author
Zachary Taylor
1784–1850
A career army officer turned war hero, he became the 12th president of the United States and served only briefly before his sudden death in office. His life spans the early republic, the Mexican-American War, and the rising national crisis over slavery.
1 Audiobook
State of the Union Addresses
by Zachary Taylor
About the author
Born on November 24, 1784, in Virginia and raised in Kentucky, Zachary Taylor spent most of his adult life in the U.S. Army. He served for decades on the frontier, including during the War of 1812 and conflicts in the Old Southwest, and built a reputation as a steady, durable commander.
Taylor became nationally famous during the Mexican-American War, especially after victories at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Buena Vista. That military fame carried him into politics even though he had little previous political experience, and he was elected the 12th president of the United States in 1848 as the Whig candidate.
He took office in March 1849, with the growing dispute over slavery in the territories posing the central challenge of his presidency. Taylor died on July 9, 1850, after only about sixteen months in office, leaving behind a short but consequential presidency at a tense moment in American history.