The 1648 Codex · study package

US Congressional Figures

18 terms drawn from across the corpus, in study-list order. Art and cross-links point back to the home category cards.

#157 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Henry Clay

Henry Clay
Julian Vannerson or Montgomery P. Simons · Public domain

Kentucky politician · 1777–1852 · Kentucky, Washington D.C.

Henry Clay was a Kentucky politician nicknamed the 'Great Compromiser' who advocated the American System and lost multiple presidential elections.

The kit

  • Rise — Henry Clay joined the War Hawks contingent in Congress advocating for the War of 1812 alongside Felix Grundy.
  • Achievements — Henry Clay promoted the American System, a plan including protectionist tariffs and federal infrastructure projects like the National Road.
  • Conflicts — Henry Clay was accused of a 'Corrupt Bargain' with John Quincy Adams after the 1824 election went to a House runoff.
  • Legacy — Henry Clay introduced eight resolutions that became the Compromise of 1850, beginning with California statehood.

Runs with

Kentucky
Clay was a Kentucky politician who owned Ashland hemp plantation open card →
Secretary of State
Adams appointed Clay Secretary of State after the 1824 election open card →
Compromise of 1850
Clay's eight resolutions formed the basis of this compromise open card →
John Quincy Adams
Adams appointed Clay after alleged corrupt bargain in 1824 open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

After having worked on this man’s estate of Ashland, this man’s slave, Charlotte Dupuy, unsuccessfully sued for her freedom in Washington D.C..

H

This man advocated for high tariffs and regular infrastructure improvements as part of his American System.

H

This man was forced to duel Humphrey Marshall after proposing a law that banned British cloth in favor of homespun cloth.

H

This man was sued by his slave, Charlotte Dupuy, for her freedom, though he also helped found the colony of Liberia as president of the American Colonization Society.

H

This man was shot in a duel by Humphrey Marshall over this man’s support of the Embargo Act. :Name this Kentucky politician who ran for president unsuccessfully five times and was known as the Great Compromiser.

H

This man lost presidential elections in 1824, 1832, and 1844. :Name this Kentucky Senator known as the “Great Compromiser,” who devised the Compromise of 1850 after the Mexican War.

H

This proponent of the American System also introduced the Compromise of 1850. name this Kentucky Whig who served as Speaker of the House and was nicknamed “The Great Compromiser”.

M

In 1824, this man was appointed as Secretary of State by John Quincy Adams after the presidential election went to a House runoff.

M

This proponent of the "American System" of roads and canals was defeated both during Andrew Jackson's re- election bid and by James K. Polk in two presidential runs as the Whig nominee. name this "Great Compromiser" from Kentucky.

M

As the National Republican party’s nominee, this politician lost the 1832 presidential election to Andrew Jackson.

M

Andrew Jackson’s biggest presidential regret was supposedly that he didn’t hang John C. Calhoun and didn’t shoot this man.

M

This politician advocated for investment in infrastructure, higher tariffs, and a national bank as part of his American System.

E

This man was accused of striking a “corrupt bargain” with John Quincy Adams that led to him becoming Secretary of State. name this Kentucky politician labeled the “Great Compromiser.”

E

This proponent of the American System was accused of arranging a “Corrupt Bargain” with John Quincy Adams. name this “Great Compromiser” from Kentucky.

E

John Quincy Adams made an infamous “Corrupt Bargain” with this War Hawk nicknamed the “Great Compromiser” from Kentucky.

10 more clues from the record
H

A personal grudge against this man may have led to the veto of the Maysville Road.

H

Charlotte Dupuy sued this man for her freedom after being a slave at his hemp plantation at Ashland.

H

This politician fought a duel with John Randolph in which both escaped unscathed.

H

This politician wrote that the Mexican-American War would produce “some military chieftain who will conquer all of us” before his son died in the Battle of Buena Vista.

H

Like William Jennings Bryan, this man won a significant portion of electoral votes in multiple elections without becoming president.

H

This man fought an indecisive duel with John Randolph and advocated for the War of 1812 as a War Hawk.

H

This man promoted a plan including protectionist tariffs and federal infrastructure projects like the National Road and the Maysville Road.

H

Though a local rival of Felix Grundy, this man joined Grundy in the "War Hawks" contingent in Congress.

H

A set of eight resolutions named for this man, beginning with California statehood, were the basis for the Compromise of 1850.

H

This politician was the target of a freedom suit by one of his enslaved persons, Charlotte Dupuy.

Watch out: John C. Calhoun (Jackson regretted not hanging Calhoun and not shooting Clay)
#159 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

William Jennings Bryan

William Jennings Bryan
Harris & Ewing, photographer · Public domain

American politician and orator · 1860–1925 · United States

William Jennings Bryan was a three-time Democratic presidential nominee famous for his "Cross of Gold" speech and opposition to evolution.

The kit

  • Rise — William Jennings Bryan electrified the 1896 Democratic National Convention with his "Cross of Gold" speech supporting bimetallism, becoming the youngest person to receive an electoral vote at age 36.
  • Achievements — William Jennings Bryan served as Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State, negotiating "cooling off" treaties to avoid wars and advocating citizenship for Puerto Ricans.
  • Conflicts — William Jennings Bryan resigned as Secretary of State in 1915 after the sinking of the Lusitania, opposing harsh retaliation and America's entry into World War I.
  • Death & succession — William Jennings Bryan died days after arguing against Clarence Darrow in the Scopes Monkey Trial, where he defended Christian morals and opposed teaching evolution.

Runs with

Gold
delivered "Cross of Gold" speech demanding Republicans not crucify mankind on gold standard open card →
Secretary of State
served as Wilson's Secretary of State, resigning over Lusitania response open card →
Woodrow Wilson
appointed Bryan Secretary of State, accepted his resignation after Lusitania open card →
Scopes Monkey Trial

The ladder · 15 clues

H

This orator served in the House of Representatives and as Woodrow Wilson’s Secretary of State.

H

This bimetallist ran for President in 1896, electrifying the audience at the Democratic National Convention with the “Cross of Gold” speech.

H

This man’s natural oration skills were countered by Mark Hanna in one election who organized a front porch campaign for the winning candidate. name this politician who lost the election of 1900 to William McKinley

H

This man wrote in support of progressive politics in his Commoner magazine, and he noted that Christian values laid a foundation for group morality in his “Prince of Peace” speech, which he recited repeatedly on the Chautauqua circuit.

H

His opposition to harsh retaliation after the sinking of the Lusitania caused this politician to resign as Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State.

H

As Secretary of State, he signed various "cooling off" treaties to avoid wars with other countries, but resigned that post following the sinking of the Lusitania. name this perennial Democratic candidate for president who gave the "Cross of Gold" speech.

