20 Fascinating Facts About Franklin Pierce

20 Fascinating Facts About Franklin Pierce

The United States has had 46 presidents, each with their own unique legacy. Some presidents, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln, are household names.

Others, such as Franklin Pierce, may not be as famous, but their work and contributions to history remain very relevant.

Franklin Pierce was the 14th president of the United States. He served from 1853 to 1857, during a time of great turmoil in American history.

The country was deeply divided over the issue of slavery, and Pierce’s presidency was marked by a number of crises, including the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dred Scott decision.

Despite the challenges he faced, Pierce was a consequential president. He made significant contributions to foreign policy, expanding American influence in Asia and Latin America among other major achievements.

This article will highlight some of the most fascinating facts about Franklin Pierce.

1. Franklin Pierce Was Born In 1804

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Franklin Pierce was born on November 23, 1804, in Hillsboro, New Hampshire. He was the sixth of eight children born to Benjamin Pierce, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War and a prominent local politician, and Anna Kendrick Pierce.

Pierce’s early childhood was marked by both joy and tragedy. He was a bright and active child, but he also experienced the loss of two of his older brothers, who died while serving in the War of 1812.

Pierce’s father was a strong influence on his early life. He taught his son the importance of education and civic engagement. Pierce also spent a great deal of time with his grandfather, Benjamin Kendrick, who was a respected farmer and community leader.

In 1814, when Pierce was ten years old, his family moved to Concord, New Hampshire. There, Pierce attended the Concord Academy, where he excelled in his studies. He was also a member of the school’s debating team, where he developed his skills as a public speaker.

In 1821, Pierce entered Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. He was a popular student and was involved in several extracurricular activities, including the debating team and the literary society. He was also a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.

Pierce graduated from Bowdoin College in 1824 with honors. He then returned to Concord to study law with his father. He was admitted to the bar in 1827 and began practicing law in Concord.

2. Franklin Pierce Served As A Brigadier General

Franklin Pierce served as a brigadier general in the Mexican-American War. He was appointed to the rank in March 1847 and was given command of a brigade of New Hampshire volunteers. Pierce had no prior military experience, but he was a popular figure in the Democratic Party and was seen as a potential presidential candidate.

Pierce’s brigade arrived in Mexico in June 1847 and joined the army of General Winfield Scott. Pierce participated in several battles, including the Battle of Contreras, the Battle of Churubusco, and the Battle of Molino del Rey. He was wounded in the foot at the Battle of Contreras, but he remained in command of his brigade.

Pierce’s performance in the Mexican-American War was mixed. He was praised for his courage and his leadership, but he was also criticized for his lack of military experience and for his failure to follow Scott’s orders on several occasions.

Despite his critics, Pierce’s service in the Mexican-American War helped to boost his political career. He was elected president of the United States in 1852.

3. Pierce Was a Dark Horse Candidate For The Democratic Party In The 1852 Presidential Election

Franklin Pierce was a dark horse candidate for the Democratic Party in the 1852 presidential election. A dark horse candidate is a candidate who is not well-known or expected to win, but who ultimately emerges victorious.

Pierce was a relatively unknown politician at the time of the 1852 election. He had served in the United States House of Representatives and Senate, but he had never held a major executive position. He was also from a small state, New Hampshire.

Despite his lack of experience and name recognition, Pierce had several advantages in the 1852 election. He was a popular figure in the Democratic Party, and he was seen as a moderate who could appeal to both pro-slavery and anti-slavery voters. He was also a war hero, having served as a brigadier general in the Mexican-American War.

The Democratic Party was deeply divided in the 1852 election. The party was split between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions. Pierce was able to unite the party behind his candidacy by appealing to both sides. He promised to support the Compromise of 1850, which was a series of laws designed to resolve the issue of slavery in the territories.

Pierce was also able to benefit from the weakness of the Whig Party, the other major political party in the United States at the time. The Whig Party was also divided, and it was unable to put up a strong candidate.

As a result of these factors, Pierce was able to win the Democratic nomination and the general election in 1852. He defeated Whig candidate Winfield Scott by a comfortable margin.

4. Pierce Experienced Significant Personal Tragedies Before His Inauguration

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Franklin Pierce experienced significant personal tragedies before his inauguration as president in 1853. His three sons all died before the age of 12, and his wife, Jane, suffered from illness and depression for much of her life.

Pierce’s first son, Benjamin, died of pneumonia in 1838 at the age of 11. His second son, Frank, died of cholera in 1843 at the age of 5. His third and last son, Benny, was killed in a train accident in 1853, just weeks before Pierce’s inauguration.

Pierce’s wife, Jane, was also a source of great sadness for him. She suffered from several illnesses, including tuberculosis and depression. She was rarely seen in public, and she often withdrew from social life.

