james buchanan

15th President of the United States In office

March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 Vice President John C. Breckinridge Preceded by Franklin Pierce Succeeded by Abraham Lincoln 17th United States Secretary of State In office

March 10, 1845 – March 7, 1849 President James K. Polk Preceded by John C. Calhoun Succeeded by John M. Clayton United States Senator

from Pennsylvania In office

December 6, 1834 – March 5, 1845 Preceded by William Wilkins Succeeded by Simon Cameron 9th United States Minister to Russia In office

January 4, 1832 – August 5, 1833 President Andrew Jackson Preceded by John Randolph Succeeded by Mahlon Dickerson 14th United States Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James's In office

1853 – 1856 President Franklin Pierce Preceded by Joseph R. Ingersoll Succeeded by George M. Dallas Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 3rd district In office

March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823

Alongside: John Phillips Preceded by Jacob Hibshman

James M. Wallace Succeeded by Daniel H. Miller Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 4th district In office

March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1831

Alongside: Samuel Edwards, Isaac Wayne, Charles Miner, Samuel Anderson, Joshua Evans, Jr. and George G. Leiper Preceded by James S. Mitchell Succeeded by William Hiester

David Potts, Jr.

Joshua Evans, Jr. Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary In office

March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831 Preceded by Philip P. Barbour Succeeded by Warren R. Davis Born April 23, 1791(1791-04-23)

Mercersburg, Pennsylvania Died June 1, 1868 (aged 77)

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Birth name James Buchanan, Jr. Political party Democratic Spouse None (Bachelor) Alma mater Dickinson College Occupation Lawyer, Diplomat Religion Presbyterian Signature Military service Service/branch Volunteer Battles/wars War of 1812

James Buchanan, Jr.[1] (April 23, 1791 – June 1, 1868) was the 15th President of the United States (1857–1861) and the last to be born in the 18th century.

To date he is the only President from Pennsylvania and is the only one never to marry. As president he was a "doughface" (a Northerner with Southern sympathies) who battled Stephen A. Douglas for control of the Democratic Party. As Southern states declared their secession in the lead-up to the American Civil War, he held that secession was illegal but that going to war to stop it was also illegal and hence remained inactive. His inability to avert the Civil War has subsequently been assessed as the worst single failure by any President of the United States.[2] Buchanan has been consistently ranked by scholars as one of the worst Presidents. Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 Election of 1856 4 Presidency 1857-1861 4.1 The Dred Scott case 4.2 Bleeding Kansas 4.3 Buchanan's personal views 4.4 Financial Panic 4.5 Utah War 4.6 Disintegration 4.7