H

This politician negotiated a treaty with Emiliano Chamorro that gave the United States full rights over any future canal built through Nicaragua.

M

In the wake of the sinking of the Lusitania, this man resigned as Woodrow Wilson’s Secretary of State.

M

The Lusitania disaster prompted this man to resign as Woodrow Wilson’s secretary of state as he firmly opposed America’s entry into World War I. The “Cross of Gold” speech was given by this Democratic presidential nominee who lost in 1896, 1900, and 1908.

M

This man died just days after arguing against Clarence Darrow in the Scopes Trial.

M

This man defended Christian morals in his “Prince of Peace” oration while part of the Chautauqua circuit.

M

During one campaign, this man was dubbed the Boy Orator and became the youngest person to receive a vote in the electoral college at the age of 36.

E

This bimetallist declared that “you shall not crucify mankind” in an 1896 speech. name this populist politician and orator of the “Cross of Gold” speech.

E

Secretary of State who resigned in 1915, years after delivering the “Cross of Gold” speech?

E

He rose to prominence after delivering an oration at an 1896 convention supporting bimetallism, demanding that Republicans not “crucify mankind” on the title object. name this Democratic presidential candidate who delivered the “Cross of Gold” speech.

10 more clues from the record
H

In an 1894 senate election, this man challenged the influence of railroads in Nebraska by running against John Thurston.

H

Also known as the "Great Commoner" this man advocated bimetallism in his "Cross of Gold" speech. He resigned as Wilson's Secretary of State after the sinking of the Lusitania.

H

This man was a prosecutor in the Scopes Monkey Trial. :Name this Populist who ran unsuccessfully for president three times and served as Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State.

H

He advocated citizenship for Puerto Ricans during an election in which his running mate was John Kern.

H

Both Arthur Sewall and Thomas Watson were vice presidential nominees for this person in one election.

H

This man argued against American annexation of the Philippines in his speech “The Paralyzing Influence of Imperialism.” A political cartoon depicted him as a snake swallowing a donkey.

H

This man once noted “it is just as easy to believe the miracle of Jonah as any other miracle in the Bible.” This man argued that “man is essentially devout” in his “Prince of Peace” speech, given at many Chautauqua gatherings in 1904.

H

This man ran to be Moderator of the Presbyterian Church during the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy, losing to Charles Wishart, who refused this man's request to end funding for schools that taught evolution.

H

This Cabinet member questioned President Wilson’s sharp response, asking “why be so shocked by the drowning of a few people, if there is to be no objection to starving a nation?”, and resigned a month after the sinking.

H

This man wrote that "science is a magnificent material force, but it is not a teacher of morals" after being denied a chance to give closing statements at a 1925 event.

Watch out: Not to be confused with William McKinley, who defeated Bryan in 1896 and 1900
#171 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Daniel Webster

Daniel Webster
bdi Possibly John Adams Whipple /span /a · Public domain

American senator and orator · 1782–1852 · Massachusetts

Daniel Webster was a Massachusetts senator and orator famous for defending the Union in debates with Robert Hayne and supporting the Compromise of 1850.

The kit

  • Rise — Daniel Webster opposed conscription during the War of 1812 and won 14 electoral votes as a Whig presidential candidate in 1836.
  • Achievements — Daniel Webster declared 'Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!' in his second reply to Robert Hayne during debates over protectionism.
  • Conflicts — Daniel Webster controversially supported the Compromise of 1850 in his Seventh of March speech, declaring himself 'an American' rather than a Massachusetts man.
  • Legacy — Daniel Webster described government as 'made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people,' later paraphrased by Abraham Lincoln.

Runs with

Massachusetts
represented as senator open card →
Secretary of State
served under three presidents, signed Webster-Ashburton Treaty open card →
Henry Clay
formed Great Triumvirate with Clay and Calhoun open card →
Compromise of 1850

The ladder · 15 clues

H

This man noted “your eyes and mine are never destined to see [the] miracle” of “peaceable secession” in a “plea for Harmony and Peace.” That speech, given on the seventh of March, controversially supported the Compromise of 1850, leading to this man’s resignation from the Senate.

H

Maryland. who was this Massachusetts senator perhaps best known for his 1843 treaty with Ashburton?

H

A speech by this man begins with an analogy in which a mariner is advised to take heed of his latitude after being tossed about in a storm.

H

His “Plea for Harmony and Peace” speech was defended by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.

H

This politician noted that the government was “made for the people” and “answerable to the people” in a debate with Robert Hayne.

H

During the War of 1812, this man called a proposed conscription law “despotism embraced in its worst form.” In 1836, he won 14 electoral votes as one of four Whig Party presidential candidates.

H

The Know-Nothing Party put this man’s name on the ballot in the 1852 election.

M

This man declared that “peaceable secession” was impossible and that he was not a “Northern man, but an American” in the Seventh of March speech.

M

In another case, this man noted “and yet there are those who love it” in defense of his alma mater in Dartmouth v.

M

This man tried to restrict Western land sales in his debates with a South Carolina Senator, Robert Hayne.

M

This man became the only person not to resign from John Tyler’s Cabinet, where as Secretary of State he signed a treaty settling Maine’s northern border.

M

This politician gained acclaim for his debate with Robert Hayne over protectionism, and this man successfully argued in Dartmouth College v.

E

This man declared “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!” in his second reply to Robert Hayne.

E

A member of the "Great Triumvirate" with Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun this nineteenth-century Senator from Massachusetts.

E

This man supported the Compromise of 1850 by describing himself “not a Massachusetts man” but “an American”, in his Seventh of March speech. name this senator who formed the Great Triumvirate with John Calhoun and Henry Clay.

10 more clues from the record
H

Ralph Waldo Emerson criticized this man’s “profound selfishness” after he voted for the Compromise of 1850.

H

This politician’s “Syracuse speech” defended the Fugitive Slave Law in the Compromise of 1850, earning him ire from Horace Mann.

H

This lawyer presented the argument that “a law cannot exceed the authority of the lawgiver” in a case involving the selling of D.C. lottery tickets in another state, Cohens v.

H

In one speech, this man identified himself as an American, not a "Northern man" or a "Massachusetts man." While serving as secretary of state, this man signed a treaty with Baron Ashburton that put an end to the Aroostook War.

H

This man was the first to serve as secretary of state for three different presidents, and unlike other Whigs, remained in the Cabinet after William Henry Harrison’s death.

H

This man helped represent two men who had sold National Lottery tickets that were prohibited in the state of Virginia during the Cohens case.

H

This man claimed New England was not guilty of an intent to dissolve the Union in a speech against James Monroe’s conscription plan.

H

This man pleaded “Let us make our generation one of the strongest and brightest links in the golden chain” in his Seventh of March Speech.

