John Tyler
Following the death of President William Henry Harrison, John Tyler became the 10th president of the United States. Serving in office from 1841 until 1845, he was the first to take over a previous president who had passed away while in office, meaning he was the first president who was not elected. During the debate about slavery, Tyler supported the rights to every state to make their own decisions concerning the matter as well as any other matters. Due to him making a few enemies in Congress by refusing to remain a “passive” replacement president, Tyler has earned the nickname “His Accidency”. His attempted impeachment was the first in American history, even though it ended up falling through. In international matters, Tyler negotiated treaties with Britain and China. He was also the president with the largest amount of children, having had 15.
John Tyler
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
