Zachary taylor political party

However, at a time when Americans were confronting the explosive issue of slavery, he was probably not the right man for the job. Taylor was a wealthy slave owner who held properties in the plantation states of Louisiana, Kentucky, and Mississippi. During his brief time in office—he died only sixteen months after his election—his presidency foundered over the question of whether the national government should permit the spread of slavery to the present-day states of California, New Mexico, and Utah, then newly won from Mexico.

His sudden death put Vice President Millard Fillmore into the White House, and Fillmore promptly threw his support behind the Compromise of , canceling out much of the impact of Taylor's presidency. Zachary Taylor was born on November 24, , to a landed family of planters.

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His family's fortunes grew, and by , they owned 10, acres in Kentucky and a number of slaves. He knew as a child that he wanted a military career. In , he received his first commission as an officer, becoming commander of the garrison at Fort Pickering, the site of modern-day Memphis. He was transferred from one frontier post to another in a career that built his professional reputation but made his personal life difficult.

In , he married Margaret Mackall Smith, the daughter of a prominent Maryland family.

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She followed him from post to post as their family grew. The family finally settled in Louisiana, where Taylor assumed command of the fort at Baton Rouge. Although he frequently fought Native Americans, he also protected their lands from invading white settlers. He believed that the best solution for coexistence between settlers and Native Americans was a strong military presence to keep the two sides apart.

In , Texas was granted statehood.