H

This man demanded “Let that spot be purified, or let it cease to be of New England” in a speech denouncing slavery given at Plymouth Rock.

H

Later paraphrased by Abraham Lincoln, this man described the U.S. government as "made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people," while debating Robert Hayne.

Watch out: Henry Clay, fellow member of the Great Triumvirate with Webster and Calhoun
#172 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Joseph McCarthy

Joseph McCarthy
United Press · Public domain

U.S. Senator · 1947–1957 · Wisconsin

Joseph McCarthy was a Wisconsin senator who led anti-Communist investigations during the 1950s Red Scare, claiming government infiltration by Communists.

The kit

  • Rise — Joseph McCarthy defeated Robert M. La Follette Jr. in a 1946 primary using the slogan "Congress needs a tail gunner."
  • Accusations — Joseph McCarthy claimed in a Wheeling, West Virginia speech to hold a list of 205 State Department members with questionable loyalties.
  • Conflicts — Joseph McCarthy was criticized by Margaret Chase Smith's Declaration of Conscience and Edward R. Murrow's See It Now broadcasts.
  • Downfall — Joseph McCarthy's career ended during Army-McCarthy hearings when Joseph Welch asked "Have you no sense of decency, sir?"

Runs with

Wisconsin
represented Wisconsin in Senate open card →
Senate
served as U.S. Senator 1947–1957 open card →
Bakumatsu Period
no connection stated in clues open card →
West Virginia
gave Lincoln Day speech in Wheeling open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

This man was opposed by “Snow White and the six dwarfs” and was nicknamed “Pepsi-Cola kid.” Millard Tydings investigated this man’s claims, which sparked Margaret Chase Smith’s “Declaration of Conscience” speech.

H

This man’s claims were investigated by the Tydings Committee, which denied them along party lines.

H

Margaret Chase’s Declaration of Conscience Speech criticized this man, whose speeches were broadcast on See it Now by Edward Murrow.

H

A famous Herblock cartoon shows a barrel with this man’s name on it resting on paint buckets, with the Republican elephant refusing to stand on it.

H

During one election, this man touted his war service with the slogan “Congress needs a tail gunner,” helping him defeat Robert M. LaFollette, Jr..

H

Joseph Welch attacked the “cruelty” of this man, who gave a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, where he claimed to hold a list of 205 names.

H

This man replaced Robert M. La Follette, Jr. in the Senate after a primary campaign in which he accused La Follette of war profiteering.

M

The Tydings Committee investigated this man’s claim, made in a Lincoln Day speech in Wheeling, that he held a list of 205 names of State Department members with questionable loyalties. name this Wisconsin senator known for hunting communists during the Red Scare.

M

This man and Roy Cohn caused the firings of many gay government employees in the Lavender Scare.

M

Edward R. Murrow said this man repeatedly crossed the line between investigation and persecution in an episode of See It Now.

M

This man used the slogan “Congress needs a tail-gunner” to unseat Robert LaFolette as his state’s senator.

M

The Tydings Committee formed to investigate claims by this man made to the Republican Women’s Club.

E

In a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, this man claimed to have a list of 205 names of workers in the State Department. name this Wisconsin senator who started a 1950s witch hunt for hidden Communists.

E

This man’s notoriety came to an end during a series of hearings on the Army, where Joseph Welch asked him “have you no sense of decency?” name this Wisconsin senator who fueled a 1950’s Red Scare.

E

During a set of hearings, Joseph Welch asked this man "Have you no sense of decency, sir?” name this US Senator from Wisconsin who led Communist witch hunts in the 1950s.

10 more clues from the record
H

The House of Un-American Activities Committee or HUAC was led by this Wisconsin Senator who claimed that Communists had infiltrated the U.S. government.

H

Answer the following about the Second Red Scare. :Name this senator who was asked by Joseph Welch if he “had any decency” in hearings between this senator and the army about Communist infiltrators.

H

This man defeated Howard McMurray in one election, allowing him to serve alongside Alexander Wiley.

H

Due to exaggerated claims about his military achievements, this man was sometimes sarcastically called “Tail-Gunner.” Karl Mundt served in a position usually held by this man in a trial against him.

H

In one speech commemorating a 141st birthday, this man said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the chips are down -- they are truly down.” This subject of a 2020 bestseller by Larry Tye was associated with a movement which William F. Buckley claimed “men of … stern morality can close ranks" behind.

H

When this man was caught in a lie about Secretary of Agriculture Clinton Anderson’s findings about sugar supplies, he noted that he “didn’t give a tinker’s damn” about what Anderson had really said.

H

This man won his first senate race over Robert La Follete Jr. He was challenged by Army counsel Joseph Welch during hearings where Roy Cohn assisted him.

H

The "Lavender Scare" occurred concurrently with an event spearheaded by this man, who often used homosexuality as a smear tactic in his campaigns.

H

This politician first gained notoriety when he advocated for lenient sentences for Waffen-SS troops involved in the Malmedy Massacre.

H

Edward R. Murrow ran an episode of See It Now that criticized this politician for his interrogation of Annie Lee Moss.

#173 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Barry Goldwater

Barry Goldwater
United States Senate · Public domain

Arizona senator and politician · 1909–1998; 1964 campaign · Arizona, United States

Barry Goldwater was an Arizona Republican senator who lost in a landslide to Lyndon Johnson in the 1964 presidential election.

The kit

  • Rise — Barry Goldwater wrote The Conscience of a Conservative in 1960, becoming a leading figure of modern conservatism.
  • Achievements — Barry Goldwater co-sponsored legislation with William Flynt Nichols that increased the power of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  • Conflicts — Barry Goldwater's 1964 campaign was attacked by the "Daisy" ad targeting his aggressive nuclear policy and foreign policy views.
  • Legacy — Barry Goldwater names an informal rule that psychiatrists will not speak about politicians' mental health without analyzing them in person.

Runs with

Arizona
represented Arizona in the U.S. Senate for five terms open card →
Lyndon B. Johnson
lost to Johnson in 1964, receiving only 52 electoral votes to Johnson's 486 open card →
Ronald Reagan
endorsed by Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" speech at the 1964 convention open card →
William
ran with William Miller as his vice presidential candidate in 1964 open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

A speech given in support of this politician advocated "peace through strength." This subject of Ronald Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" claimed that "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice" in his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination.

H

In response to the Packard Commission, this man worked with William Flynt Nichols to create a bill that increased the power of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

H

F. Clifton White led the movement to “draft” this politician, during which time this man led a committee at Suite 3505.

H

This politician said that “Every good Christian ought to kick” Jerry Falwell in support of Sandra Day O’Connor.

H

This man wrote The Conscience of a Conservative in 1960, becoming a leading figure of modern conservatism.

