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__ James Buchanan __


 * Political Party:** Democrat
 * Term:** 1857-1861
 * Vice President:** John C. Beckinridge


 * Theme: American Identity **

One of the biggest events in Buchanan’s Presidency, the Dred Scott case, affected all of America and was one of the leading causes of the Civil War. To American’s of the 1857, the Dred Scott case was a major turning point in slavery and a big part of their identity as Americans. The Supreme Course case was a huge bonus to the Southern Slaveryites who agreed with the belief that slaves were property and therefore had no rights and could be taken to free soil while still slaves. Enraged by the decision, many Northerners felt the Supreme Court had dealt a huge blow to the abolitionist movement and attempted to fight the decision. Looking to President Buchanan for assistance, the abolitionists were without luck since the President was surrounded by Southern, proslavery advisors who forced him to support the decision and all proslavery bills. This event was one of the major causes of the war since it increased Northern dissent towards slavery and the governments treatment thereof and gave Southerners a sense of power and righteousness over slavery that lead them to later secede. This leads to the other major event that shaped American Identity during Buchanan’s years. After the election of Abraham Lincoln, while Buchanan was still President, the Southern states began to secede from the United States and created the Confederate States of America. Shaping American Identity by dividing the nation, the secession of the states during his Presidency was the beginning of the Civil War that would change the U.S.A forever and leave damage and destructions for years. Allowing the secession to occur, Buchanan left America divided, and forced by his southern advisors, he allowed the nation that had been built on liberty and freedom to be split on those very issues for black slaves. Americans would later fight and kill each other over the issue of slavery, and many believe that Buchanan could have prevented the war if he had stopped the dissolving of the Union.


 * Presidential Grading **

Throughout his Presidency, James Buchanan failed the nation and allowed it to fall it a state of despair and ruin as one event after another pushed the nation beyond its breaking point and dissolved due to Buchanan’s actions or lack thereof. Because of the state the nation was in at the end of his term and the problems that arose, President Buchanan earns a D- for his presidency if only for the fact that the Civil War did not begin until after he left office. In his inaugural address, James Buchanan stated that he would not rule on the issue of slavery but would promote popular sovereignty to decide the topic in the developing territories and states. Although a sound political idea, he did achieve the idea of allowing the territories to decide their own fates but failed to keep the nation unified and allowed disunity to arise from his popular sovereignty stance. President Buchanan also mentioned his belief that the government held a surplus of funds and should therefore lower the tariff and lead an economically sound government. He did lower the tariff, but in doing so, Buchanan lead the nation into one of its largest economic panics because of his indecision and “popular” beliefs. Also, he sought to create internal improvement plans on the basis that they would help protect the nation and increase national security. During his Presidency, plans were made for a national road as well as two transcontinental railroads, one in the North and one in the South. Little did he know that these internal improvements would deepen the division between the North and South and be used in only a few years in a war between fellow Americans. His final objective, as he said in his address, was to never claim lands through violent means and to only purchase American expansion through treaties and fair equivalents. This is the one goal he did succeed in since no new lands were added to the U.S. during his Presidency. Since most of Buchanan’s cabinet members were Southerners, the Southern members of Congress and the cabinet pressured the President to support Southern causes and slavery. During the first half of his term, Congress was a Democratic majority in both the Senate and House and was composed of many Southerners or pro-compromise Northerners who supported and pushed Buchanan to promote the Dred Scott decision and other proslavery bills that infuriated many Northerners. Although he was greatly supported in Congress, President Buchanan was more used by Congress than leading them, holding no true power over the Congress. In the second half of his term, Buchanan was faced with a Republican majority as the Republican Party grew and began expanding across the North. Having lost the majority in Congress, Buchanan also lost the support of his own party as Northern and Southern sectional difference began to split the party and led to their defeat in the 1860 election. Being a weak President and prevented by his Southern cabinet, Buchanan was unable to hold the nation together specifically in Congress where he held no popularity as his own party disbanded. Unsupported by the Republicans, Buchanan watched as the Southern half of Congress seceded from the Union and the Northern Democrats no longer helped him. If he had been stronger and a better leader, he may have kept support in Congress and prevented the secession of the South. Possibly the only positive aspect of Buchanan’s Presidency, therefore the most positive, was the creation of the Pony Express which was the first true communication between the West and East states. Since most of Buchanan’s Presidency was filled with conflicts and problems, the Pony Express is the one good aspect because it connected the nation and delivered mail across the nation. The Pony Express was also a perfect example of American strength, unity, and devotion because it brought Americans together and took brave individuals to transport the mail between the West and East. The secession of the seven states at the end of President Buchanan’s term was the most negative event in his Presidency, if not the entire history of the U.S. By allowing the secession of the Southern states, Buchanan allowed the Civil War to grow and brew until it began in 1861 after he left office. It is the fact that somehow the war did not occur during his Presidency that he does not earn an F. Since attempts were made to keep the Union together and allow the two “nations” to live in peace, Buchanan deserves a slight bump up from an F grade. However, no other President has failed as badly at supporting the nation and considering keeping the Union together and protecting the U.S. was one of his inaugural goals, Buchanan truly failed at uniting the nation and keeping peace among the states. If President Buchanan had stopped the secession, preferably through peaceful means, the Civil War may have been avoided. Of all the Presidents, Buchanan had one of the largest impacts on future generations, specifically the Lincoln generation. It is because of Buchanan’s actions and lack of actions that a split between the states and the Civil War were able to occur. The Civil War brought years of strife and suffering to the nation and left the state in pieces for generations. If not for the heroic efforts of his successor, the United States of America may have been forever split into the “Sectional States of America”. No other President in history has failed as badly in protecting the nation and leading its people. For generations, citizens felt the scars and pain of the Civil War that Buchanan allowed to mature under his administration. If he had not been pressured by the South and acted so weak as to sectionalize the states, he may have prevented the war, but instead, he helped create one of the largest catastrophes in American history that is still felt today. After President Buchanan left office, the nation was in pieces and heading towards war due to events during his administration. The United States was facing its worse crisis ever thanks to Buchanan and that is why he deserves a D-. Considering the war did not officially start during his term is the only reason he does not earn an F. James Buchanan allowed the unity of the nation to dissolve and failed to lead the people of the nation as one people. The U.S. could barely be called a nation by the end of Buchanan’s one term as it hurtled towards Civil War and that is why he deserves a D-.

Bibliography:

"American President: James Buchanan: A Life in Brief." // Miller Center //. University of Virginia. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. .

James Buchanan:"Inaugural Address," March 4, 1857.Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley,//The American Presidency Project//. 

"James Buchanan." // The White House //. United States Goverment. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. .

Klein, // President James Buchanan // ; Smith, // Presidency of James Buchanan // ; Smith, "James Buchanan," 235-51; Carl Russell Fish, "James Buchanan, // DAB //, 3: 207-14; Stampp, // America in 1857 // , pp. 46-49; William E. Gienapp, "James Buchanan," 1: 273-84