美国总统14 詹姆斯·布坎南.docx

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1、美国总统14詹姆斯布坎南JamesBuchanan:PassiveVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutJamesBuchananzthe15thpresidentoftheUnitedStates.PortraitofJamesBuchananbyGeorgePeterAlexanderHealyHewasthethirdinaseriesofunsuccessfulpresidents.MillardFillmoreandFranklinPiercehadfailedtoresolvetheco

2、untrysincreasingdivisionoverslavery.DemocraticPartyofficialshopedBuchanancoulddobetter.Afterall,hewasagiftedlawyerandhadbeenamemberoftheU.S.Congress,asecretaryofstate,andadiplomat.ButBuchananwasnotsosurehecouldresolvethecountrysproblems.Hewasright.HewasthelastpresidentbeforetheAmericanCivilWar.Early

3、lifeJamesBuchananwasborninthenorthernstateofPennsylvania.Hisfatherwasabusinessman,andhisfamilywasfinanciallysuccessful.Buchanan-theoldestsoninafamilywith11children-receivedagoodeducation.HeattendedDickinsonCollegeinPennsylvaniaandsoonbeganworkingasalawyer.Hisabilitiesearnedhimagooddealofmoneyandapla

4、ceinthestateslegislature.Buttheywerenotabletowinhimawife.AsayoungmanzBuchananfellinlovewithandproposedmarriagetoayoungwomanfromawealthyfamily.Sheaccepted.Butherfatheropposedtheunion.Oneday,hisfianceewroteBuchananalettersayingshehadreconsideredanddecidednottomarryhimafterall.Threedayslater,sheunexpec

5、tedlydied.Buchananwasheartbroken.Hepromisednevertomarryanyoneelse.Andhedidnot.Todate,JamesBuchananistheonlyU.S.presidentwhonevermarried.WhenheenteredtheWhiteHouse,hisnieceservedashisfirstlady.Electionof1856Evenwithproblemsinhispersonallife,Buchananwentontohaveastrongcareerasanationalpolitician.Hehop

6、edhispartywouldnominatehimasitscandidateforpresident.Butinthe1840sandearly1850sztheDemocratsnominatedothercandidates.Finally,in1856,thepartychoseBuchanan.Butbythen,hewasnolongersurehewantedtobepresident.Hebelievedthecountrywouldsoonbeatwar.ViolencehadalreadybrokenoutinthewesternterritoryofKansas.Whi

7、tesettlerstherehadclashedoverwhetherKansaswouldentertheUnionasaslaveorfreestate.Inonedramaticevent,ananti-slaveryactivistnamedJohnBrownhadmurderedseveralpro-slaverysettlers.PresidentBuchananhadclearideasaboutslavery.Hesaidinhisinauguralspeechthatvotersintheterritories-agroupmadeupofwhitemen-shouldbe

8、abletodecidetheissueforthemselves.Inthesamespeech,BuchananurgedAmericanstosupportanimportantSupremeCourtrulingthatbecameknownastheDredScottdecision.TwodaysIaterzthecourtsjusticesannouncedthemajorityopinioninthatcase.Theopinionsaidthefederalgovernmentdidnothavethepowertocontrolslaveryintheterritories

9、.Inaddition,thecourtdeclaredthatenslavedpeoplewerenotU.S.citizens.Theywereproperty,itsaid.Enslavedpeopledidnothaveanymorerightsthanahorseorachair.Buchananhopedthedecisionwouldstopthecountrysdebateoverslavery.Instead,itmadethedebatemoreintense.PresidencyDuringhispresidency,Buchanantooktwootheractions

10、thatincreasedtensionsanddamagedhispublicimage.First,hetriedtopersuadeCongresstoacceptastateconstitutionforKansas.Theconstitutionpermittedslavery,althoughamajorityofKansasvotershadnotagreedtoit.TheU.S.HouseofRepresentativesdecidednottofollowPresidentBuchananswishes.TheypermittedKansanstovoteagainonth

11、econstitution.Thistime,Kansasvotersrejectedit.AmajorityagreedinsteadtoseekadmissionintotheUnionasafreestate.BuchanansimagealsosufferedbecauseofaneventknownastheraidonHarpersFerry.TheraidwasledbyJohnBrownztheanti-slaveryactivistwhohadmurderedpro-slaverysettlersinKansas.Thistime,Brownhopedtocreateanar

12、medrebellionofanti-slaveryactivistsandfreedslaves.Togetweapons,BrownandhismenattackedafederalarsenalaboutIlOkilometersnorthwestofWashington,D.C.ThearmorywasinthetownofHarpersFerry,intodaysstateofWestVirginia.PresidentBuchananansweredtheraidbypermittingfederaltroopstouseforce.TheU.S.Marinessurrounded

13、Brownandhisforces.Theykilledsomeandcapturedothers,includingBrown.Afewweekslater,Brownwasbroughttotrial,foundguilty,andhanged.TheeventfurtherdividedAmericans.Anti-slaveryNorthernersbelievedBrownwasahero.Pro-slaverySouthernersbelievedhewasatraitor.Ingeneral,BuchananagreedwiththeSoutherners.Hesaidinasp

14、eechthatNorthernersshouldnottellSouthernerswhattheycoulddointheirstates.Buthiswordsdidnotsatisfyeitherside.Foronething,amainissuewaswhetherslaveryshouldbepermittedinanynewstates.Buchanandidnotcommentonthatpoint.Electionof1860Attheendofhissingleterm,Buchanankeptanearlierpromisenottoseekre-election.Hi

15、spartydidnoturgehimto.Instead,NorthernDemocratsandSouthernDemocratssplit.Theynominatedtwodifferentcandidates.TheDemocratslackofunityprovidedanopeningforacandidatefromanewparty.TheRepublicanPartywascomprisedofnorthernerswhowereagainstslavery.Theircandidatewasalawyerwithoutmuchexperienceingovernment.H

16、isnamewasAbrahamLincoln.1.incolnwonthepresidentialelectionof1860.Inanswer,theSouthernstateofSouthCarolinawithdrewfromtheUnion.Buchanan-whowasinthelastweeksofhispresidency-didnotsupportthemove.ButhedidnotacttostopSouthCarolina,either.HesaidtheConstitutiondidnotgivehimthepowertoforceastatetostayintheUnion.FollowingBuchanansinaction,sixotherslave-holdingSouthernstatesalsoseceded.1.egac