Zachary Taylor
Nicknamed ” Old Rough and Ready”, Zachary Taylor was the 12th US President and is known for his time in office being so brief. Before starting his career in politics, Taylor was a war hero due to his leadership skills during his military service, earning him his nickname. Renowned for being a war hero in the Mexican-American War, Taylor was the last leader of the Whig Party to become the president. Beginning his time in office in March of 1849, Taylor was very focused on the slavery debate, leaning towards the anti-slavery side even though he himself has slaves at the time. While in office, Taylor encouraged California and New Mexico to become states. Unfortunately, Taylor died with in office on July 9, 1850 after being sick with cholera just a few days prior. His untimely death led to people speculating if his abrupt sickness was due to his consuming milk and ice water that must have been infected or the large amount of cherries he ate on the 4th of July.
Zachary Taylor
Franklin Pierce
As the 14th president of The United States, Franklin Pierce was quite a controversial figure. He was a democrat who strongly opposed the abolitionist movement, calling it “a fundamental threat to the unity of the nation”. It’s hard to believe that he signed the Kansas-Nebraska act. It was this act which enabled residents of new territories to decided whether slavery would be illegal or not. To add to his list of not-so-savory characteristics, he was an alcoholic – a trait he inherited from his mother.
Franklin Pierce
