Life span: Born: November 24, 1785, in Orange Country, Virginia
Died: July 9, 1850, in the White House, Washington, D.C.
Presidential term: March 4, 1849 - July 9, 1850 Accomplishments:
Taylor's term in office was relatively brief, little more than
16 months, and was dominated by the issue of slavery and the
debates leading up to the Compromise of 1850. Considered honest
but politically unsophisticated, Taylor had no noteworthy
accomplishments in office. Though he was a southerner and a
slave owner, he did not advocate for the spread of slavery into
territories acquired from Mexico after the Mexican War. Perhaps
because of his many years spent serving in the military, Taylor
believed in a strong union, which disappointed southern
supporters. In a sense, he set a tone of compromise between
North and South. Supported by: Taylor was supported by the Whig
Party in his run for president in 1848, but he'd had no previous
political career. He had served in the U.S. Army for four
decades, having been commissioned as