The Whig Party was one of the two major political parties from the late 1830s through the early 1850s. It seems noteworthy to mention three things about our four Whig Presidents.
Firstly, only two were elected, both were military heroes, and both died during their first term in office.
Secondly, The first two Presidents to die in office were both Whigs.
Thirdly, even though there were four Whig Presidential Administrations, Whig Presidents served a total of only eight years in office.
The Whig Party no longer existed when the Republican Party emerged in 1854.
Harrison
William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) was America’s ninth President. His tenure, from March 4, 1841, to April 4, 1841, is the shortest of any U.S. President.
Harrison was the first U.S. President to die in office.
Tyler
John Tyler (1790-1862) became the tenth President. After being Vice President for only 31 days, John Tyler took the Presidential oath.
Tyler had difficulty with his Cabinet, the Whig Party, and Congress.
Tyler’s only real claim to political fame is he established that the Vice President became President upon the death of the President.
Taylor
Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) was elected 12th President of the United States in 1848. President Taylor served from March 1849 until his death in July 1850.
The debate over slavery and its expansion into the country’s new western territories was the primary problem which Taylor faced as the new President.
There was talk of war between the states and there were many debates on the issue but, on July 9, 1850, President Taylor died in office while these debates were going on.
Fillmore
Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), was our 13th President and was
the second Vice President in U.S. history to inherit the Presidency.
The Compromise of 1850 passed in September of that year and defined Fillmore’s Presidency. It also delayed the Civil War for over ten years.
President Fillmore encouraged America’s expanding economy. He took a strong stand against Napoleon III of France, invoking the Monroe Doctrine.
And President Millard Fillmore was the last President which was not affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic Parties.
