Millard Fillmore

Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800 – March 8, 1874) was the 13th President of the United States. He was President from 1850 to 1853. He was the last Whig President, and the last President who was not a Democratic or Republican.

Fillmore became president in 1850 when the previous president, Zachary Taylor, died. The Whig party did not pick him to run for president in 1852. He ran for president in 1856 for the American Party, but lost.

Early life
Millard Fillmore grew up in a poor family. He worked hard to do well in school, and went to college. He got a job as a lawyer in 1823. In 1828 he was voted to be part of the New York congress, and made friends in the Whig Party. This helped him get chosen to run for vice president in 1848.

Presidency
When he was vice president, Millard Fillmore was in charge of the United States Senate while it was fighting over a decision about slavery involving Texas and New Mexico.

When he became president, the slavery issue was very intense (to the point where the southern states were close to choosing to not be a part of the United States anymore).

Fillmore signed the Compromise of 1850 (five laws which would calm down the slavery issue by pleasing both the northern states and the southern states). Although, the Compromise of 1850 made the northern states and the southern states get along, the peace did not last forever. In the late 1850s the north and the south stopped getting along.

California was made a part of the U.S. on September 9, 1850. It became the 31st state.

His decision to sign the Compromise of 1850 made many of the people in his Whig Party upset at him. They stopped him from running for president in 1852.

He started the first library at the White House.

After being president
After Fillmore, Franklin Pierce became the 14th president. Fillmore got a job in charge of the University of Buffalo. Fillmore joined the Know-Nothing Party and tried to run for president again, but the Know Nothing Party was not very successful.

There is a statue of Millard Fillmore at City Hall in Buffalo, New York.

Other websites

 * Fillmore's White House biography