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James Knox Polk
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As president, James Knox Polk started a war with Mexico which led to the annexation of Texas and New Mexico, and avoided a conflict with Britain over the Oregon-Canada border. As a Democrat and Andrew Jackson protege (Polk was called "young Hickory"), he was a strong believer in "manifest destiny" which fed the expansionist motivations of the developing American civilization.
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As a young man, James Knox Polk became a lawyer and entered the Tennessee legislature. In 1825, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served until 1839. During his last four years in Congress, Polk was speaker of the house, the most powerful congressional position.
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James Knox Polk