美国总统9 约翰 泰勒.docx

美国总统9约翰泰勒JohnTyler:UnexpectedVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.Todaywearetalkingaboutavicepresident.JohnTylerwasWilliamHenryHarrison'spartnerontheticketinthe1840election;hewasthe"Tyler"ofthecampaignslogan"TippecanoeandTylerztoo."Butonlyonemonthintohistermaspresident,Harrisonunexpectedlydied.HewasthefirstU.S.presidenttodieinoffice.Today,Americansacceptthatwhenthathappens,thevicepresidentbecomesthepresident.Butin1841znoonereallyknewwhattodo.SopeopleturnedtotheConstitution.Itsaidifthepresidentisremovedfromoffice,orifhedies,resigns,orisnotabletoperformhisduties,hispowerandresponsibilityisgiventothevicepresident.Butthemeaningofthosewordswasunclear.Didthevicepresidentreallybecomethepresident,ordidthevicepresidentjustactlikethepresident?TheConstitutionmaynothavebeenclear,butJohnTylerwas.HeclaimedthatzafterHarrison'sdeath,hereallywasthepresident.Tylermadesurehewasquicklysworn-in.Heansweredonlytothetitle"president."Heevenrefusedtoopenlettersthatweresentto"ActingPresidentTyler."Eventually,AmericansacceptedJohnTylerwasthenation'sIOthpresident.ButsomeAmericanswerenothappyaboutthatfact.Duringhispresidency,allbutoneofTyler'scabinetadvisorsresigned,andmembersofhisownpartytriedtoimpeachhim.EarlylifeTylerwasfromthesouthernstateofVirginia,hometofiveearlierU.S.presidents.Likemanyoftheleadersbeforehim,hewasalawyerfromanupperclassfamilywhoownedslaves.Hestronglysupportedthepowerofthestatesagainstthefederalgovernment,expansionofslavery,andrulebyasmall,elitegroup.ButtheUnitedStateswasstartingtochange.Forexample,PresidentJohnQuincyAdamshadproposedcreatinganationalsystemofroads.TheMissouriCompromiseof1820limitedslaveryinnewstatesinthenorthwest.Andinthe1830szmanywhitemenwhodidnotownpropertyearnedtherighttovote.Inotherwords,theU.S.wasbecomingmorenational,abolitionist,andequal.Tylerresistedthesechanges.HefoughtagainstthemasamemberoftheU.S.HouseofRepresentatives,agovernorofVirginia,andasenator.HisfightreachedacrisisduringthepresidencyOfAndrewJackson.Thetwomenbelongedtothesameparty,theDemocraticParty.HoweverzTylerhatedJackson'spopulistpoliciesanduseofpresidentialpowersagainstthestates.Inthemiddleofthe1830szTylerjoinedwithseveralotherpoliticalleaderstocreateanew,anti-Jacksonparty.TheywerecalledtheWhigs.PresidencyThenewWhigpartybadlywantedtowinthe1840presidentialelectionagainstJackson'srighthandman,MartinVanBuren.TheyproposedJohnTylerastheparty'svicepresidentialcandidatebecausetheyhopedhewouldappealtosouthernvoters.TheWhigssucceeded.TylerandHarrisonwontheelection.Thenewpartyexpectedthattheywouldbeabletoachievemanyoftheirpolicygoals.ButthenHarrisondied,andTylerunexpectedlybecamepresident.TylerkeptHarrison'scabinetoftopadvisers.Buthedidnotaccepttheiradvice.WhiglawmakerspresentedbillafterbilltoTyler,buthefailedtosupportthemeasures.Hebelievedtheygavetoomuchpowertothefederalgovernmentoverthestates.Inanger,allbutoneofTyler'scabinetmembersresigned.ThenWhigleadersofficiallydeclaredthatTylerwasnolongerpartoftheirgroup.Thefollowingyeartheyevenmovedtoimpeachhim.Hebecameknownasapresidentwithoutaparty.Tylerwasabletoachieveonemajorpoliticalact,however.Threedaysbeforeheleftoffice,hesignedthelawthatmadeTexasastate.Perhapswisely,Tylerwithdrewfromthenextpresidentialelection.Heeventuallywithdrewevenhissupportforthefederalgovernment.HebecamealeaderinthemovementforSouthernsecession.Inotherwords,hebelievedtheSouthernstateshadtherighttoseparatefromtheNorthandleavetheUnion.Intime,theseparationbetweentheSouthandNorthwouldleadtotheCivilWar.FamilyTylerwasanunusualpresident.Hetookofficeinanunusualway,andhetooktheunusualstepofvetoinglegislativeactionproposedbyhisownparty.Hisfamilylifehasotherunusualdetails.Tylerwasthefirstpresidenttogetmarriedwhileinoffice.Hewasthepresidentwiththemostchildren.Andtwoofhisgrandchildrenremainedaliveuntilwellintothe21stcentury.In1844zTylermarriedJuliaGardiner.Shewashissecondwife.Hisfirstwife,Letitiazhaddiedtwoyearsearlier.JohnandLetitiaTylerhadeightchildrentogether.SinceJuliaGardinerTyIerwas24yearsold30yearsyoungerthanhernewhusband-thetwohadplentyoftimetohaveanothersevenchildren.And,becauseoneOftheirsonshadchildreninthe1920sztwoofTyler'sgrandchildrenarestillaliveasofearly2017.1.egacyTylerisnotrememberedasagoodpresident.Butheisrememberedforestablishingaprecedent-awayofdoingsomethingthatotherpeoplehavefollowed.TheTylerprecedentpermittedthepeacefuloftransferofpowerfrompresidenttovicepresidentin1841.Anditeasedthetransitionafterotherpresidentshavediedsincethen.In1967,theConstitutionwasevenchangedtoclarifywhatTylerhadclaimedallalong:whenthepresidentdies,thevicepresidentbecomesthenewchiefexecutive.mKellyJeanKelly.KellyJeanKellywrotethisstoryforLearningEnglish.GeorgeGrowwastheeditor.WordsinThisStoryslogan-n.awordorphrasethatiseasytorememberandisusedbyagrouporbusinesstoattractattentionelite-n.thepeoplewhohavethemostwealthandstatusinasocietyabolitionist-n.apersonwhowantstostoporabolishslaveryachieve-v.togetorreach(something)byworkinghardsecession-n.theactofseparatingfromanationorstateandbecomingindependenttransfer-v.togiverightstoanotherpersonexecutive-n.apersonwhomanagesordirectsotherpeopleinacompanyororganization