H

This politician was endorsed by the Suite 3505 Committee in an election in which he hammered Nelson Rockefeller’s infidelity to win his party’s nomination.

H

In The New Yorker interview, this politician said that he had asked his friend Curtis LeMay about UFOs at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

M

Nominee who alienated voters by noting “extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.”

M

This man's primary campaign against the "Eastern Establishment" was the subject of Phyllis Schlafly's book A Choice Not an Echo.

M

This man was endorsed at the convention by the “A Time for Choosing” speech, given by Ronald Reagan.

M

Lost to Lyndon Johnson in a landslide in 1964, he was the Republican and received only 52 electoral votes while Johnson took 486

M

This politician narrowly defeated Majority Leader Ernest McFarland for one senate seat.

E

The “Daisy” ad targeted this Arizona Republican who lost in a landslide to Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

E

This man’s opponent declared that “in your guts, you know” that this man’s “nuts,” and criticized this man’s nuclear policy with the “Daisy” ad. name this conservative Republican who lost in a landslide to Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1964 election.

E

Succeeded by John McCain after retiring, what five-time senator from Arizona lost in a landslide to Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1964 U.S. presidential election?

10 more clues from the record
H

Fact magazine was sued for libel by this politician after an article stated that over 1,000 psychiatrists deemed him “psychologically unfit.” Ronald Reagan gave his “A Time for Choosing” speech in support of this politician.

H

This politician names an informal rule that psychiatrists will not speak about politicians’ mental health without analyzing them in person.

H

This politician responded abrasively to Jerry Falwell in response to his opposition regarding the appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor.

H

This candidate was the first national politician supported by Young Americans for Freedom.

H

This man's problematic interest in UFO abductions led to a stern reprimand from former Air Force colleague Curtis Lemay. :Identify this senator whose career included co-sponsoring an act with Bill Nichols and opposing the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, who earlier lost an election with William Miller.

H

His vote against the Civil Rights Act and support of states’ rights allowed him to gain electoral votes in a region of the country that his party had previously done poorly in, despite being the target of the “Daisy Girl” ad.

H

Harry Byrd received fifteen electoral votes, and, while Strom Thurmond received most of his VP votes, this Arizona senator received a vote from Henry Irwin. He would gain more fame as the Republican candidate in 1964.

H

George Romney and his son Mitt walked out of the 1964 Republican National Convention due to it being too conservative on civil rights. The convention nominated this Arizona senator for President.

H

This man stated in Time magazine that “Every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass,” in support of Sandra Day O’Conner’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.

H

That nominee, who would go on to lose to Lyndon Johnson, was this Arizona conservative. His aggressive foreign policy views were mocked by the LBJ campaign's infamous "daisy spot."

Watch out: Confused with Nelson Rockefeller, whom Goldwater defeated for the 1964 Republican nomination
#174 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Davis
bdi Mathew Benjamin Brady /span /a · Public domain

Confederate president · 1808–1889 · Mississippi, Richmond

Jefferson Davis served as Secretary of War under Franklin Pierce before becoming the only president of the Confederate States of America.

The kit

  • Rise — Jefferson Davis was placed under house arrest for his role in the Eggnog Riot at West Point.
  • Achievements — Jefferson Davis promoted the Gadsden Purchase and created the experimental U.S. Camel Corps as Secretary of War.
  • Conflicts — Jefferson Davis appointed Robert E. Lee to command the Army of Northern Virginia as Confederate president.
  • Death & succession — Jefferson Davis had his citizenship restored by Jimmy Carter in 1978, nearly a century after his death.

Runs with

Secretary of War
Davis served as Secretary of War under Pierce open card →
Mississippi
Confederate States of America
Davis was the only president of the Confederacy open card →
Franklin Pierce
Davis served in Pierce's cabinet as Secretary of War open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

While a cadet at the United States Military Academy, this man was placed under house arrest for his role in Eggnog Riot.

H

Answer these questions about the presidency of Franklin Pierce, .Pierce’s Secretary of War was this Mississippian, who later served as President of the Confederacy.

H

This man was defeated by Henry S. Foote for the Mississippi governorship after returning from a foot wound at the Battle of Buena Vista.

H

After only seven months in office, this president was forced to shake-up his cabinet, firing Leroy Walker as Secretary of War and Robert Toombs as Secretary of State.

H

Gossip columnists reported on this man's appearance on a train with Virginia Clay, with whom he exchanged a three-year correspondence after being imprisoned with her husband, Clement, at Fort Monroe.

H

In 1855, this politician imported 33 camels and hired eight expert camel herders in order to create the experimental U.S. Camel Corps.

H

His vice president, Alexander Stephens, stated that this man’s government was founded “upon the great truth” of racial inequality.

M

This man, who served as Secretary of War under Franklin Pierce, assembled a group of advisers including Robert Toombs and Judah Benjamin in his highest post. name this man who resided in the Richmond White House as the Confederate president.

M

In contemporary political cartoons, this man was often depicted in a petticoat because of the rumor that he was captured while wearing his wife’s clothing.

M

As Secretary of War under Franklin Pierce, this man promoted the Gadsden Purchase of southern Arizona from Mexico.

M

Later, this man governed another country from Richmond. name this politician who served as president of the Confederacy.

M

With his wife, Varina, this person adopted the black orphan Jim Limber, who later ran away.

E

Command of the Army of Northern Virginia was given to Robert E. Lee by this only president of the Confederate States of America.

E

Alexander Stephens served as the only Vice President of this President of the Confederacy.

E

As Secretary of War, this person pushed for the use of camels in the American southwest (+) when horses and mules died of dehydration.

10 more clues from the record
H

This man was married to the daughter of Zachary Taylor, but she died after they both contracted malaria in 1835.

H

As Secretary of War, this man attempted to import camels for cavalry soldiers, an experiment which resulted in Douglas the Camel fighting for the 43rd Mississippi.

H

This Secretary of War under Franklin Pierce later appointed Judah Benjamin, James Seddon, and three others as his own Secretaries of War.

H

This man narrowly escaped a court martial for his role in smuggling whiskey into West Point in the Eggnog Riot.

H

On October 17, 1978, Jimmy Carter signed a bill restoring the citizenship of this man, who instated the U.S. Camel Corps.

H

The “Eggnog Riot” led to the confinement of this man, who was the subject of a myth claiming he was captured in women’s clothing.

H

During the Mexican-American War, while still a sitting U.S. Senator, this politician armed and outfitted the Mississippi Rifles.

H

In his early military career, this man was given the honor of escorting the captured chief Black Hawk.

H

This man and his aides were targeted in a failed assassination attempt by Ulric Dahlgren.

H

Answer the following about Wisconsin’s Fort Crawford, .This man met his first wife, Sarah Knox Taylor, while serving at Fort Crawford under Sarah’s father Zachary. As a Cabinet member, this man ordered the Pacific Railroad Surveys and appointed Henry Wayne as the first commander of the U.S. Camel Corps.

