The James K. Polk Quiz.
In the trends of American politics, there are those who are notable for ushering in new trends and those who are notable for helping those trends reach their summits. Sometimes, these are accomplished by the same individual. With the failed presidency of John Tyler and William Henry Harrison before him, America was in an odd period of stagnation. This caused the people to rally behind a candidate who promised more radical results. Enter James K. Polk.
A man who specialized in bluster and rhetoric, Polk was surprisingly quick to capture the hearts and minds of his voting base in spite of his relative obscurity among the public. By the time he became President, he had an impressive political pedigree, but, even so, few people properly knew who he was. With the support of his political mentor and enough promises to fill a creek bed, Polk managed to secure an election and rise to the Oval Office.
A number of foreign and domestic policy issues presented themselves before Polk’s administration. With a fervent and nationalistic pluck, Polk and his followers met each one head-on. Their solutions certainly ranged in terms of their effectiveness. Regardless, Polk’s administration would sow the foundation of the next few decades of American politics. His often-radical ways of going about things often divided more than they united. But to Polk’s supporters, none of that mattered.
Polk demonstrated the might and potential of the American nation to the rest of the world. Contemporary historians seem split on whether to hail Polk as an effective leader or else condemn him for the problems his short-sighted solutions would go on to create in the future.
How much do you know about this historical figure? Take our James K. Polk Quiz to find out.
Good Luck taking the James K. Polk Quiz!
Writer / Quiz Creator
Andrew Nicholas is a passionate reader and writer on the subjects of history and mankind. He is a published author, critic, and poet who grew up in the friendly scenery of rural Ohio. He is a graduate of Wright State University and a regular student of historical curiosities.