11.) James K. Polk 1845-1849

[Abridged] Presidential Histories

No president better captures the spirit of Manifest Destiny than James K. Polk. When he entered office, the United States had a disputed claim to Oregon, and that's about it. When he left office, the United States looked like the continent-spanning empire it is today..
Follow along as Polk revives his dead-end political career to shock everyone and win the White House, manipulates the United States into war with Mexico to steal the American Southwest, acquires the Oregon Territory from Great Britain through bold negotiation, and accomplishes all of his domestic priorities in a single action-packed term.
Bibliography
1. Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America – Walter R. Borneman
2. Zachary Taylor – John D. Eisenhower
3. John Tyler - Gary May
4. Heirs of the Founders – H.W. Brands
5. John Quincy Adams - Harlow G Unger
6. James Buchanan – Jean H. Baker
7. Abraham Lincoln – David Herbert Donald
8. Franklin Pierce – Michael F. Holt

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