Watch out: Alexander Stephens was Davis's Vice President, not a rival president
#176 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

James G. Blaine

James G. Blaine
bdi Mathew Benjamin Brady /span /a /bdi / bdi Levin Corbin H · Public domain

Republican politician · 1830–1893 · Maine, Washington D.C.

James G. Blaine was a Republican leader whose 1884 presidential loss to Grover Cleveland followed corruption scandals and the Mulligan Letters.

The kit

  • Rise — James G. Blaine led the Half-Breed faction of the Republican Party and earned the nickname "Plumed Knight" from Robert Ingersoll's 1876 nomination speech.
  • Conflicts — James G. Blaine was implicated in railroad corruption when the Mulligan Letters revealed he accepted bribes from Union Pacific and Little Rock railroads.
  • Achievements — James G. Blaine served as Secretary of State under Garfield and Harrison, organizing the First International Conference of American States.
  • Legacy — James G. Blaine's namesake constitutional amendments sought to ban government funding of religious schools, particularly parochial institutions.

Runs with

Maine
represented Maine in Congress, mocked as 'continental liar from the state of Maine' open card →
Grover Cleveland
lost the 1884 presidential election to Cleveland open card →
Secretary of State
served twice as Secretary of State under Garfield and Harrison open card →
James
shared first name with President Garfield whom he served open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

The use of public funds by religious schools are banned by this man’s namesake amendments.

H

Cleveland defeated this Republican candidate, depicted in cartoons as a tattooed man before artists, in the 1884 presidential election.

H

This politician was accused of taking bribes from the Union Pacific Railroad in the Mulligan Letters.

H

This politician pushed a constitutional amendment that would have prohibited government funding for parochial schools.

H

answer these questions about an American politician.This two-time Secretary of State, a Half-Breed, was the namesake of a failed constitutional amendment that would have prevented state-level funding of religious schools.

H

One of this man’s nicknames was derived from Robert Ingersoll’s speech nominating him at the 1876 RNC.

H

As secretary of state, he organized the First International Conference of American States.

M

James Mulligan released letters between Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad bookkeeper Warren Fischer and this man, who led the Mugwump faction of his party.

M

This man was supported by Samuel Burchard, who gave a disastrous speech criticizing “rum, Romanism, and rebellion” and cost this man the presidential election.

M

This man was found to have accepted bribes in the Mulligan Letters.

M

This "Half-Breed" Republican Speaker's corruption in railroad charter deals led him to be called the "Continental liar from the state of Maine" in the 1884 presidential election.

M

Despite being targeted with the phrase “Ma Ma, Where’s My Pa” over his affair with Maria Halpin, Cleveland won the 1884 election against this Republican who was nicknamed the “continental liar from the state of Maine.”

E

This leader of the Half-Breeds was mocked as a “continental liar from the state of Maine” in 1884. name this Republican candidate who lost to Grover Cleveland.

E

This leader of the Half-Breed faction was eventually opposed by the more reform-minded Mugwumps, who refused to support him in the 1884 election against Grover Cleveland. name this Secretary of State under James Garfield and Benjamin Harrison, a Republican mocked as the “continental liar from the state of Maine.”

E

He was dubbed the Plumed Knight during his presidential run, in which the opposing party was accused of Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion.

10 more clues from the record
H

When writing to clerk James Mulligan, this man ended messages with the phrase “Burn this letter.” Robert Ingersoll referred to this man as the “Plumed Knight” when nominating him for president.

H

The book Twenty Years of Congress was written by this man, who created the First International Conference of American States as Benjamin Harrison’s Secretary of State.

H

As a congressman, this man was the primary force behind excluding Jefferson Davis from a post-Civil War amnesty bill.

H

In another cartoon, Whitelaw Reid whisks this man’s robe off to reveal a bib that reads “MAGNETIC PAD” in “Phryne Before the Chicago Tribunal.” He is shown about to push John Logan off the roof of the White House in another cartoon, and in the cartoon "At His Old Tricks Out West," this man conjures above mugs of ale while wearing three feathers on his head.

H

This man is represented by a large magnet breaking an elephant’s back in the cartoon “Too Heavy to Carry.” He also appears wearing star-covered boxer shorts in the bottom right of “The National Dime Museum,” across from a pig who is dealing cards.

H

This man names a constitutional amendment which prohibited the use of government funds for religious schools, and he was given a famous epithet by Robert Ingersoll. :Identify this Secretary of State and leader of the Half-Breed faction of the Republican Party.

H

In his highest post, this figure arbitrated a deal with Britain over seal fisheries in the Bering Sea, and also had to deal with the fallout from a group of sailors from the USS Baltimore getting into a brawl in Valparaiso.

H

A speech in praise of this politician described them tearing from the “throat of treason the tongue of slander,” and “snatching the tongue of democracy.” That speech gave this politician their most enduring nickname and was given by Robert Ingersoll.

H

The Mulligan Letters implicated him in corruption in awarding contracts to the Northern Pacific Railway, and he names a series of amendments that bans the use of federal money to religious schools.

H

This man served as Garfield’s secretary of state. He was later defeated in his own bid for the presidency in the election of 1884 by Grover Cleveland, and was fondly known as the “Continental Liar from the State of Maine.”

Watch out: Not the leader of the Mugwumps—that reform faction opposed him in 1884
#177 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Stephen Douglas

Stephen Douglas
Original Photo by Julian Vannerson. Edited by Kosobay. · CC BY-SA 4.0

Illinois Senator · 1813–1861 · Illinois

Stephen Douglas was an Illinois senator nicknamed 'The Little Giant' who drafted the Kansas-Nebraska Act and debated Abraham Lincoln in 1858.

The kit

  • Rise — Stephen Douglas won election to the U.S. Senate from Illinois and became known for his forceful political presence despite short stature.
  • Achievements — Stephen Douglas authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Franklin Pierce, establishing popular sovereignty for territories on the slavery question.
  • Conflicts — Stephen Douglas articulated the Freeport Doctrine during his 1858 debates with Lincoln, arguing territories could lawfully exclude slavery before statehood.
  • Legacy — Stephen Douglas ran as the Northern Democratic nominee in 1860 against Lincoln after Southern delegates walked out over his popular sovereignty stance.

Runs with

Kansas-Nebraska Act
drafted this act establishing popular sovereignty open card →
Illinois
served as U.S. Senator from this state open card →
Abraham Lincoln
debated him seven times in 1858 Senate race open card →
American Railway Union

The ladder · 15 clues

H

Northern Democratic candidate in the 1860 election, a longtime rival of Lincoln in Illinois politics.