Pierce’s tragedies likely contributed to his alcoholism and depression. He was also known for his erratic behavior and his often inflammatory speeches.

5. Franklin Pierce Did Not Have A Vice President

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Franklin Pierce was the only president of the United States to serve without a vice president for nearly his entire term. His vice president, William R. King, died just over a month after the inauguration, on April 18, 1853. At the time, there was no provision in the Constitution for filling a vacancy in the vice presidency.

Pierce considered appointing a new vice president, but he ultimately decided against it. He feared that any appointment he made would be divisive and would alienate one of the factions of the Democratic Party. He also felt that he was capable of handling the duties of the presidency on his own.

Pierce’s decision to serve without a vice president had several consequences. First, it meant that there was no one to succeed to the presidency if Pierce had died or become incapacitated. Second, it weakened Pierce’s position in Congress. Without a vice president to cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate, Pierce had to rely on the support of his party members to pass legislation.

Pierce’s presidency was marked by several challenges, including the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott decision, and the beginning of the Civil War. Pierce’s lack of a vice president made it more difficult for him to deal with these challenges.

6. He Supported the Controversial Kansas-Nebraska Act

Franklin Pierce was a pro-slavery president. He believed that slavery was a necessary evil and that it was protected by the Constitution. He also believed that the federal government should not interfere with slavery in the states.

Pierce’s pro-slavery stance was evident in his policies and actions as president. He signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed the residents of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. This led to increased violence in the territories, as pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces fought to control the outcome.

Pierce also supported the Dred Scott decision of 1857, which ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that the federal government could not prohibit slavery in the territories. This decision further inflamed the tensions between the North and the South and helped to precipitate the Civil War.

Pierce’s pro-slavery stance was unpopular with many Americans, especially in the North. He was criticized for his support of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dred Scott decision. He was also criticized for his failure to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act, which required Northern states to return escaped slaves to their Southern owners.

Pierce’s pro-slavery stance is one of the reasons why he is often ranked as one of the worst presidents in American history. His support for slavery helped to create the conditions that led to the Civil War.

7. Franklin Pierce Was Strongly Opposed to The Abolitionist Movement

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Franklin Pierce opposed abolitionists because he believed that they were a threat to the Union. He also believed that they were unrealistic and that their goals would never be achieved.

Pierce’s opposition to abolitionists was evident in his speeches and writings. In one speech, he called abolitionists “a dangerous class of men” who were “seeking to destroy the Union.”

He also wrote that abolitionists were “fanatics” who were “blinded by their hatred of slavery.” Pierce’s opposition to abolitionists also led him to take action against them.

He used his power as president to support the Fugitive Slave Act, which required Northern states to return escaped slaves to their Southern owners. He also used his power to crack down on abolitionist newspapers and organizations.

Pierce’s opposition to abolitionists was unpopular with many Americans, especially in the North. He was criticized for his support of the Fugitive Slave Act and for his attempts to silence abolitionist voices.

He was also criticized for his failure to address the moral issue of slavery. Pierce’s opposition to abolitionists is one of the reasons why he is often ranked as one of the worst presidents in American history.

He is seen as a president who was more interested in protecting the Union than in fighting for justice and equality.

8. Franklin Pierce’s Administration Enforced the Fugitive Slave Act

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was a law that required all Northerners to help capture and return escaped slaves to their Southern owners. The law was passed as part of the Compromise of 1850, an attempt to resolve the issue of slavery and prevent the secession of the Southern states.

Franklin Pierce, who was elected president in 1852, was a strong supporter of the Fugitive Slave Act. He believed that the law was necessary to uphold the Constitution and to protect the rights of slave owners.

Pierce also believed that the Fugitive Slave Act was essential to preserving the Union. He feared that if the law was not enforced, it would lead to a civil war.

Pierce vigorously enforced the Fugitive Slave Act. He sent federal troops to help capture escaped slaves, and he offered rewards for information leading to their capture.

Pierce’s enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act was unpopular with many Americans, especially in the North. It was seen as a violation of the rights of free blacks and as a betrayal of the ideals of the American Revolution.

Pierce’s enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act also helped to radicalize the anti-slavery movement. It convinced many Northerners that the only way to end slavery was to secede from the Union.

The Fugitive Slave Act played a significant role in the lead-up to the Civil War. It was one of the many issues that divided the North and the South and made it impossible to reconcile their differences.

9. Franklin Pierce’s Foreign Policy Was Marked By Both Successes And Failure

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Franklin Pierce’s foreign policy was marked by expansionism and a desire to protect American interests around the world. He was also a strong supporter of the Monroe Doctrine, which declared that the Western Hemisphere was off-limits to European colonization.

One of Pierce’s most significant foreign policy achievements was the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. Pierce purchased a large swath of land from Mexico, which included the present-day states of Arizona and New Mexico. This purchase gave the United States a southern route for a transcontinental railroad and expanded its territory in the Southwest.

