Franklin Pierce
| Franklin Pierce | |
|---|---|
| File:Franklin Pierce Presidential Portrait.jpg | |
| Order | 14th President of the United States |
| In office | March 4, 1853 – March 4, 1857 |
| Vice President | William R. King (d. 1853) |
| Preceded by | Millard Fillmore |
| Succeeded by | James Buchanan |
| Born | November 23, 1804 Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States |
| Political Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jane Pierce (m. 1834–1863) |
| Children | 3 (all died in childhood) |
| Profession | Lawyer, politician |
| Alma mater | Bowdoin College |
| Signature | 
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Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804 – October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States (1853–1857). A Northern Democrat with Southern sympathies, Pierce pursued expansionist policies and signed the Kansas–Nebraska Act, a decision that inflamed sectional tensions and hastened the nation’s slide toward civil war.
Early Life and Education
Pierce was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, to a Revolutionary War veteran and state politician. He attended Bowdoin College, where he befriended future literary figures Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. After reading law, he built a successful practice and entered New Hampshire politics.
Early Career
Pierce served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1833–1837) and the U.S. Senate (1837–1842) before returning to law. During the Mexican–American War, he was commissioned a brigadier general, though his field service was brief.
Presidency (1853–1857)
- Kansas–Nebraska Act (1854): Repealed the Missouri Compromise by allowing slavery to expand based on popular sovereignty. The law triggered “Bleeding Kansas” and shattered the national party system, fueling the rise of the Republican Party.
- Gadsden Purchase (1853): Acquired land from Mexico (southern Arizona/New Mexico), facilitating a potential southern transcontinental railroad.
- Ostend Manifesto (1854): A secret diplomatic memo suggesting U.S. acquisition of Cuba; when exposed, it provoked outrage and damaged Pierce’s administration.
- Fugitive Slave Act enforcement: Pierce strictly enforced the law, increasing Northern resistance and sectional anger.
Pierce’s vice president, William R. King, died weeks after inauguration, leaving the office vacant for the remainder of the term.
Personal Life
Pierce married Jane Means Appleton Pierce. The couple endured profound tragedy: all three sons died young, including Benjamin, who was killed in a train accident weeks before the inauguration. Pierce struggled with grief and was widely rumored to battle alcoholism.
Legacy
Pierce left office deeply unpopular and failed to win renomination. Historians often rank him near the bottom for policies that worsened sectional divisions. Supporters note administrative accomplishments like the Gadsden Purchase, but his overall legacy is defined by the political fallout from Kansas–Nebraska.