A lot of shit happened during Polk’s four years in office.
A Democrat, Polk was a disciple of Andrew Jackson. He promised to serve only one-term in order to placate rivals that he knew coveted the presidency. Not a strong leader and lacking charisma, he nevertheless succeeded in bringing about all four of the main items on his agenda:
- Lowering tariffs
- stabling the currency
- acquiring the Oregon territory
- expanding country to the Pacific
He may not have done it exactly to plan – instead starting a war with Mexico – but he did it.
Poor guy died four months after leaving office.