Pierce also played a role in the Ostend Manifesto, a document written by three American ambassadors in 1854 that suggested that the United States should purchase Cuba from Spain by force if necessary. Pierce did not endorse the manifesto, but it reflected the expansionist sentiment that was prevalent in the United States at the time.

Pierce’s foreign policy was also marked by several setbacks. He was unsuccessful in his attempt to purchase Cuba from Spain, and his support for the Ostend Manifesto alienated many Americans. He was also criticized for his handling of the Crimean War, which he was unable to prevent from escalating.

10. Pierce Struggled with Alcoholism Throughout His Life

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Franklin Pierce struggled with alcoholism throughout his life. He began drinking heavily as a young man, and his drinking problem worsened after the death of his three sons and his wife.

Pierce’s drinking interfered with his work and his relationships, and it eventually contributed to his death. Pierce’s alcoholism was caused by several factors.

He was a sensitive and introverted person, and he used alcohol to cope with his emotions. He was also a product of his time, and heavy drinking was more common in the 19th century than it is today.

Pierce’s alcoholism had a significant impact on his life and career. He was often hungover or drunk at work, and he made several poor decisions while under the influence. His drinking also damaged his relationships with his friends and family.

Pierce’s alcoholism eventually contributed to his death. He died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1869, at the age of 64.

11. Pierce’s Presidency Coincided with The Panic Of 1857

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The Panic of 1857 was a financial crisis that began in the United States and spread to Europe and other parts of the world. The crisis was caused by several factors, including over-speculation in railroads and other businesses, a decline in the value of agricultural products, and a shortage of gold and silver coins.

The Panic had a devastating impact on the American economy. Businesses closed, workers lost their jobs, and farmers lost their land. The Panic also exacerbated the tensions between the North and the South.

The North was more industrialized than the South, and it was therefore harder hit by the Panic. This led to increased resentment of the South in the North.

Pierce’s response to the Panic was inadequate. He did not take any steps to stimulate the economy, and he even vetoed a bill that would have provided federal aid to banks. Pierce’s response to the Panic was criticized by both Northerners and Southerners, and it contributed to his unpopularity as president.

12. He Served For Only One Term As President

Franklin Pierce’s political career was limited in both its duration and its accomplishments. He served as president for a single term, from 1853 to 1857, and his presidency is generally considered to be a failure.

Pierce’s limited political career can be attributed to several factors. He was a relatively unknown figure when he was elected president, and he lacked the experience and skills necessary to be an effective leader. He was also a man of strong convictions, and he was unwilling to compromise to achieve his goals.

As a result, Pierce was unable to unite the country or address the major issues of the day. He supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which led to increased violence in the territories, and he enforced the Fugitive Slave Act, which made him unpopular in the North. He also failed to prevent the Dred Scott decision, which ruled that African Americans were not citizens.

Pierce’s presidency was also marked by several personal tragedies. His three sons all died before the age of 12, and his wife, Jane, suffered from illness and depression. These tragedies took a toll on Pierce, and they made it difficult for him to focus on his duties as president.

By the end of his term, Pierce was a deeply unpopular figure. He was not renominated for president in 1856, and he retired from public life after leaving office.

13. After Retiring from Politics He Returned To New Hampshire

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Franklin Pierce’s retirement was marked by seclusion, alcoholism, and regret. He withdrew from public life, rarely leaving his home in Concord, New Hampshire. He spent his days drinking heavily and brooding over his failures as president.

Pierce was deeply disappointed by his inability to prevent the Civil War. He had hoped to be a unifying figure, but his presidency instead served to deepen the divisions between the North and the South. He was also haunted by the deaths of his three sons, all of whom had died before the age of 12.

Pierce’s alcoholism worsened in retirement. He was often drunk and belligerent, and he alienated many of his friends and family members. He became a recluse, rarely venturing out of his home.

14. Franklin Pierce Had A Close Friendship With The Author Nathaniel Hawthorne

Franklin Pierce and Nathaniel Hawthorne were close friends for over 30 years. They met as classmates at Bowdoin College in the 1820s and remained friends throughout their lives.

Their friendship was based on a shared love of literature and a mutual respect for each other’s intellect. They corresponded regularly, and Hawthorne often sought Pierce’s advice on his writing.

Pierce was a strong supporter of Hawthorne’s career. He helped to secure Hawthorne a position in the Salem Custom House, and he used his influence to promote Hawthorne’s work.

Hawthorne, in turn, was a loyal friend to Pierce. He campaigned for Pierce during his presidential election, and he wrote a biography of Pierce in 1852.

Their friendship was tested during the Civil War. Pierce was a strong supporter of the Confederacy, while Hawthorne was a supporter of the Union. However, their friendship survived the war, and they remained close until Hawthorne died in 1864.

