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Family Member
James K. Polk was a brother of Jane Maria Polk, Lydia Eliza Polk, Franklin Ezekiel Polk, Marshall Tate Polk, John Lee Polk, Naomi Tate Polk, Ophelia Clarissa Polk, William Hawkins Polk and Samuel Washington Polk. His mom was Jane Gracy Knox, and his dad was Samuel Polk. His wife is Sarah Polk. -
Education
James suffered various health issues as a child, so he was home schooled. In 1812, he was cured, so he took admission at a local church. In 1816, Polk went to the University of North Carolina, in which he graduated from in 1818. -
Employment
After graduation, Polk did apprenticeship under Felix Grundy, who was a well known Nashville trial attorney. His career in politics began when he became a member to the Tennessee legislature in 1823. -
Politics
In 1825, he ran for the United States House of Representatives and served as the speaker of the House from 1835 till 1839. He left the Congress in 1839, to take up the post of governor of Tennessee. -
Effect on the US
On March 4, 1845, at the age of 49, he became the youngest American President of that time. As soon as he took over the presidency, he started working on his objectives; fist step in the direction was signing the bill, which restored the Independent Treasury System, which he did in 1846. -
Public Opinion
He won the popular vote by a huge margin and as far as the Electoral College was concerned, he won 170 votes, in comparison with 105 won by his Whig Party opponent Henry Clay of Kentucky. The United States Postal Service even issued several stamps to honor Polk, the latest was released in 1995 on Polk’s 200th birth anniversary.