Other Interesting Facts and Trivia:
- James Polk graduated at the top of his class from the University of North Carolina.
- Polk started the Mexican-American War to acquire California from Mexico. The war lasted two years.
- Polk believed in Manifest Destiny - the idea that borders of the U.S. should stretch from the Atlantic to Pacific oceans.
- The Oregon Territory that was acquired by Great Britain became Washington, Oregon, Idaho and parts of Montana and Wyoming. In addition to Texas, the land he took from Mexico became California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
- Sarah Polk hosted the first Thanksgiving dinner in the White House. |