15. There’s A University Named After Him

The Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire, is named after the 14th president of the United States. The university was founded in 1962 as Franklin Pierce College, a two-year institution.

In 1973, the college became a four-year institution and was renamed Franklin Pierce University.

Despite the controversy surrounding its namesake, Franklin Pierce University has a strong commitment to social justice and diversity. The university’s mission statement states that it is “dedicated to preparing students for lives of meaning and purpose, and to promoting understanding and respect for all people.”

The university offers a variety of programs in the arts, sciences, and humanities, as well as professional programs in business, education, and healthcare. Franklin Pierce University is also home to several diversity initiatives, such as the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and the Social Justice Institute.

16. Franklin Pierce Won With 254 Electoral Votes

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In 1852, Franklin Pierce won a landslide victory in the presidential election, defeating his Whig opponent Winfield Scott by a margin of 254 electoral votes to 42. Pierce’s victory was due in part to the divisions within the Whig Party, which was unable to unite behind a single candidate.

However, Pierce also benefited from his popularity, which was based on his perceived competence and his lack of association with the controversial issues of the day.

Pierce’s victory was a setback for the Whig Party, which had been in power for the previous four years. The party’s defeat was seen as a sign of its inability to address the growing divisions between the North and the South.

Pierce’s victory also signaled a shift in American politics, as the Democratic Party began to assert its dominance.

Pierce’s presidency would be marked by several challenges, including the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott decision, and the growing tensions between the North and the South. However, his victory in the 1852 election was a testament to his popularity and his ability to appeal to a broad range of voters.

17. Franklin Pierce Was the Youngest Speaker of The New Hampshire House Of Representatives

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In 1831, Franklin Pierce was elected Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. This made him the youngest person to ever hold the position. Pierce’s rise to prominence was meteoric. He had only been admitted to the bar two years earlier, but he had already made a name for himself as a gifted orator and a shrewd politician.

Pierce’s time as Speaker was a period of great change for New Hampshire. The state was undergoing rapid industrialization, and Pierce was a strong supporter of measures to promote economic growth. He also championed the cause of education, and he played a key role in the establishment of the New Hampshire public school system.

Pierce’s service as Speaker was a valuable learning experience. He gained a deep understanding of the legislative process, and he developed the skills necessary to be an effective leader.

These skills would serve him well in his future career, which would eventually lead him to the presidency of the United States. His tenure as speaker ended on January 2, 1833.

18. Pierce Served as A U.S. Senator From March 4, 1837 to February 28, 1842

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Franklin Pierce served in the United States Senate from 1837 to 1842. During his time in the Senate, Pierce was a strong supporter of President James K. Polk’s policies.

He was a vocal advocate for the annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American War. Pierce also supported Polk’s efforts to expand American influence in the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to his support for Polk’s policies, Pierce also made a name for himself as a gifted orator. He was known for his eloquent speeches and his ability to sway public opinion. Pierce’s speaking skills made him a popular figure among Democrats, and he was often called upon to give speeches on behalf of the party.

Pierce’s time in the Senate was not without its challenges. He was a strong supporter of slavery, and he opposed efforts to abolish the institution. This made him unpopular with many Northerners, and it contributed to his eventual defeat in the 1844 presidential election.

19. Pierce Served as A Member of The U.S. House of Representatives From New Hampshire’s At-large District

Franklin Pierce’s time as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives was a formative period in his political career. Elected at the age of 28, he quickly established himself as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Pierce was a gifted orator, and his speeches on the House floor were widely admired. He was also a skilled debater, and he was able to hold his own against even the most seasoned opponents.

In Congress, Pierce was a strong supporter of President Andrew Jackson. He voted in favor of Jackson’s policies, including the removal of the Cherokee Nation from the Southeast.

Pierce also supported Jackson’s war on the Bank of the United States. Pierce was a loyal member of the Democratic Party, and he always voted with the party line.

However, he was not afraid to speak his mind, even when it meant disagreeing with his party. For example, Pierce opposed the annexation of Texas, believing that it would lead to war with Mexico.

20. Franklin Pierce Passed Away on October 8, 1869

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Franklin Pierce passed away on October 8, 1869, marking the end of a life filled with both political accomplishments and personal challenges. His death occurred in Concord, New Hampshire, where he had returned after leaving the presidency. He died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1869, at the age of 64.

Following his death, Franklin Pierce was interred in the Old North Cemetery in Concord, which remains his final resting place. The cemetery, situated in the heart of the city, features a striking granite obelisk as his monument.

The monument not only commemorates his life but also bears inscriptions that pay tribute to his wife, Jane Means Appleton Pierce, who predeceased him.

Despite the many challenges he faced and the criticisms of his presidency, Pierce was a complex and fascinating figure. He was a skilled politician and a dedicated public servant who made significant contributions to American history.