Editing Franklin Pierce


{{short description|14th president of the United States}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image         = Mathew Brady - Franklin Pierce - alternate crop.jpg
|caption       = Photo by [[Mathew Brady]], c. 1855–65
|order         = 14th
|office        = President of the United States
|vicepresident = {{nowrap|[[William R. King]] (Mar–Apr. 1853)}}<br>''None'' (1853–1857){{refn|group=note|Vice President King died in office. As this was prior to the adoption of the [[Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Twenty-Fifth Amendment]] in 1967, a vacancy in the office of Vice President was not filled until the next ensuing election and inauguration.}}
|term_start    = March 4, 1853
|term_end      = March 4, 1857
|predecessor   = [[Millard Fillmore]]
|successor     = [[James Buchanan]]
|jr/sr2        = United States Senator
|state2        = [[New Hampshire]]
|term_start2   = March 4, 1837
|term_end2     = February 28, 1842
|predecessor2  = [[John Page (New Hampshire)|John Page]]
|successor2    = [[Leonard Wilcox]]
|state3        = [[New Hampshire]]
|district3     = {{ushr|NH|AL|at-large}}
|term_start3   = March 4, 1833
|term_end3     = March 3, 1837
|predecessor3  = [[Joseph Hammons]]
|successor3    = [[Jared W. Williams]]
|birth_date    = {{birth date|1804|11|23}}
|birth_place   = [[Hillsborough, New Hampshire]], U.S.<!--As per WP:LINKDIRECT and Template:infobox person, birthplace indicates city, state, then country. No need to spell out "United States; 'U.S.' is fine.-->
|death_date    = {{death date and age|1869|10|8|1804|11|23}}
|death_place   = [[Concord, New Hampshire]], U.S.<!--Leave the 'U.S.'-->
|death_cause   = [[Cirrhosis]]
|restingplace  = [[Old North Cemetery (Concord, New Hampshire)|Old North Cemetery]]
|party         = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|spouse        = {{marriage|[[Jane Pierce|Jane Appleton]]|November 19, 1834|December 2, 1863|end=died}}
|children      = 3
|relatives     = [[Benjamin Kendrick Pierce]] (brother)
|education     = {{hlist|[[Bowdoin College]]|[[Northampton Law School]]}}
|profession    = Lawyer
|signature     = Franklin Pierce Signature2.svg
|signature_alt = Cursive signature in ink
|allegiance    = {{flag|United States of America|1848}}<br />[[File:New Hampshire state flag.png|22px]]  [[New Hampshire]]
|branch        = {{army|United States}}<br />[[File:New Hampshire state flag.png|22px]]  [[New Hampshire Army National Guard|New Hampshire Militia]]
|rank          = [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] (Militia)<br />[[File:Union Army brigadier general rank insignia.svg|border|35px]] [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] (Army)
|serviceyears  = 1831–1847 (Militia)<br />1847–1848 (Army)
|battles       = [[Mexican–American War]]<br>{{*}}[[Battle of Contreras]]<br>{{*}}[[Battle of Churubusco]]<br>{{*}}[[Battle of Molino del Rey]]<br>{{*}}[[Battle of Chapultepec]]<br>{{*}}[[Battle for Mexico City]]
}}

'''Franklin Pierce''' (November 23, 1804 – October 8, 1869) was the 14th [[president of the United States]] (1853–1857), a northern [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] who saw the [[abolitionism in the United States|abolitionist movement]] as a fundamental threat to the unity of the nation. He angered anti-slavery groups by championing and signing the [[Kansas–Nebraska Act]] and enforcing the [[Fugitive Slave Act]], yet he failed to stem conflict between North and South, setting the stage for Southern secession and the [[American Civil War]].

Pierce was born in [[History of New Hampshire|New Hampshire]], and served in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] and the [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] until he resigned from the Senate in 1842. His private law practice in New Hampshire was a success, and he was appointed [[United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire#U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire|U.S. Attorney]] for his state in 1845. He took part in the [[Mexican–American War]] as a [[Brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]] in the Army. He was seen by Democrats as a compromise candidate uniting northern and southern interests and was nominated as the party's candidate for president on the 49th ballot at the [[1852 Democratic National Convention]]. He and running mate [[William R. King]] easily defeated the [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig Party]] ticket of [[Winfield Scott]] and [[William Alexander Graham|William A. Graham]] in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1852|1852 presidential election]].

[[Category:United States presidents]]