H

This man, who once declared “I believe this government was made on the white basis,” argued that territories could choose to outlaw slavery in the Freeport Doctrine.

H

This man noted that the American government was “made by our fathers on the white basis” in a speech made in Galesburg.

H

This man put forth the “Freeport Doctrine” during one of his 1858 debates with Abraham Lincoln that successfully secured his third term in the Senate.

H

This man was nominated for President after the convention overruled Caleb Cushing’s decision that a nominee needed two-thirds of the vote.

H

This man was criticized in a political cartoon showing him pushing a black man down the throat of a reluctant abolitionist.

H

This man defended his idea of "Squatter Sovereignty" in a doctrine that would later alienate southern voters.

M

Given that he had both a short stature and a forceful political presence, this politician was nicknamed “The Little Giant.” While serving as senator, this man drafted the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

M

This "Little Giant" was the creator of the Freeport Doctrine in his namesake debates with Abraham Lincoln. This person beat Abraham Lincoln in an 1858 Senate election in their home state of Illinois.

M

This architect of the Kansas-Nebraska Act was a Senator from Illinois and the Northern Democratic nominee for president in 1860.

M

As of 1858, this man was considered the favorite for the 1860 presidential nomination. :What senator won re-election from Illinois, defeating Abraham Lincoln after a series of debates?

M

This man, who allowed the charter for a Mormon settlement in Nauvoo, was on the receiving end of the “A House Divided” speech.

E

With Franklin Pierce, this man co-wrote the Kansas-Nebraska Act. name this Illinois politician who engaged in numerous debates with Abraham Lincoln.

E

Politician he opposed for a Senate seat in 1858; they engaged in a series of crucial debates.

E

Herschel V. Johnson was this man’s running mate in the Election of 1860.

10 more clues from the record
H

This man reaffirmed his stance on popular sovereignty in the face of the Dred Scott decision in his Freeport Doctrine.

H

Illinois senator who debated Abraham Lincoln years before losing to him in 1860.

H

This man’s defense of slavery prompted voters to elect Lyman Trumbull to check his power.

H

William Yancey walked out of a party convention to oppose this man’s nomination.

H

Pushed the Kansas-Nebraska Act through Congress as a Senator from Illinois?

H

Democrat he debated seven times during an 1858 election

H

In one political cartoon, this man is being spanked by Columbia who calls him “a bad boy.” That cartoon was called “[This Man] Finding His Mother,” a reference to his claim that he was visiting his mother while going on a speaking tour throughout New England.

H

There can be no neutrals in this war; only patriots and traitors.” Earlier, this person stated “the people of a Territory can, by lawful means, exclude slavery from their limits prior to the formation of a State constitution”, which became known as the Freeport Doctrine.

H

He became the first Presidential candidate to make an extensive campaign tour on his own behalf, two years after winning re-election to the Senate despite the debating skills of his challenger.

H

This Northern Democrat opposed John C. Breckinridge for his party’s presidential nomination in 1860.Name this “Little Giant” from Illinois who defended popular sovereignty in his Freeport Doctrine.

Watch out: Not Eugene V. Debs, who led the American Railway Union decades later
#255 · US Vice Presidents, Cabinet Secretaries, and Executive Officials · Level 1

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin
bdi Joseph-Siffred Duplessis /span /a · Public domain

American Founding Father · 1706–1790 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father, inventor, publisher, and diplomat who served as first U.S. Postmaster General and ambassador to France.

The kit

  • Rise — Benjamin Franklin founded the New-England Courant under the pseudonym Silence Dogood and later published Poor Richard's Almanac as Richard Saunders.
  • Achievements — Benjamin Franklin established America's first library and fire department, founded the Junto intellectual society, and invented bifocals and a static electricity machine.
  • Conflicts — Benjamin Franklin created the Join or Die cartoon at the Albany Conference and leaked Thomas Hutchinson's letters, leading to a public attack by Wedderburn.
  • Legacy — Benjamin Franklin charted the Gulf Stream with Timothy Folger and famously flew a kite during a lightning storm to study electricity.

Runs with

Richard
published Poor Richard's Almanac under pseudonym Richard Saunders open card →
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania-based Founding Father and delegate open card →
Philadelphia
established first library and fire department in Philadelphia open card →
France
served as first U.S. ambassador to France wearing coonskin cap open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

This man’s son was implicated in the Asgill Affair six years after he was removed as the last loyalist Governor of New Jersey.

H

This man names a territory located in modern-day Tennessee that attempted to become the 14th state.

H

With his cousin Timothy Folger, this man charted and named the Gulf Stream.

H

This man founded an intellectual group known as either the Leather Apron Society or the Junto [jun-toh].

H

This man, who was the first to reprint a Masonic book in America, compiled thirteen virtues in his unfinished autobiography.

H

This thinker developed a phonetic alphabet that abandoned so-called “redundant letters” such as “c, j, q, w, x, and y.” Letters from Thomas Hutchinson about cracking down on Bostonians were deliberately leaked by this man.

H

In one work, this man project exponential population growth in Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, etc, which was cited by Malthus.

M

This man drafted the Plan of Union as a delegate to the Albany Conference, and drew the “Join or Die” political cartoon.

M

With Hugh Meredith, this man founded a publication that published a political cartoon created by this man showing a snake cut into eight parts above the words “Join, or Die.” This man established the first library in all of America and the first fire department in a city where he also established an Ivy League institution in 1765.

M

This man had a common-law marriage to Deborah Reed, who he did not see for the last ten years of her life as he was traveling in Europe.

M

This inventor of a high-voltage machine that generates static electricity also partnered with his cousin Timothy Folger to chart and name the Gulf Stream.

M

This politician was appointed the first United States Postmaster General by the Continental Congress. name this Pennsylvanian founding father who flew a kite during a lightning storm.

E

Join, or Die was created by this Pennsylvanian Founding Father and publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanac.

E

This man’s brother founded the New-England Courant, to which he contributed under the name Silence Dogood. name this Pennsylvania-based founding father and author of Poor Richard’s Almanac.

E

This man published Poor Richard’s Almanac in his native Philadelphia. name this Founding Father who may have flown a key attached to a kite during a lightning storm.

10 more clues from the record
H

This man called one of his works a “proper Vehicle for conveying Instruction among the common People;” that work was published under the name Saunders.

H

This man purchased a newspaper operation from Samuel Keimer and founded a debate club known as the Junto.

H

Jill Lepore wrote about this man’s sister Jane in Book of Ages.

H

This first Postmaster General wore a coonskin cap to enhance his image as a “rustic” while serving as the first ambassador to France.

H

Alexander Wedderburn attacked this man for an hour in front of the Privy Council for his role in illegally obtaining private letters during the Hutchinson Affair.

