Franklin Pierce

Franklin Pierce was president of the United States during one of the most pivotal periods in American history. He was the 14th president, and during his tenure leading the nation, he had to deal with multiple points of upheaval. He was the captain of the ship, but the boat had sprung multiple leaks. Even so, he managed to expand its scope.

Building upon the vast territorial gains of his predecessor President James Polk, he executed the Gadsden Purchase, adding some 30,000 square miles to the Union. He also opened the doors to Japan by way of the Treaty of Kanagawa, ending centuries of Japanese isolation. Having said that, Franklin Pierce certainly had his flaws. Pierce's presidency unfolded against the backdrop of an increasingly fractured nation, where every political decision seemed to push North and South further apart. The question of slavery dominated every congressional debate, and compromise appeared increasingly impossible. Pierce's detractors would claim that he was a sympathizer and enabler of Southern secessionists, and that he allowed Kansas to bleed. In this book, we explore his life and his story in full.