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“James K Polk Who?” An introduction

Lesson Author
Hendrix, Melanie
Course(s)
Advanced Placement United States History
American History
Required Time Frame
Two class periods
Subject(s)
Presidential Duties and Responsibilities
Grade Level(s)
9
10
11
12
Lesson Abstract
This activity includes whole group instruction, small group instruction and individual instruction. The instructor should prepare the pacing and depth of conversation based on the level of the students in the class.
Rationale (why are you doing this?)

.An introduction/overview to James K Polk (President 1845-1849) and the impact he had on the growth of our country. Although Polk accomplished almost everything that he promised during his run for presidency, he also had a lot of challenges.  Polk left office during a tumultuous time in the country’s growth and left unanswered questions regarding the future of our country. This lesson is important because Polk’s presidency seriously changed our nation and yet so many students don’t even recognize his name.  Building on Polk’s legacy, our nation continued to grow.

Lesson Objectives - the student will
  • Define terms related to the context of James Polk
  • Examine and explore how James Polk acquired new land for our country.
  • Identify the states that were added during James Polk’s presidency.
District, state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met

 

College board A.P. U.S. History; Unit 5: 1844-1877

5.1 Contextualization

5.2 Manifest Destiny

5.3 The Mexican American War

 

Secondary materials (book, article, video documentary, etc.) needed

 

  • Resource Book: Polk, The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America  by Walter R Borneman
Primary sources needed (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed

 

Photo of James K Polk (Library of Congress)

Fully describe the activity or assignment in detail. What will both the teacher and the students do?

 

ACTIVITY

 

Vocabulary: 

  • Manifest Destiny 
  • Treaties
  • Dark horse 
  • cholera

 

Introduction – whole group (20 min). 

 

Class discussion -  to introduce James K Polk as the 11th President of the United States.  

Note: Visuals are so important! Have a picture in the room of James K Polk, if at all possible, so students can readily identify him.

 

  1. Ask students the following question (this can be used as a bellringer as students enter the room): 

What former President of the United States is buried at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville? (Answer: James K Polk) 

  1. Show the Introduction video: Bellringer on President Polk (5:56)
  2. Students will create a timeline of his major political achievements . 
  • James K Polk was born in 1795, just after we had become a country, the ideals of the time had great influence on him Pro-Jeffersonian) 
  • He lived most of his life in Tennessee where he became a lawyer. 
  • Polk served:
  • US House of Representatives from Tennessee (1825-1839)
  • Speaker of the House (1835-1839)
  • Governor of Tennessee (1839-1841)

(Ran in 1841 and 1843 for governor but was defeated both times so he went home and focused on how to stay in politics, he wanted to become Vice President)

  • President of the United States (1845-1849)
  • His mentor was Andrew Jackson, who was the driving force behind his political means. 
  • He was elected as President when he ran as the Dark Horse candidate.
  • Polk died from cholera 3 months after he left the Presidency.

 

Small Group Activity (10-15 min per group)

 

Separate the class into 4 groups. Each group will rotate through centers to learn more about Polk’s Presidency and life. As students rotate, they will read the documents and answer questions.

 

Group 1: Mexican American War

  • War Map 1846-1847
  • Generals: 
  • Zachary Taylor
  • What do you know about his political aspirations in the future? 
  • Winfield Scott
  • Santa Anna (Mexican General)
  • What happened to him in 1836? 

Many of the soldiers who fought in the Mexican American War later fought in the American Civil War.  What comparisons can you infer from this information? 

 

Group 2: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

  • The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo National Archives Transcript and photo copy on Docs Teach 
    • What did the treaty do? 
    • Who was involved? 
    • When did this happen? 
    • Why did we get the land? 
    • What land did we acquire? 
    • How much did it cost? 
  • Expansion Map

Answers: The treaty ended the Mexican-American War (1846–48).   

Mexico ceded 55% of its territory, including present-day states California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. 

Mexico relinquished all claims to Texas, and recognized the Rio Grande as the southern boundary with the United States.

 

Group 3: Manifest Destiny: Oregon

 

Group 4: The Life of Polk in Pictures

  • What do you see in each picture? Describe each picture using at least 5 adjectives. 
  • Timeline of Polk’s life
    • What else did Polk do that helped support his political agendas?
  • Youtube Video on James K Polk

 

Class Discussion (10-20 min)

 

After the group activity is finished, students will come back as a whole group and conduct a class discussion over the information discovered in the four different groups. 

  • What did they discover in each group? 
  • Any surprising information? 
  • Is there any information missing they wish they knew?

 

Follow up questions: 

 

  • How did the information show evidence that Polk helped the United States to expand? 
  • What part of the research highlighted problems Polk had during his presidency? 
  • How do we benefit today from Polk’s actions? 
  • Was Polk considered a good or a bad president? Was he effective? 
  • What question(s) would you ask Polk if he were standing here today?