H

Father Abraham advises a group before an auction in his essay “The Way to Wealth.” As an apprentice, this author wrote many letters attributed to a middle-aged widow.

H

This man created one of the first fire departments in the United States. :Name this Founding Father, creator of bifocals and publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanac.

H

This man’s brother, James, published his work when this person used the name “Mrs. Silence Dogood.” This man described perfecting thirteen virtues in his posthumously published autobiography.

H

This man called for a 24-person elected group to provide education and job training and make moral inspections in A Plan for Improving the Condition of the Free Blacks.

H

A portrait of this man shows him wearing a billowing red cape in a storm as two cherubs stand behind him holding onto a red string.

Watch out: His son was the last loyalist Governor of New Jersey, not Franklin himself
#1515 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Huey Long

Huey Long
Uncredited news photographer. · Public domain

Louisiana populist politician · 1893–1935 · Louisiana

Huey Long was a Louisiana governor and U.S. senator nicknamed 'the Kingfish' who promoted his radical Share Our Wealth program.

The kit

  • Rise — Huey Long fought Standard Oil and Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph as Public Service Commission chairman, winning rate-increase refunds for consumers.
  • Achievements — Huey Long's Share Our Wealth plan advocated caps on income, inheritance, and net worth under the motto 'Every Man a King.'
  • Conflicts — Huey Long survived 19 impeachment charges after proposing an oil tax, facing opposition from the Dynamite Squad and Old Regulars.
  • Death & succession — Huey Long was assassinated by dentist Carl Weiss in 1935 after ousting Weiss's father-in-law Judge Benjamin Pavy from office.

Runs with

Louisiana
exercised near-dictatorial control as governor and senator open card →
White House
wrote My First Days in the White House outlining presidential plans open card →
Senate
left seat vacant one year to block successor open card →
Strategic Hamlet Program

The ladder · 15 clues

H

The sponsor of the Share Our Wealth plan, name this politician with the motto “Every Man a King,” a Louisiana swindler known as the Kingfish.

H

As Chairman of the Public Service Commission of his state, this man fought the Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph Company, and earlier, he had won fame by opposing the Standard Oil.

H

During his legal career, this man successfully prosecuted the Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph Company for unfair rate increases.

H

This man’s attempt to dislodge Judge Benjamin Pavy led Pavy’s son-in-law Carl Weiss to attack this man at the State capital.

H

This leader was the basis for Willie Stark in the novel All the King's Men.

H

This politician left his senate seat vacant for a year to prevent Paul Cyr from succeeding him in his previous office.

H

The “Dynamite Squad” led by Cecil Morgan, an ex-Standard Oil executive, attempted to impeach this man.

M

Using the catchphrase of his “Share Our Wealth Program,” this politician sang a song outlining his basic tenets named “Every Man a King.” name this A Southern populist governor of Louisiana.

M

This politician laid out his plans for a potential presidency in the book My First Days in the White House.

M

This man advocated caps on income, inheritance, and net worth in his "Share Our Wealth" plan as a U.S. senator, three years before his assassination by Carl Weiss. name this "Kingfish" who exercised near- dictatorial control over Louisiana from 1929 to 1935.

M

This author of My First Days in the White House ousted Benjamin Pavy from office, leading this governor to be assassinated by dentist Carl Weiss in 1935.

M

A radical populist, he was assassinated by Dr. Carl Weiss in 1935.

E

This creator of the "Share Our Wealth" program was shot by Carl Weiss. name this Louisiana governor nicknamed "the Kingfish," who was poised to run against FDR until his 1936 assassination.

E

Governor, nicknamed the “Kingfish,” who was assassinated in 1935.

E

Robert Penn Warren fictionalized this man’s political career with the character Willie Stark in All the King’s Men.

10 more clues from the record
H

An oil company founded by this politician and James Noe called Win or Lose made 800 million dollars off a 70-year lease.

H

As a member of his state’s Public Service Commission, this politician successfully sued the Cumberland Telephone Company for unfair rate increases.

H

His argument before the Supreme Court led to the issuance of 80,000 refund checks by Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph Company.

H

As he was dying, this man’s last words were allegedly, "I wonder what will happen to my poor university boys." The Regular Democratic Organization engaged in a feud with this man, who was also opposed by the Dynamite Squad.

H

In one speech, this man twice cited the Bible to illustrate how countries cannot survive in the long run and how debts should be remitted every seven years.

H

This politician secretly profited as a co-founder of the Win or Lose oil company, and largely was able to control the governor of his state, Oscar K. Allen.

H

This governor recruited prison labor to completely destroy the governor's mansion in order to build a replica of the White House in its place.

H

A speech by this man references a conversation between Plato and Socrates in which they compare the grinding of a mill to the fate of the rich and the poor.

H

This leader was impeached after proposing a five-cent per barrel oil tax and was opposed by the Old Regulars.

H

A brawl known as "Bloody Monday" took place after this figure was given 19 impeachment charges, including blasphemy.

Watch out: Willie Stark (fictional character based on Long in All the King's Men)
#1530 · US Congressional Figures · Level 3

William Henry Seward

William Henry Seward
ul li Unknown author Unknown author /span /li li Restoration · Public domain

U.S. Secretary of State · 1801–1872 · New York, Washington D.C.

William Henry Seward served as Lincoln's Secretary of State and purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867.

The kit

  • Rise — William Henry Seward succeeded William Marcy as Governor of New York and was previously a member of the Anti-Masonic party.
  • Achievements — William Henry Seward purchased Alaska for $7.2 million while serving as Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln.
  • Conflicts — William Henry Seward declared 'there is a higher law than the Constitution' in an 1850 speech opposing the Fugitive Slave Act.
  • Death & succession — William Henry Seward survived an attack by Lewis Powell on the same night John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre.

Runs with

Secretary of State
held this position under Lincoln open card →
Alaska
purchased this territory from Russia open card →
York
served as governor of this state open card →
William
shares this first name open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

This man succeeded William Marcy as Governor of New York, and this man was friends with political boss Thurlow Weed.

H

Late in life, this man adopted his traveling companion and memoir co-author Olive Risley as his daughter.

M

name these governors of New York.This first Whig governor later purchased Alaska while serving as Secretary of State.

M

This politician and Lord Lyons wrote a treaty that ended the transatlantic slave trade between the U.S. and the UK.

E

US Secretary of State who purchased Alaska for 7.2 million dollars.

E

In opposition to the Compromise of 1850, this man declared “There is a higher law than the Constitution.” This man was nearly killed by Lewis Powell on the same night that his president was assassinated in Ford’s Theatre. name Lincoln’s Secretary of State.

10 more clues from the record
H

During his tenure as Governor of New York, this man prosecuted Alexander McLeod for his involvement in the Caroline Affair.

