Presidents of the United States, in the Century From Jefferson to Fillmore


Book Description

Excerpt from Presidents of the United States, in the Century From Jefferson to Fillmore The purpose of this volume is to present as much of the history of the United States during the first half of the nineteenth century as may find a proper place in the biographies of the foremost political personages of that period. These foremost personages are the eleven presidents who served during the years from 1801 to 1853. They were in some instances the largest and most important political figures of their day, while in other instances they were men of lesser degree than other contemporary statesmen who never won the presidential prize. But notwithstanding the inconspicuous influence of several of the presidents, the history of the country is more closely related to the succession of Chief Executives than to any other generic group of men. Such presidents as Jefferson and Jackson made history, not only for their own terms of office, but for succeeding times; they were like the forces of nature and environment, they signally moulded the political life of the people and its expression in government; they were the founders and organizers of parties; they created policies; they raised issues and precipitated events; history could not escape them. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.










Millard Fillmore


Book Description

The oddly named president whose shortsightedness and stubbornness fractured the nation and sowed the seeds of civil war In the summer of 1850, America was at a terrible crossroads. Congress was in an uproar over slavery, and it was not clear if a compromise could be found. In the midst of the debate, President Zachary Taylor suddenly took ill and died. The presidency, and the crisis, now fell to the little-known vice president from upstate New York. In this eye-opening biography, the legal scholar and historian Paul Finkelman reveals how Millard Fillmore's response to the crisis he inherited set the country on a dangerous path that led to the Civil War. He shows how Fillmore stubbornly catered to the South, alienating his fellow Northerners and creating a fatal rift in the Whig Party, which would soon disappear from American politics—as would Fillmore himself, after failing to regain the White House under the banner of the anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic "Know Nothing" Party. Though Fillmore did have an eye toward the future, dispatching Commodore Matthew Perry on the famous voyage that opened Japan to the West and on the central issues of the age—immigration, religious toleration, and most of all slavery—his myopic vision led to the destruction of his presidency, his party, and ultimately, the Union itself.










Presidents and Presidencies in American History [4 volumes]


Book Description

This innovative encyclopedia explores the life and times of America's forty-five presidents—from the first administration to that of Donald Trump. Forty-five men have served as President of the United States since George Washington swore the oath of office in 1789 in New York City. Some have proved exceptional leaders, and others have not. Some have faced serious crises, both foreign and domestic. Franklin Roosevelt was elected to four terms, leading the country through a major economic depression and a world war, while one held the office for only a single month. Each, however, played a key role in the evolution of United States history. Each of their histories therefore remains a critical civics lesson to consider. This four-volume encyclopedia provides an expansive analysis of the life and times of each United States president in chronological order from George Washington to Donald Trump. Each chapter includes a timeline, a biographical sketch, a historical overview, and an analytical essay concerning the president and his presidency. Each also includes a substantial selection of related primary documents presenting important presidential speeches and correspondence. A suggested reading list for further study of each president rounds out each entry.