James K. Polk was an American politician and the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 4, 1849. Polk was born in North Carolina, but primarily lived in and represented the state of Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as Speaker of the House (1835–1839) and Governor of Tennessee (1839–1841) prior to becoming president. He is the only former Speaker of the House to become President. He is noted for his expansionist beliefs, for his pledge to serve only one term, and for becoming the first "dark horse" (a candidate who unexpectedly gains the party nomination) to win the presidency. His term is remembered for the Mexican-American War, the opening of the U.S. Naval Academy and Washington Monument, and the issuance of the first postage stamps in the United States.
Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_K._Polk
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1898: Yukon Territory was formed, with Dawson chosen as its capital. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukon)
1966: The Miranda v. Arizona ruling established the Miranda Warning. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miranda_v._Arizona)
1967: Thurgood Marshall was nominated as the first African American justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thurgood_Marshall)
1971: Vietnam War: The New York Times began to publish the Pentagon Papers. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_Papers)
1983: Pioneer 10 became the first man-made object to leave the solar system. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_10)
_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:
"Talent perceives differences, Genius unity." -- William Butler Yeats (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Butler_Yeats)
daily-article-l@lists.wikimedia.org