James Buchanan Pierce facts for kids
James Buchanan Facts For Kids - social studies skills studied in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th grades.
15th President of the USA
James Buchanan Jr. was the 15th President of the United States and he served from 1857 to 1861, just before the American Civil war. Interestingly, there are a few things attributed to James like being the only President from Pennsylvania and the only lifelong bachelor President.
Early life
James was born on April 23, 1791, in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania, in Franklin County to James Buchanan, Sr. and Elizabeth Speer. His parents had emigrated from Milford, Ireland in 1783 and were of Ulster Scots descent and settled on a farm in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania.
Formal education
Buchanan’s early education was done in the village Old Stone Academy post which he attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. After graduating with honors in 1809 he moved to Lancaster and became a student of a prominent lawyer James Hopkins. Buchanan was admitted to the bar in 1812. He started his own practice and was a highly successful lawyer earning handsomely. Continue reading below>>>
Career
Buchanan’s political career started in 1814 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives as a member of the Federalist Party. Buchanan became a prominent Democrat and supported Jackson Presidential election in 1824.
Buchanan accepted and took up the United States Ambassador to Russia post offered by President Jackson, who was re-elected in 1832. During his tenure commercial and maritime treaties were negotiated with the Russian Empire. This was followed by his stints in the State legislature.
James K Polk offered Buchanan the Secretary of State post and they worked in tandem as they shared many views. When the Democrats lost the election and Zachary Taylor became the President of the United States, he returned back to his life in Lancaster.
Buchanan had in fact unsuccessfully tried for the Presidential nomination in 1844, 1848 and 1852. In 1852 he was offered the Vice Presidential nomination, but declined. Franklin Pierce, who won the Presidential election that year offered Buchanan the post of United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Finally, in 1856 Buchanan managed to win the Presidential nomination from the Democratic Party, despite Franklin Pierce hoping for a re-nomination. His running mate was John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky. Though Buchanan had two opponents in the general election, he managed to win the popular vote as well as 174 electoral votes to become the 15th President of the United States.
His Presidential tenure saw the summer of the Panic of 1857, Utah war and the Kansas territorial issue. In 1860, the Covode Committee was created by the House to investigate bribery and extortion charges leveled at the administration. Buchanan claimed to be vindicated from the charges as the committee was unable to find any grounds to impeach him.
Retired life
His retired life was mostly spent defending the blame on him for the Civil War. He passed away on June 1, 1868 due to respiratory failure at his home in Wheatland. HE was aged 77 at the time and was buried in the Woodward Hill Cemetery in Lancaster which remained his home from the time he started his practice there.
Three new states Kansas, Oregon and Minnesota were admitted to the Union during Buchanan’s tenure. Several counties have been named after Buchanan in many states across the United States apart from a few communities as well as townships.