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April 23, 1791- June 1, 1868
 * __James Gobblar Buchanan__**

Democrat served- 1857-1861 (one term) Vice president- John C. Breckinridge

President James Buchanan was the Democrats choice in their hoping to find a strong noncontroversial president, instead they nominated a weak president who tried to please all but instead made most angry. During his presidency, Buchanan didn't accomplish much, he addmitted Kansas as a slave state, vetoed many bills and tried to balance the nation. After understanding Buchanan's presidential decisions, it seems fair to give him a grade of no higher than a C-.

President Buchanan's primary presidential goal was sectional peace throughout the country. However, in order to do this he would first have to strethen the unity of the Democratic party. This was tough due to the fact that Buchanan would have to make peace with the northwestern leader Stephen A. Jackson. Buchanan also contributed to the Kansas- Nebraska act and got rid of the Missouri Compromise. Buchanan did not acomplish too much as president. His purpose was to remain noncontroversial and keep the country together, at this job he failed when the country went into civil war.

Buchanan's cabinet consisted of Howell Cobb (treasury), Jacob Thompson (interior), John B. Floyd (war), and Aaron Brown (post office). Lewis Cass Issac Toucey, and Jeremiah Black were also nominated by Buchanan for positions in the State and Naval Departments. Most of the presidents chosen workers were slaveowing, pro-southern, industrial politicians and lawyers. Under this groups rule, some controversial decisons were made. Many bills were vetoed about colleges, Mormons were removed from Utah, the Lecompton Constitution was not passed, and Kansas was admitted as a slave sate. Buchanan also had a unique relationship with some of his members of congress, all members, as well as Buchanan were strong minded. His Cabinet acted like his family and they even enjoyed meals together. As a whole, Buchanan and his Congress were loyal and determined.

Of President Buchanan's accomplishments, his greatest was helping to keep the Democtratic party united. This was important because it forced Buchanan to make peac with his enemies and create a strong foundation for future democratic actions. He also made peace and gained respect for those in the Southern Democratic and Republican parties, which had hated each other. Some of Buchanan's other notable achomplishments include his Dred Scott decision, Bleeding Kansas actions, dealing with the Panic of 1857, and reducing sectional controversy. Although Buchanan was not an awful president, his decisions led to one of the biggest problems in American history, the civil war. The civil war was the result Buchanan's worst decisions. Many of the poor choices that the president made didn't solely lead to the deadly war but his actions didn't prevent it either. In conclusion, Buchanan didn't make one wrong decison that stands out. Rather, he made decisions that increased the likelyhood of the civil war.

Many of Buchanan's choices would prove crucial to future generations and presidents. He created hostility throughout American political parties, especially souther democrats and republicans. He held the democratic party together and created unity within it. The most critical and sadly negative decision that would have future impact is his decisions in trying to prevent civil war, his attemps failed and the deadliest war in American history occured. There may not have been too much that Buchanan could have done but he did have the authority to make decisions that could have avoided it. The country relied on Buchanan to protect it and Buchanan's decisions let the American people down and led to war.

The United States would probably have been much better off without James Buchanan as president, war could have been avoided and the nation reunited. Buchanan was not the proper man for running a country that had multiple important problems. President Buchanan deserves a grade of a C-, if that, and he should be remembered as a good man that just didn't have what it took to prevent a civil war and hold the north and the south together.

Work Cited:

//__James Buchanan__//__.__ The White House, 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2010. .

//James Buchanan//. Web. 17 Mar. 2010. [].

//Miles, Edwin A. __The American Civil War__. James Buchanan. 23 January 2010. Civil War. 17 March 2010.

__The President and His Administration__//. Google, 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2010. .