Who is Zachary Taylor?
Zachary Taylor was the twelfth President of the United States, serving a brief term from 1849-1850. He was the second president to die in office, and the cause of his death is somewhat debated. Some suggest he had cholera or food poisoning, while others argue he died of heat stroke. There has even been some debate that he may have been poisoned on purpose, but little evidence exists to support this theory. Despite serving a short term as president, Zachary Taylor promoted some important legislation, actively encouraging California to seek state status. By doing so, he enraged his fellow Southerners, because Californians wrote a constitution that disallowed slavery. Zachary Taylor was a slave owner, but he did not necessarily want to see slavery expanded. Members of the Southern US were so angry at Taylor’s actions they threatened secession, to which Taylor responded by threatening to hang anyone who truly rebelled against the US. This action in the life of President Zachary Taylor is a
