What James Buchanan did during his presidency?

Answer 1

President: James Buchanan (1791 - 1868)

Term: March 4, 1857 - March 4, 1861

Political Party: Democratic

Vice-President: John C. Breckinridge

Major Domestic Policy: James Buchanan was strongly supported by Southern Democrats due to the fact that he supported the Ostend Manifesto and was pro slavery. The Democrats also supported the Kansas-Nebraska bill and the Compromise of 1850. This caused the opposing Republican Party to support the entrance of Kansas as an anti-slavery state, attack the Ostend Manifesto and also declared that Congress had the right to have power over slavery. During this time, the Dred Scott case was held by the North in attempt to test the strength and power the people for slavery had. This plan ended up by being bad towards the North's ideas. It ruled that all African Americans had no right to be in the Supreme Court and they were not citizens of the United States. At the same time, it also stated that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, because of the fact that the power was in the state to decide whether it is a slave state. This outraged the North, causing even more tension and sectionalism. James Buchanan did attempt to compromise this growing sectionalism, but he was unsuccessful at this task. Later these problems help in the brewing for the upcoming Civil War. Republicans created Homestead Act, helped with railroad aid, enacted high tariffs, and created national banking.

Major Foreign Policy: Buchanan realized the amount of conflict that the United States was having. Sectionalism was growing more between the North and the South. With this in mind, Buchanan wanted to keep the country from any foreign affairs. With the Civil War rising, the United States was not looking towards other nations for help. The Ostend Manifesto angered Europe, but the nation still continued it's trading.

Court Case:

• Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)-Held that African American's can never be a United States citizen. Congress could not ban slavery in the territories; therefore the Missouri Compromise is unconstitutional. Under the Due Process Clause of the 5th Amendment, the federal government is prohibited from freeing slaves brought into federal territories.

Intellectual and Social Developments:

• Cotton was being produced more, and the output was increasing in the South, while in the North and the Midwest, there was an influx in the establishments of railroads.

• People began moving to the areas in the far west, causing farm expansion and society.

• The Panic of 1857 occurred from British investor taking investments out of American banks, and also due to the price of grain being decreased.

• The idea's of free labor began to justify inequality.

• South Carolina is the first state to secede from the Union in 1860.

• The South formed the Confederate States of America in 1861.

Buchanan's Legacy: James Buchanan will always be known for his lack of leadership at the time when America needed it the most in order to prevent the Civil War. If Buchanan would not of lacked this presidential leadership, then it seems that the Country could have been saved from the Civil War. By failing to choose either side, Buchanan avoided the conflict, and allowed it to intensify. He did seem to side with the Southerners, but he did not take intense measures to show his interest. Buchanan was seen as an honest person and a talented politician. Overall, Buchanan may have been a better President if he weren't elected at this time, but he was not able to handle the slavery issue properly, and eventually brought our country into the Civil War.

Answer 2

He basically had none. He is really known as being the worst president of all time, because of numerous mistakes he made in office. He caused the panic of 1857, a major economic depression. Also the Buchanan's blunder. The biggest mistake he ever made was probably when South Carolina seceded from the union which caused other states to follow. After the states divided, he made no effort to stop the conflict, which plunged us into the Civil War. (but don't listen to me, I'm an alcoholic).

Answer 3

In most historian's ranks of American presidents, James Buchanan appears at or near the bottom. One would be hard-pressed to find any notable achievements while he was in office and the failures of his Presidency (notably presiding over the secession of the Southern states and the start of the Civil War) tarnish his legacy. The most remarkable thing about Buchanan is that he was elected at all.

As sociologist Jim Loewen wrote, "There can be no doubt that James Buchanan was gay, before, during, and after his four years in the White House. Moreover, the nation knew it, too - he was not far into the closet....Today, I know no historian who has studied the matter and thinks Buchanan was heterosexual."

So let's call that the achievements:

1. He was elected President.

2. He was elected Senator.

3. He was appointed Secretary of State under James Polk.

Answer 4

His greatest achievement was to be elected the 15th President of the United States. His greatest achievement as president was to delay the Civil War for four years.