[VOA English-Chinese-Bilingual][14]Franklin Pierce: Ineffective Franklin Pierce: Ineffective

VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents.

VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents.

Today we are talking about Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States. He took office in 1853 at age 48. At that time, he was the youngest person elected to the White House.

Today, let’s talk about Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States. He took office in 1853 at the age of 48. At the time, he was the youngest president.

Pierce was known for being social – and for his good looks. But his personal life was full of tragedy, and he was not an effective chief executive [1] .

Pierce was known for Known for his sociability, his handsomeness also made him famous. But his personal life was full of tragedy and he was not a capable president.

Over time, he has come to be remembered as one of the country’s worst presidents.

Over time, Pierce has come to be remembered as one of the worst presidents in the United States.

Franklin Pierce was born in the northern state of New Hampshire. He was one of eight children.

Franklin Pierce was born in the northern state of New Hampshire. He was one of eight children. .

He attended school regularly [2] as a child, and he went on to Bowdoin College in Maine. There, he developed his skills as an excellent public speaker. He also became an able lawyer.

As a child, he attended regular schools and later went on to Bowdoin College in Maine. There he developed exceptional public speaking skills. He also became an excellent lawyer.

Pierce’s abilities carried him far. But his personal connections helped, too.

Pierce’s abilities carried him far. But his personal connections helped, too.

His father became the governor of New Hampshire. Shortly after, Pierce was elected to the state legislature. He soon became a member of the U.S. Congress – first as a member of the House of Representatives, and then as a senator.

His father was the governor of New Hampshire. Soon after, Pierce was elected to the state legislature. He soon became a member of Congress—first as a representative, then as a senator.

Several important things happened in Pierce's personal life during those years in Washington, DC. He married Jane Means Appleton. They soon had a son, but the child died after only three days. The couple went on to have two more boys.

During his years in Washington, several important events occurred in Pierce's personal life. He married Jane Means Appleton and soon had a son, who died three days later. The couple later had two more sons.

In Washington, Franklin Pierce also developed friendships with many people from the South. They defended the right of states to permit slavery. Although he was from the North, Pierce came to share the opinions of his Southern friends. He grew to dislike anti-slavery activists, who were known as abolitionists.

In Washington, Franklin Pierce developed friendships with many Southerners. They defended the right to allow slavery. Although Pierce was from the North, he began to share the views of his Southern friends. He grew to dislike anti-slavery activists, also known as abolitionists.

As a politician, Pierce was a member of the Democratic Party and strongly supported the ideas of President Andrew Jackson. But politics did not appeal to his wife. She also did not like her husband's habit [3] of drinking alcohol with his friends. Jane Pierce belonged to the temperance movement, which urged Americans to avoid the use of alcoholic drinks.

As a politician, Pierce was a Democrat and strongly supported Andrew Jackson Philosophy of the President.

But his wife is not interested in politics. He also didn't like his husband's habit of drinking with his friends. Jane Pierce supported the Temperance Movement, a movement that promoted Americans' avoidance of alcoholic beverages.

So Pierce resigned his job in the Senate and moved back to New Hampshire.

So Pierce resigned his job in the Senate and moved back to New Hampshire.

There, he stopped drinking alcohol and earned fame as a lawyer and public speaker. But tragedy struck again: his second son became sick and died. ?

After returning, he no longer Drinking, and earning some reputation as a lawyer and public spokesman. But tragedy struck again: his second son fell ill and died.

Pierce remained active in politics in New Hampshire. He helped the Democratic candidate for president at the time, James K. Polk, win votes in the state.

Pierce remained active in politics in New Hampshire. Active in the political arena. At the time, he helped Democratic presidential candidate James Knox Polk win the state's vote.

When Polk entered the White House, he gave Pierce a position as a general in the Mexican-American War.

When Polk entered the White House, he gave Pierce a position as a general in the Mexican-American War. , he gave Pierce a generalship.

Pierce did not earn the respect of his troops. In one battle, he passed out [4] after he fell off his horse and crushed his leg. Some of his men, seeing what happened, fled the battlefield . Others called him “Fainting [5] Frank.”

Pierce did not command the respect of the military. During a battle, he fell off his horse and broke his leg, then fainted. Some soldiers fled the battlefield after seeing what was happening. Some others called him "Faint Franklin."

Although Pierce had his critics, he returned to New Hampshire as a leader in the state's Democratic Party. Yet no one expected him to become president of the United States.

Although Franklin was Despite the criticism, he returned to New Hampshire as a Democratic leader (retired). However, no one wants him to become President of the United States.

