James Buchanan

Who was James Buchanan?
James Buchanan was the 15th President of the United States of America, the symbolic leader of the country. His presidency began in 1857 and ended in 1861. He was 65 years old when he first began his term of office on March 4, 1857.

James Buchanan's Nickname Meanings
He was named after his father and called 'Jimmy' as a child. He had a variety of nicknames including Old Buck, The Do-Nothing President, Old Public Functionary, Bachelor President and Ten-Cent Jimmy. In a time of national crisis Buchanan believed that secession was illegal but that federal government couldn’t act to prevent states from seceding earning the nickname 'The Do-Nothing President'. The derogatory nickname 'Ten-Cent Jimmy' was due to his statement that ten cents a day was decent pay for a worker.

Description and Picture of James Buchanan
The picture of James Buchanan portrays an interesting image of what this famous man looked like. The picture shows the clothing and the hairstyle that was fashionable during his presidency. He is described as being 6 feet in height and 198 pounds in weight. He had large, blue colored eyes and his hair was fair that turned gray with age. James Buchanan was an imposing figure who enjoyed all the good things of life who ate and drank more than he should have. He wore expensive and elegant clothes. He had a problem with his eyes, one was short-sighted and one was long-sighted, so he developed the habit of closing one eye and leaning his head on one side.

Character and Personality Traits: What was James Buchanan like?
The personality of James Buchanan is described as genial, generous and loyal to his supporters. He had excellent manners and exhibited charm and elegance. He was highly principled, dignified and compassionate.

Facts about President James Buchanan and his Presidency
The important role and duties of the President of the United States of America include those of Chief of State, Chief Diplomat, Chief Executive, Commander in Chief, Legislative Leader and Leader of his own political party. What was James Buchanan famous for? Why was James Buchanan important? The history and life of President James Buchanan during his presidency is conveyed in the following fact file in an easy question and answer format. 

President James Buchanan Fact File - Political Career and Presidency
	What President was James Buchanan?
		He was the 15th President of the United States of America. The dates of his presidency began in 1857 and ended in 1861 (March 4, 1857 to March 3, 1861).
	What was his political party?
		He was the leader of the Democrat political party
	What other political offices did James Buchanan hold before his presidency?
		Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1815-16
		U.S. House of Representatives, 1821-31
		Minister to Russia, 1832-34
		United States Senator, 1834-45
		The Secretary of State, 1845-49 (under James Polk)
		Minister to England, 1853-56
	Who was his Vice President?
		His Vice President was John C. Breckinridge (1857-61)
	What were the main events and the major accomplishments of his presidency?
		The Panic of 1857
		The Dred Scott Decision (1857)
		John Brown seized the Southern town of Harpers Ferry (1859)
		The Crittenden Compromise (1860)
		The Fort Sumpter Incident (1861)
		The Pony Express was established (1860)
		The Crittenden Compromise failed and the Southern States begin secession
	What was James Buchanan' nickname?
		His most famous nickname was "Old Buck"
	Who was James Buchanan' s first  lady?
		The name of his First Lady was Harriet Lane
President James Buchanan Fact File - Political Career and Presidency

Interesting Facts about the Private Life of James Buchanan
James Buchanan was famous for the events and accomplishments of his presidency, but what are the facts about the man and his private life. Facts and information about the private life of James Buchanan can be found in the following fact file in an easy question and answer format. 

James Buchanan Fact File - Facts about his Private Life
	When and where was James Buchanan born?
		He was born on April 23, 1791, in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania, where he was raised
	What was the name of his father?
		The name of his father was James Buchanan
	What was the name of his mother?
		The name of his mother was Elizabeth Speer Buchanan
	Where was James Buchanan educated and what was his religion?
		He was educated at Dickinson College (He graduated in 1809)
		Religion: Presbyterian
	What did James Buchanan do before he became President of the United States?
		Before he became President he worked as a Lawyer
	Who was James Buchanan' wife?
		James Buchanan experienced a broken engagement and never married
	When did James Buchanan die?
		He died on June 1, 1868, at Wheatland (near Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
James Buchanan Fact File - Facts about his Private Life

President James Buchanan
We hope that the picture, facts and information on President James Buchanan will prove helpful to kids, school children and schools learning about the presidency of this famous American leader.