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Millard Fillmore : An Unknown Figure

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Millard Fillmore, an unknown figure to many, was one of the most important figures in the United States during the middle nineteenth century. At a young age Fillmore had begun his career of making a living, and supporting a family. As Fillmore matured, he became more and more intrigued with politics and had begun his career as a lawyer. In later years Millard Fillmore became 13th president of the United States. Millard Fillmore had a life of being loved and hated, cherished and forgotten.
Millard Fillmore was born on January 7, 1800, in the small town of Summerhill, New York. He was born the second oldest among nine, also being the eldest boy. When Fillmore was roughly nine years old, he took his first class lesson in a one roomed school …show more content…

They believed in commerce and manufacturing lead to a better life for all Americans. Then again in 1836 Fillmore ran for Congress as a Whig and won.4 Alike his first term as a New York assemblyman, he was quiet in his first term in Congress but began making a name for himself when he returned to Congress for a second term in 1837.
After the election of 1838, a dispute in the House of Representatives arose as five congressmen from New Jersey were elected. The outcome would determine whether the Whigs or Democrats would have a majority over the House. During this time period, Millard Fillmore gave some of the most important, persuading, and passionate speeches of his political career. During the same time, there was a battle on tariffs, the tax on imported goods. Fillmore devoted himself to preserving the high tariffs that were in effect at that time, but also wanted to keep President John Tyler in political trouble since he believed that Tyler had betrayed the Whig party. Fillmore accomplished both feats with great political skill.
As the presidential election of 1848 approached, the Whigs knew the support of their southern allies. Many of their allies were large plantation owners and also had an abundant amount of slaves. When Zachary Taylor was chosen to represent the Whig party, many antislavery delegates believed that the selection of Taylor was the end of the whig party. But, a New York delegate by the name of

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