How Zachary Taylor’s Battlefield Successes Led Him to the Presidency

How Zachary Taylor’s Battlefield Successes Led Him to the Presidency

Born in Virginia in 1784, Zachary Taylor was a soldier and landowner who played a key role in America’s westward expansion. After winning early fame during the War of 1812, Taylor spent the following decades commanding frontier outposts and occasionally suppressing Native American uprisings. He achieved national recognition for his victories in Texas and northern Mexico during the Mexican-American War. His fame led him to the White House, but he…