biography
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1784–1850)
|
| biography:
| US statesman and 12th president (1849–50), born in Orange Co, Virginia, USA. With little formal education, he volunteered for the army (1806), was commissioned lieutenant (1808), and enjoyed a long military career that saw distinguished service in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War (1832), and the Seminole Wars. Already known nationwide as Old Rough and Ready, he provoked the opening hostilities of the Mexican War (1846–7) and won celebrated victories at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterrey, and Buena Vista. The Whigs adopted this politically inexperienced war hero as their presidential candidate in 1848, and he and Millard Fillmore won the election. The main issue facing Taylor and the nation was the question of slavery; he took a position against abolition, but also against the spread of slavery into new states - which satisfied no one. Meanwhile, Henry Clay proposed the Compromise of 1850, which put the issue on hold for the time being, and Taylor died in office amidst these unresolved controversies. |
|
|
