As President, James Knox Polk successfully directed the Mexican War, which won enough Western territory to fom nine states. He carried out every item of his political program, making him the most successful President since George Washington.

But all was not entirely well during his term. Reformers called attention to the hardships of children working in factories and to the poverty of immigrants. Slavery rested uneasily in the thoughts of many Americans. A lack of concern by Polk for these social problems made reformers dislike him. They regarded him as a tool of the slaveowners. Polk's demeanor didn't help their perceptions either. He was cold, silent, narrow, and ungenerous. He did not seek a second term, and few people regretted it.

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