James Knox Polk - President of USA

James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 - June 15, 1849) was the eleventh President of the United States (1845-1849). Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, but mostly lived in and represented the state of Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as Speaker of the House (1835-1839) and Governor of Tennessee (1839-1841) prior to becoming president. A firm supporter of Andrew Jackson, Polk was the last strong pre-Civil War president. Polk is noted for his foreign policy successes. He threatened war with Britain then backed away and split the ownership of the Northwest with Britain. He is even more famous for leading the successful Mexican-American War. He lowered the tariff and established a treasury system that lasted until 1913. A dark horse candidate in 1844, he was the first president to retire after a single term without seeking re-election.