As a member of the House of Representatives, James Knox Polk was a chief lieutenant in President Andrew Jackson's war with the Bank of America. He served as Speaker between 1835 and 1839, leaving to become Governor of Tennessee. It was because of Jackson that he was unexpectedly nominated for the presidency in 1844.

James Knox Polk, by George Peter Alexander Healy

	November 2, 1795	Born near Pineville, North Carolina.
	1806	Moved to Tennessee.
	1818	Graduated from the University of North Carolina.
	1820	Admitted to the Tennessee Bar.
	1821	Became chief clerk of the Tennessee Senate.
	1823	Elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives.
	January 1, 1824	Married Sarah Childress.
	1825	Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
	1835	Elected Speaker of the House.
	1839	Elected Governor of Tennessee.
	1844	Elected President of the United States.
	June 15, 1849	Died in Nashville, Tennessee.

Sources

North Carolina Encyclopedia ncpedia.org
People in the West www.pbs.org

See Also

President Andrew Jackson

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This page was last updated on August 30, 2018.