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Zachary Taylor | |
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| Born | November 24, 1784 Barboursville, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | July 9, 1850 (aged 65) White House, Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Whig |
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was a Statesian politician and army general who served as the 12th president of the United States, from 1849 until his death in 1850. Before his presidency, Taylor was a major general in the United States Army, gaining national prominence in the Mexican–American War. He died 16 months into his term, meaning he had the third-shortest presidential term in U.S. history.
Taylor was chosen by the Whig Party as its candidate to take advantage of his recent popularity, but the decision to choose power over ideology would ultimately start the slow disintegration of the Whigs. His presidency was dominated by the issue of whether California and New Mexico would become slave states or not, but despite being a slave owner, he refused to support the expansion of slavery or a peaceful compromise.[1][2]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Gil Troy (2016-06-02). "How an Outsider President Killed a Party" Politico. Archived from the original on 2026-01-08.
- ↑ Michael Holt. "Zachary Taylor: Domestic Affairs" Miller Center. Archived from the original on 2026-05-13.