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1、美国总统10詹姆斯诺克斯波尔克JamesK.Polk:DarkHorseVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.JamesKnoxPolkmovedintotheWhiteHouseastheIlthpresidentoftheUnitedStatesin1845.1846portraitofJamesK.PolkbyGeorgePeterAlexanderHealyFewhadpredictedthatPolkwouldbecomepresident.Evenhewassurprised.Polkhadcometohispartyspresi
2、dentialnominatingconventionnearlyayearearlierwithlowexpectations.Butthetoppoliticians,includingformerpresidentMartinVanBuren,failedtowinamajorityofvotes.Conventiondelegatestriedagainandagaintoagreeonacandidate.Eventually,Polkwasnominated.Asmallnumberofdelegatessupportedhim.Thenthedelegatesvotedagain
3、.Thistime,Polkreceivedall266votes.HebecamethefirstdarkhorsecandidateinU.S.historytobenominatedbyamajorparty.Inotherwords,hewassomeonenoonethoughtwouldwin.Buthedid.EarlylifePolkwasborninthesoutheasternstateofNorthCarolina.Whenhewasachild,hisfamilymovedwest,toTennessee.Atthetime,Tennesseehadfewwhitese
4、ttlers.Someconsidereditthewilderness.Polksfamilydidwellthere.Hisfatherbecamewealthy,buyinglandandenslavedpeople.HismotherJanezwhofollowedstrict,Christianreligiousteachings,gaveher10childrenagoodeducation.Jameswastheoldest.Hewenttocollege,thenstudiedlaw.Whenhewas25,hemarriedanintelligentandwealthyyou
5、ngwomannamedSarahChildress.Thetwoneverhadchildren.ButtheyworkedtogethertolaunchPolkspoliticalcareer.Intime,PolkwaselectedtotheTennesseeHouseofRepresentatives,thenthenationalHouseofRepresentatives.There,hedevelopedacloserelationshipwithPresidentAndrewJackson.SinceJacksonwascalledOldHickory/Polkbecame
6、knownasYoungHickory.WhenPolkleftCongressandreturnedtoTennesseetobecomegovernor,hesupportedJackson,sbankingreforms.ButsoontheU.S.economycollapsed.Tennesseevotersfailedtore-electPolkasgovernor-notonce,buttwice.SoPolkreturnedtohisplantationsandwaitedforachancetore-enternationalpolitics.In1844zPolktrave
7、ledtothecityofBaltimoretoattendtheDemocraticPartysnationalconvention.Hethoughthecouldperhapswinthenominationforvicepresident.Instead,hebecametheDemocratscandidateforpresident.Severalmonthslater,henarrowlydefeatedtheopposingpartyscandidateinthenationalelection.WhyPolkwonHistorianRobertMerrywroteabook
8、aboutPolkspresidency.MerrysaysonereasonPolkwontheelectionwastheissueofTexas.PolkwantedtomakeTexasastate.HethoughttheUnitedStatescouldtakepossessionoftheareapeacefully.Theotherleadingcandidatesdidnot.Merrysaystheothercandidateswereright-theUnitedStateseventuallywenttowarwithMexico.ButPolkspokefortheA
9、mericanpeople.ManifestDestinydescribedtheideathattheUnitesStatesexpansiontothePacificwasadestinythatcouldbeclearlyseenandthatcouldnotbechanged.Inthe1840szmanyAmericanslikedtheideaofexpandingthecountry.TheybelievedinmanifestdestinytheideathatGodwantedAmericatoexpandwest,allthewaytothePacificOcean,and
10、takecontrolofthecontinent.Asaresult,manyvoterssupportedPolkandhispromisetoaddTexastotheUnitedStates.Polktookanotherunusualpositioninthe1844election.Hesaidifhewonthepresidency,hewouldserveonlyonetermthatis,fouryears.(Severalpreviouspresidentshadservedtwoterms.)Polktoldvoterspresidentsmightabusetheirp
11、oweriftheyheldofficetoolong.Oneterm,hesaidzwouldbeenoughforhim.ButRobertMerrysaystherewasmoretoPolksone-termpromise.Itwasapoliticalbet.Polkthoughtifhesaidhewouldserveaspresidentforonlyoneterm,otherpartyleadersmighthelphimwin.Then,thosepoliticianscouldtryagaintowinthepresidencyinfouryears,insteadofwa
12、itingeight.Hewasprobablyright.IfPolkhadnotmadethecampaignpromise,Merrysays,YoungHickorywouldnothavewon.PresidencyDuringthefirstdaysofhisadministration,JamesK.Polkfamouslylistedthefourthingsheplannedtodoaspresident.Hewantedtoreducetaxesonimports.Hewishedtoestablishanindependenttreasury.Hehopedtosettl
13、ethedisputewithBritainovertheOregonborder.AndhewantedtogetCaliforniafortheUnitedStates.1.essthanfouryearslater,Polkhadrealizedeachitemonhislist.HeisrememberedforgreatlyexpandingthesizeoftheUnitedStates.HesuccessfullynegotiatedwithBritainforU.S.controloverterritoryinthewestuptothe49thparallel.Theagre
14、ementgavetheU.S.thecurrentstatesofOregon,Idaho,andWashington.BelowthosestateslayCalifornia.AnAmericangovernmentministeroncedescribedCaliforniaastherichest,themostbeautiful,andthehealthiestcountryintheworld.TheofficialsaidtheportofSanFranciscowasbigenoughtoholdallthenaviesoftheworld.HesaidsomedaySanF
15、ranciscowouldcontrolthetradeofallthePacificOcean.Therewasonlyoneproblem,fromthepointofviewoftheU.S.government.CaliforniawaspartofMexico.Atfirst,U.S.officialsattemptedtobuyCaliforniafromMexico.ButMexicanOffiCialSrefusedeventotalkaboutsellingCaliforniatotheUnitedStates.ShortlyaftertheU.S.Congressappro
16、vedstatehoodforTexasinearly1845zMexicobrokerelationswiththeU.S.alltogether.Thefollowingyear,MexicantroopscrossedtheRioGrandeandclashedwithAmericansoldiers.Inanswer,PresidentPolkaskedCongresstodeclarewar.Hedidnotthinktheconflictwouldlastlong.HebelievedtheU.S.declarationwouldquicklyforceMexicotosellhimtheterritoryhewanted.Polkwaswrong.HistorianRobertMerrysaysthewarwithMexicolastedlo
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