James Buchanan

Presidential Facts about James Buchanan

James Buchanan - 15th president of the United States serving 1 term, from 1857 to 1861.

Vice President - John Cabell Breckinridge

Born - April 23, 1791

Died - June 1, 1868

First Lady - Harriet Lane (niece)

Party - Democratic

James Buchanan is from Pennsylvania.

Age Range Key

Learning Resources about James Buchanan

American President James Buchanan (Y,M,O,T)
Extensive essays about the personal and political life of James Buchanan from the Miller Center at the University of Virginia.

Life Portrait of James Buchanan (O,T)
This two-and-a-half-hour production about the life and career for President James Buchanan is from C-SPAN.

President James Buchanan: Path to the Presidency (M,O,T)
A pictorial history from Lancaster History, LIFE, and the White House and hosted on Google Arts & Culture

Timeline of the Buchanan Presidency (T)
Timeline of events related to Buchanan's presidency including links to transcriptions of speeches, laws, and more

Health and Medical History of James Buchanan (M,O,T)
Detailed and footnoted with sources, this site chronicles the maladies and conditions of each U.S. president as compiled by John Sotos, MD.

Buchanan and the Lecompton Constitution of the Kansas Territory (O,T)
Article from the American Battlefield Trust covering the events prior to and during the admission of Kansas as a state and whether it would be a free state or a slave state

History.com: James Buchanan (Y,M,O,T)
This site offers videos, pictures and interactive resources for studying the presidents.

Primary Sources Related to James Buchanan (O,T)
An extensive collection of primary sources related to Buchanan from Primary Source Nexus funded by a grant from the Library of Congress

James Buchanan: A Resource Guide (T)
A digital collection from the Library of Congress

James Buchanan's Birthplace (T)
From the state park at the birthplace in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania

James Buchanan (Y,M,O,T)
From White House.gov

James Buchanan (Y,M,O,T)
From Biography.com

Portraits of the President: James Buchanan (Y,M,O,T)
From the National Portrait Gallery

James Buchanan's Troubled Legacy as President (O,T)
Essay from the National Constitution Center

James Buchanan: 60-Second Presidents (M,O,T)
From PBS Learning; includes video and support materials for students and teachers

Presidential Podcast: James Buchanan (O,T)
"America is on the eve of civil war, and James Buchanan is alone in the White House as our first and only bachelor president. Historians Jean Baker and Jim Loewen, and reporter Jim Tankersley, explore the lack of personal and political union." From the Washington Post podcast "Presidential"

Notable Events During Buchanan's Presidency

March 1857 - Dred Scott Decision

James Buchanan, a supporter of popular sovereignty, held office during the pre-Civil War period when pro-slavery and abolitionist forces tried to decide the issue via law and the courts. The Dred Scott Decision, which Buchanan supported and which was announced two days after his inauguration in 1857, stated that Congress could not prohibit slavery in its territories and that enslaved people were not citizens of the U.S.

According to Abraham Lincoln, the decision was part of a plot by pro-slavery forces to "make slavery perpetual and universal in this nation." This audio theatrical production is a twenty-two-minute audio treatment of the Dred Scott case that was produced by James David Moran for the American Antiquarian Society and is part of the resources for educators about the Dred Scott decision, including an overview, lesson plans, and approaches to covering the Dred Scott case.

October 1859 - John Brown's Harpers Ferry Raid

On October 16, 1859, John Brown led a slave revolt by attacking and taking over the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. View the timeline of the raid.

December 1860 - Southern Secession Begins

South Carolina seceded on December 20, 1860, during Buchanan's term. Before he left office in March of 1861, six other states also seceded: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. In this message from Buchanan to Congress, delivered on January 8, 1861, the President admits that "the prospect of a bloodless settlement fades away . . . "

January 1861 - Admitted as a State

Kansas was admitted as the 34th state on January 29, 1861, when the Wyandotte Constitution was adopted, establishing Kansas as a free state.

March 1861 - Territory of Nevada Organized

On March 2, 1861, an Act of Congress created the Territory of Nevada.