Who Is James K. Polk? : The Presidential Election Of 1844 / Mark R. Cheathem.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cheathem, Mark R., 1973- author.

Series:

American presidential elections.

American Presidential Elections Series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political campaigns--United States--History--19th century.

Political campaigns.

Presidential candidates--United States--History--19th century.

Presidential candidates.

Presidents--United States--Election--1844.

Presidents.

United States--Politics and government--1841-1845.

United States.

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849.

Polk, James K.

Genre:

History

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (354 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Lawrence, Kansas : University Press of Kansas, [2023]

Summary:

"The question Americans asked in 1844 was, "Who the hell is James K. Polk?" Polk, of course, was not unknown, but he was a highly unlikely presidential candidate given the availability of better-known options. Among the Democrats, this included Martin Van Buren, John C. Calhoun, and James Buchanan. Among the Whigs, Daniel Webster was a possibility before they settled on Henry Clay. Complicating the election were three other candidates, including President John Tyler, a man without a party after the Whigs expelled him, and Joseph Smith, the self-described prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who became the first assassinated presidential candidate. On top of this remarkable cast of characters, the stakes of the election were high, as the United States was undergoing a political transition. Mark Cheathem, project director of the Papers of Martin Van Buren, has written the definitive account of this important election, another entry in the esteemed American Presidential Elections series"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

"A political Saturnalia" : Jacksonian party politics, 1824-1840

"Oll for Klay" : The Whig National Convention

"An entirely new man" : The Democratic Convention

"In the hands of the slave power" : The campaigns of Joseph Smith, John Tyler, and James G. Birney

"A national festival" : The 1844 Campaign

"The republic is safe" : understanding Polk's victory.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780700635740

0700635742

OCLC:

1454718297