Presidential Resources Online

Millard Fillmore 1850 - 1853

Picture of Millard Fillmore
    Millard Fillmore was born in New York in 1800.  His family was not wealthy, and as a young man he received little formaleducation.  However, in 1823 after years of self-education he became a lawyer, and practiced in New York and would latter hold a number of state positions.  He briefly served in the U.S. House of Representatives, and in 1848 while serving as state comptroller, he ran for Vice-President under Zachary Taylor on the Whig ticket.  He was placed on the ticket largely because of his vague political views, which was an asset at a time of increasing sectional strife over the issue of slave expansion.  Fillmore became President after Taylor's death in 1850.  As president Fillmore helped pass 5 bills, collectively known as The Compromise of 1850.  These bills were passed in an attempt to resolve the sectional differences, and had been opposed by President Taylor.  Fillmore did not receive the Whig nomination for President in 1852, and in 1855 he ran unsuccessfully on the "know nothing" ticket.   Fillmore died in 1874.
 
 
Online Millard Fillmore Resources:

Academic American Encyclopedia: Millard Fillmore: A brief biography of Fillmore's political career.

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