Pierce's nomination came during the Democratic national convention in 1852. Party leaders could not agree on a candidate. They were split among the three top choices.

1852 Democratic National Convention , Pierce was nominated. Party leaders could not agree on a presidential candidate and they had three competing candidates.

So the party turned to Pierce. They liked the fact that he was not well known or had taken any strong positions as a lawmaker. As a result, fewer people could object to him, they reasoned.

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Therefore, the Democratic Party's attention moved to Pierce. They like the fact that he is not very famous and does not hold any important position as a member of Parliament. In the end, they reasoned, few would oppose him.

Pierce did very little during the election campaign. He did not need to. Many voters, especially in the South, did not like his opponent.

Pierce did very little during the election campaign. something. He doesn't need it either. Many voters, especially in the South, disliked his rivals.

When the election was held, Pierce won easily.

When the election was held, Pierce won easily.

But before he took office, another terrible thing happened. Franklin and Jane Pierce were traveling by train with their youngest son Benjamin, who was 11-years-old. The train went off the rails. Bennie was killed instantly [6] in front of his parents.

But before Pierce took office, another terrible thing happened. Franklin and Jane Pierce traveled by train with their 11-year-old son Benjamin. The train derailed and Benny died instantly in front of his parents.

Neither Franklin nor Jane Pierce ever really recovered. Jane believed their son's death was a punishment from God for her husband becoming president.

Neither Franklin nor Jane Pierce ever really recovered from their son's death. Recover from death. Jane believed their son's death was God's punishment for her husband's election as president.

As president, Pierce faced an extremely difficult situation. The country's ongoing dispute about whether and where to permit slavery was becoming more intense. Under Pierce, the dispute centered on the areas of Kansas and Nebraska.

As president, Pierce faced a very serious situation. Domestic debate raged over whether and where slavery should be allowed. During Pierce's time, the focus of controversy was the Kansas and Nebraska Territory.

At the time, both areas were considered territories, not states. And each territory was above the line of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. That act, approved by lawmakers nearly 35 years before Pierce took office, banned slavery in northern areas, including what would become Kansas and Nebraska.

At the time, both areas were considered territories rather than states. Each territory lay on the lines established by the Missouri Compromise of 1820. This line, approved by Congress some 35 years before during the Pierce administration, prohibited slavery in the North and included the areas that would become Kansas and Nebraska.

But pro-slavery settlers demanded that Kansas and Nebraska voters – a group comprised of white men – decide the issue for themselves. A majority of U.S. lawmakers agreed.

But pro-slavery settlers demanded A group of white voters in Kansas and Nebraska decided for themselves whether to allow slavery. Most members of Congress in the United States agreed.

Under pressure, President Pierce signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854.

Under pressure, President Pierce signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854.

The measure was one of the most important in U.S. history. It overturned the Missouri Compromise and canceled the ban on slavery. It incited years of intense of violence between pro-slavery and anti-slavery activists. And it pushed a divided nation even further apart.

In one of the most important moves in American history, it overturned the Missouri Compromise and eliminated the prohibition of slavery.

It spurred years of tense violence between slaveholding and prohibitionists, and the country was pushed further toward division.

The troubles also showed Pierce to be an ineffective president. He could not ease the tensions over slavery, nor unite the country behind the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

The troubles also showed Pierce to be an ineffective president. is an incompetent president. He failed to ease tensions over slavery or unify the country under the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

And he delayed using his power to stop the violence in Kansas until it was far too late.

By the time he used his power as president to stop the violence in Kansas, it was too late.

Finally, his sympathy for pro-slavery groups angered many in the North, including people in his own party.

people, including their own party.

The Democrats did not nominate him again at the next election.

The Democrats did not nominate him again at the next election.

After four years as president, Pierce returned to New Hampshire. He rarely socialized and began drinking alcohol again.

After leaving office, Pierce returned to New Hampshire. He rarely socialized and began drinking again.

After his wife died in 1863, Pierce seemed to disappear from public life. Americans heard little about him until his death in 1869.

After his wife died in 1863, Pierce seemed to disappear from public life. It seems to disappear from the public. Little was heard about him until his death in 1869.

But he lived to see the ultimate [7] tragedy of the Civil War that he – like other presidents before him – had failed to prevent.

But he lived to see the ultimate [7] tragedy of the Civil War that he – like other presidents before him – had failed to prevent.

The ultimate tragedy of civil war - a tragedy that neither he nor his predecessors could prevent.

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