A country of vast designs
Subtitle: James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the conquest of the American continent
By: Robert W. Merry.
Edition: 1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2009
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 576
ISBN-13: 9780743297431
Subjects: Polk, James K. -- 1795-1849; Presidents -- United States -- Biography; United States -- Politics and government -- 1845-1849; United States -- Territorial expansion -- History -- 19th century
Genres: Biography
Other titles: James K. Polk, the Mexican War, and the conquest of the American continent
Description: Merry examines how, in a one-term presidency, James K. Polk completed the story of America's Manifest Destiny by expanding its territory across the continent.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 479-550) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: Ritual of democracy: the emergence of an expansionist president; title: Young Hickory: the making of a Jackson protégé; title: Tennessee and Washington: the rise and fall of a presidential loyalist; title: The 1844 election: searching for a means of political recovery; title: Texas: dawn of a new era; title: Polk vs. Clay: answering the question, "Who is James K. Polk?"; title: The victor: preparing for the mantle of leadership; title: Taking charge: America's zest for grand ambitions; title: Annexation complete: diplomacy, intrigue, and the force of politics; title: The United States and Oregon: "The people here are worn out by delay"; title: The United States and Mexico: divergent new world cultures on a path to war; title: Britain and Mexico: playing with prospects of a dual war; title: The Twenty-ninth Congress: Polk takes command of the national agenda; title: End of a treaty: diplomacy and politics at war with each other; title: War: "Every consideration of duty and patriotism"; title: Vagaries of war: "And may there be no recreant soul to fail or falter now"; title: Presidential temperament: "I prefer to supervise the whole operations of the government"; title: Wilmot's proviso: transformation of the war debate; title: The war in the West: patriotism, duty, adventure, and glory; title: The new face of war: "We are yet to have a long and wearisome struggle"; title: The politics of rancor: constitutional usurpation vs. moral treason; title: Dilatory Congress: the challenge of presidential leadership; title: Veracruz and beyond: grappling with Mexico's military defiance; title: Scott and Trist: a clash of policy and temperament; title: Mexico City: the pivot of personality; title: The specter of conquest: "Have we conquered peace? Have we obtained a treaty?"; title: Treaty: from Trist to Polk to the Senate; title: Peace: California, New Mexico, and the Union; title: Final months: "Solemnly impressed with the... emptiness of worldly honors"; title: Epilogue: Legacy: the price of presidential accomplishment.