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Topic: Assessing the “Whig Presidency” of Harrison and Tyler. The Presidency (and Death) of William Henry Harrison. Whig President Harrison (Election 1840) Spoils turnover Clay vs. Harrison (Whigs fractured) Harrison died (shortest presidency) Succeeded by VP John Tyler
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Topic: Assessing the “Whig Presidency” of Harrison and Tyler
The Presidency (and Death) of William Henry Harrison • Whig President Harrison (Election 1840) • Spoils turnover • Clay vs. Harrison (Whigs fractured) • Harrison died (shortest presidency) • Succeeded by VP John Tyler • 1st death in the White House • Transfer of power • “accidental president”
John Tyler’s Presidency • Once a democrat, now a Whig • Retained many democrat ideas • Not fully trusted by Clay and Webster • Tyler refuses many of Clay’s Whig programs • Opposes Bank, Tariff reforms • Expelled from Whig Party • Cabinet resignations (except Webster) • Impeachment Proceedings?
Problems With Britain • Cultural conflicts • The Caroline / McLeod incident (1837) • 1840-1842: Disagreement over the Canadian/Maine border • “Aroostook War” • Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842) • Oregon: “54 40 or fight!” • Britain or US has control? • Britain's Hudson’s Bay Company • Fur Trading, Lumber • American missionaries • 1840s: Oregon Fever • Conflict over Oregon?
Election of 1844 • Tyler unpopular • Americans anxious over Oregon, Texas, Mexico • Manifest Destiny • Henry Clay vs. James Polk • Polk a “dark-horse” candidate (Young Hickory) • Polk: expansionist candidate • Polk wins • Democrats in White House again
Conclusion • 1) Why were the Whigs hopelessly crippled, despite winning the Presidency? • 2) How did the Oregon problem impact the 1844 elections? Was this Tyler’s fault?