James Buchanan (1785–1857)

James Buchanan (1785–1857) served as the 15th President of the United States, from 1857 to 1861. He is often ranked among the least successful presidents in American history due to his perceived inaction and ineffectual leadership in the face of escalating tensions over slavery that ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Born in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania, Buchanan had a distinguished pre-presidential career. He graduated from Dickinson College and became a lawyer. He served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate. He also served as Minister to Russia under President Andrew Jackson and as Secretary of State under President James K. Polk.

Buchanan's presidency was dominated by the issue of slavery. He sought to maintain the Union through compromise, but his policies often exacerbated sectional divisions. He supported the Lecompton Constitution in Kansas, which would have admitted the state as a slave state despite indications of popular sentiment against it. This stance alienated many Northerners and deepened the divide within the Democratic Party.

The Dred Scott Supreme Court decision, handed down shortly after Buchanan took office, further inflamed tensions. Buchanan endorsed the decision, which denied citizenship to enslaved people and those of African descent and declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.

During his administration, several states seceded from the Union, beginning with South Carolina in December 1860. Buchanan believed secession was illegal but argued that the federal government lacked the constitutional authority to prevent it. His perceived inaction during this critical period contributed to the unraveling of the nation.

Buchanan retired from public life after his term ended. He died in 1868. Historians continue to debate the extent of his responsibility for the Civil War, but his presidency is widely regarded as a failure. His attempts at compromise ultimately proved insufficient to address the fundamental divisions within the country.