifelong bachelor, he was

Franklin Pierce

Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States

Franklin Pierce (1804-1869) WHO HE WAS: Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, served during a time of apparent tranquility that belied the simmering tensions leading to the Civil War. A northern Democrat who saw the abolitionist movement as a fundamental threat to the unity of the nation, Pierce’s presidency is marked by

John Tyler

President John Tyler, portrait

John Tyler (1790-1862) WHO HE WAS: John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States, who assumed office after the untimely death of President William Henry Harrison. Tyler was the first vice president to become president due to the death of his predecessor, setting a significant constitutional precedent. Known as “His Accidency,” Tyler’s presidency

Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren, the Eighth President of the United States

Martin Van Buren (1782-1862) WHO SHE WAS: Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States, a key organizer of the Democratic Party, and a principal architect of American political organization during the early 19th century. Before his presidency, he served as the Secretary of State and the Vice President under Andrew Jackson,

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson - A Controversial American President

Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) WHO HE WAS: Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States, serving from 1829 to 1837. Known as “Old Hickory” for his tough demeanor, he was a military hero who became a symbol of the American frontier and democracy. His presidency marked the rise of the common man and the

Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Solitude of Self

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

In February 1892, at the age of seventy‐six, Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered this powerful and eloquent speech to the House Judiciary Committee. Later that evening, she delivered the same address before the members of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), the organization she led for twenty years. “The Solitude of Self” is widely considered

Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States

Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) WHO HE WAS: Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States, was a national war hero who won widespread acclaim for his leadership in the Mexican-American War. Before his presidency, he had a 40-year military career, earning the nickname “Old Rough and Ready” for his willingness to share hardships with his

James K. Polk

James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States

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

John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) WHO HE WAS: John Quincy Adams was an American statesman who served as the sixth President of the United States from 1825 to 1829. Son of the second president, John Adams, his career was distinguished by his roles as diplomat, Senator, and as a leading advocate for national infrastructure projects and