Explanation of the Song

The 11th US President- James Knox Polk was born in North Carolina in 1795.

He became a lawyer and entered politics in the TN legislature and became a friend to Jackson. He was a strong supporter of Jackson and often called Young Hickory because of his support for Andrew Jackson (7th president, whose nickname was Old Hickory), and the fact that he won Jackson's old congress seat eight times.
He was called Napoleon of the Stump because although he was generally serious he warmed up on the stump. Though not an extremely eloquent speaker and often long-winded, he was considered a good convincer and was hailed by his followers the Napoleon of the Stump.

Dark Horse- candidate that come out of nowhere
Manifest Destiny- that it was the United States destiny to expand from the Atlantic to Pacific ocean, coast to coast
Annex the land the Mexicans command- the acquisition of California, President Polk sent and envoy to offer Mexico up to 20 million for CA and New Mexico. The envoy was not received. So he sent General Zachary Taylor to the disputed area on the Rio Grande.

He seized the whole southwest from Mexico- Mexican troops saw this as aggression and attacked Taylor's forces. Congress declared war
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in 1848, ended the Mexican war
Mexico ceded New Mexico and CA for 15 million.
Texas- famous stand at the Alamo
Brought up questions wether slavery would spread to new territory.

Made sure the tariffs fell- Walker Tariff Act of 1846 which reduced rates to a strictly revenue basis.

And made the English sell, the Oregon territory- His platform claimed the entire Oregon area from the CA boundary northward to a latitude of 54' 40' the southern boundary of Russian Alaska- Proclaiming 54" 40' or fight - get compromise with British of 49th parallel
He built an independent treasury
Having done all this he sought no second term- and died three months after he left the White house.