Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
United States presidential election of 1844
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
The election results of 1844 James K. Polk Henry Clay 1844 presidential campaign political cartoon James K. Polk American presidential election, 1844
Quizzes
Washington Monument. Washington Monument and fireworks, Washington DC. The Monument was built as an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington.
All-American History Quiz
The White House in Washington, D.C., USA. The north portico which faces Pennsylvania Avenue.
U.S. Presidential History Quiz
Related Questions
Read Next
Close up of a hand placing a ballot in a ballot box. Election vote voter voting
Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term?
United States elections portal page linking to each election interactive
A History of U.S. Presidential Elections in Maps
Artwork for themes for Pro-Con articles.
Pro and Con: Voting Machines
United States Presidential Election of 2012. Mitt Romney. Official portrait of President Barack Obama in the Oval Office, Dec. 6, 2012 after his reelection Nov. 6, 2012. Official portrait Obama
10 Democrats Who Made History
The United States Supreme Court building, Washington, D.C.
14 Questions About Government in the United States Answered
Discover
Nativity Scene, Adoration of the Magi, Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Montenegro
Why Is Christmas in December?
Coriander leaves, fresh green cilantro on wooden background, herbs
Why Does Cilantro Taste Like Soap to Some People?
King Cobra snake in Malaysia. (reptile)
9 of the World’s Deadliest Snakes
"On the threshold of office--what have we to expect of him?" chromolithograph by Joseph Keppler, September 1881. Print shows the members of the assassinated James A. Garfield's cabinet looking at the new president, Chester Arthur. Chester A. Arthur.
The Surprisingly Disorderly History of the U.S. Presidential Succession Order
Stylish light blue jeans on wooden background, closeup of inset pocket
Why Do Jeans Have That Tiny Pocket?
The impeachment trial of Pres. Andrew Johnson, illustration from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 28, 1868.
What If the President Is Impeached?
illustration of the walking titanosaurus, Patagotitan mayorum
Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs
James K. Polk
James K. Polk U.S. Pres. James K. Polk, oil on canvas by George Peter Alexander Healy, 1846; in the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.

United States presidential election of 1844

United States government
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written by
Richard Pallardy
Richard Pallardy received a B.A. in English from Illinois State University in 2005. He was a research editor with Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. from 2008 to 2016 and worked on Britannica Blog from 2010...
Richard Pallardy
Fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Quick Facts
Date:
1844

United States presidential election of 1844, American presidential election held in 1844 in which Democratic candidate James K. Polk defeated Whig candidate Henry Clay with 170 electoral votes to Clay’s 105. Incumbent John Tyler, who had been vice president under William Henry Harrison and ascended to the presidency upon the latter’s death, entered 1844 with the intention of running for another term. However, he had been expelled from the Whig Party in 1842 after having twice vetoed the reestablishment of a national bank and, despite having subsequently stacked his cabinet with members of the Democratic Party—from which he had defected ...(100 of 522 words)

Access the full article
Trust your source with Britannica Premium
• 7-Day Free Trial
• No Ads
• Unlimited Access
Unlock Article