James Knox Polk November 2, 1795, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

1. James Knox PolkNovember 2, 1795, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Nickname: "Young Hickory” The nickname comes from his mentor, Andrew Jackson, who was called Old Hickory. When Polk became his protégé, he was given the name Young Hickory. •  11th President of the United States (March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1849.) • Political Party: Democrat

2. Education: President Polk went to the University of North Carolina, where he graduated with honors in1818 Its been reported that he was a very Studious and industriousperson

3. Home Life:

4. Hobbies "No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure.“- James K. Polk  he pursued politics relentlessly. One biographer writes that aside from politics, Polk "had no aspirations, intellectual interests, recreation, or even friendships(It is said that Polk was a workaholic and left office completely "drained.“)

5. Interesting Facts • Tennessee ham and hickory nut cake were his favorite foods. • While he was in New Orleans, he became seriously ill from cholera- an infection of the small intestine that causes a large amount of watery diarrhea • He was the first President to voluntarily retire after one term.  • Dancing and music were not allowed at White House parties during his administration. • He had a Pet horse.

6. Before He was president. • After Polk graduated from North Carolina he went on to become a lawyer • In 1824 we was elected to the U.S. House Of Representatives as a Jacksonian Democrat.  • Between 1835 and 1839he served as Speaker of the house, and left to become Governor of Tennessee.

7. Polk’s Big Accomplishments during Presidency ." He once described himself as the hardest-working man in Washington, and even his political enemies marveled at his ability to accomplish so much on a daily basis.

8. Presidential election 1844

9. Domestic affairs The Oregon treaty gave the US the area below the 49th parallel except for Vancouver

10. Walker Tariff of 1846:Polk opposed protective tariffs, and wanted to come up with a new tariff deal. “The Walker Tariff.” Which moved rates downward towards revenue-only levels and dropped the percent of the value of the goods in favor of a set rate regardless of the value. • Independent Treasury Act of 1846: • Polk wanted to revive the (ITA) that the Whig-dominated Congress had repealed in 1841. • -In which he entrusted the federal government with control of government funds and required that disbursements be made in hard specie, such as gold or silver. • Settle Oregon Boundary Question: • The Oregon territory had been jointly occupied by Great Britain and the U.S. as a result of their inability to resolve their separate claims to the area. In the end Great Britain accepted the 49th parallel. • Wilmot Proviso: (Slavery in the New Territories) : • The "Wilmot Proviso" stated that “both slavery and involuntary servitude shall never exist in any part of" the territory acquired from Mexico.  (Polk, endorsed the idea of extending the old Missouri Compromise line)

11. Foreign Affairs • Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty • Signed on February 2, 1848 by representatives from the United States and Mexico. It ended the Mexican-American War. • Mexico had to relinquish vast amounts of land as well as abandoning all claims on Texas. • Acquisition of California • Mexico recognized the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas and surrendered control of New Mexico and California to the United States in return for $15 million. They soon after discovered Gold in California

12. Treaty of New Granada • The agreement, signed by U.S. Minister Benjamin A. Bidlack, conveyed to the U.S. the right of way across the Isthmus of Panama. In return, the United States promised to guarantee the neutrality of the isthmus and the sovereignty of New Granada • In so doing, Polk paved the way for the eventual construction in 1914 of the Panama Canal,