H

This man survived an attack from Lewis Powell on the same night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

H

In 1850, this politician promoted the anti-slavery cause with a speech on the Senate floor appealing to “a higher law than the Constitution.” Lewis Powell stabbed this man on the same night that John Wilkes Booth killed the president.

H

Name some important Secretaries of State .This New York Senator was the frontrunner for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1860 but was beaten out by Lincoln. He served as Secretary of State instead and had a notable “folly” with his purchase of Alaska.

H

This Senator professed belief in a "higher law" than the Constitution in a speech denouncing the Fugitive Slave Act. As Governor of New York, he passed a law guaranteeing trials for fugitive slaves.

H

This man defeated William Marcy to become governor of his state, and was previously a member of the Anti-Masonic party.

H

This politician declared "there is a higher law than the Constitution" in opposition to the Compromise of 1850. This Cabinet member's work with foreign minister Eduard de Stoeckl allowed a foreign government to pay back a loan from the Rothschilds.

H

Charles Sumner heavily influenced the name of a land negotiated by this politician, whose work in the Senate included an attack on the Compromise of 1850, his “Higher Law” speech.

H

This politician fell for a hoax accusing Franklin Pierce of plotting against the United States, resulting in some of his powers being transferred to the War Department.

H

When the wheel of this man's carriage was damaged, he received assistance from Thurlow Weed, who also helped this man become governor of New York.

Watch out: Seward succeeded William Marcy as New York governor; he did not defeat Marcy in an election for the position.
#1551 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Warren G. Harding

Warren G. Harding
Harris & Ewing, photographer · Public domain

29th U.S. President · 1921–1923 · United States

Warren G. Harding was the 29th U.S. President who promised a 'return to normalcy' after World War I but died in office amid corruption scandals.

The kit

  • Rise — Warren G. Harding was nominated at the Blackstone Hotel in a 'smoke-filled room' before routing James Cox in the 1920 election.
  • Achievements — Warren G. Harding's Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes chaired the Washington Naval Conference, producing the Five-Power Naval Limitation Treaty.
  • Conflicts — Warren G. Harding appointed the corrupt 'Ohio Gang' including Attorney General Harry Daugherty, whose associate Jess Smith committed suicide after confrontation.
  • Death & succession — Warren G. Harding died in 1923 of a heart attack during his 'Voyage of Understanding' tour of Alaska and was succeeded by Calvin Coolidge.

Runs with

the Presidency
held office 1921–1923 as 29th president open card →
Teapot Dome Scandal
Interior Secretary Albert Fall leased Teapot Dome and Elk Hills oil fields corruptly during his administration open card →
Ohio
appointed the 'Ohio Gang' cronies including publisher background at Marion Star newspaper open card →
Calvin Coolidge
succeeded by Coolidge after sudden death in 1923 open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

During this man’s presidency, Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes chaired the Washington Naval Conference.

H

This man appointed the “Ohio Gang” to positions in his administration including Attorney General Harry Daugherty, who obstructed the investigation into the most notorious scandal of this man’s administration.

H

This president toured Alaska during the “Voyage of Understanding.” A case ruling that Congress has the power to compel witness testimony involved the brother of this president’s Attorney General, Harry Daugherty.

H

This President’s administration attempted to curb the arrival of communists by passing the Per Centum Act, which limited yearly immigration to 3% of a current ethnicity’s population.

H

During this man's presidency, a congressman waved a straw hat on the floor of the House to denounce the American Valuation Plan, part of the high Fordney-McCumber Tariff which this man signed.

H

This man facilitated the Washington Conference, leading to the Five-Power Naval Limitation Treaty, and this man notably promised a "return to normalcy" during one campaign.

H

This President berated Charles Forbes as a “double crossing bastard” for selling off Veterans Bureau medical supplies.

M

After this man was nominated at the Blackstone Hotel in a “smoke filled room,” he routed James Cox in the general election.

M

The Teapot Dome scandal retrospectively tarnished the Presidency of this Republican, whose sudden death in 1923 led to his replacement by Calvin Coolidge.

M

A large scandal in his administration involved Harry Sinclair and Edward Doheny, who got a lease to the Elk Hills oil field from Interior Secretary Albert Fall.

M

This president faced a scandal caused by Interior Secretary Albert Fall corruptly leasing oil fields in Wyoming and California.

M

Nan Britton claimed to have given birth to this man’s illegitimate daughter, one of several controversies surrounding this man that came to light after his death from “apoplexy,” or a massive heart attack.

E

The Teapot Dome Scandal took place during the administration of, this president who died in office of a heart attack and was succeeded by Calvin Coolidge.

E

In a speech at Boston’s Home Market Club, this man noted that the U.S. needs to “put an end to false economics which lure humanity to utter chaos” in a speech that opens by blaming a “fever [that] has rendered men irrational.” This man argued that “America’s present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but” the slogan of his presidential campaign, in which he beat Leonard Wood on the tenth ballot at the nominating convention and beat James Cox in the election. name this US president who promised a “Return to Normalcy” after World War I.

E

Secretary Albert Fall’s sale of Navy land in the Teapot Dome scandal tarnished the legacy of this US president who promised a “return to normalcy” in the election of 1920.

10 more clues from the record
H

This president appointed Harry Daugherty as Attorney General.

H

This president signed in the Fordney-McCumber Tariff and called for the Washington Naval Conference.

H

The Little Green House on K Street was a frequent meeting place for this president’s inner circle, known as the Ohio Gang.

H

In office, he fostered the Four Power Treaty at the Washington Naval Conference and had his Secretary of State sign a treaty with Aristide Briand in an attempt to outlaw war.

H

Jess Smith committed suicide after this President confronted him about his crimes; Smith was an unofficial aide to this man’s Attorney General, Harry Daugherty.

H

The phrase “smoke-filled room” described the meeting that selected this man, the former publisher of The Marion Star newspaper, for a presidential nomination.

H

Following Eugene Debs' run for president from prison, this man commuted his sentence along with other people imprisoned by the Sedition Act.

H

According to multiple witnesses, whiskey confiscated by a U.S. Attorney General was served at a White House dinner by this man's wife, Florence.

H

Gaston Means claimed this man's "strange death" resulted from poisoning, not a cerebral hemorrhage or cardiac arrest.

H

The “Little Green House on K Street” formed as the headquarters of this man’s advisors, including Gaston Means and Edwin Denby.

Watch out: Albert Fall was Interior Secretary, not Attorney General—Harry Daugherty held that position
#1650 · US Congressional Figures · Level 3

William Marcy Tweed

William Marcy Tweed
bdi Mathew Benjamin Brady /span /a · Public domain

Tammany Hall boss · mid-to-late 1800s · New York City

William Marcy Tweed was the corrupt boss of Tammany Hall who stole over $200 million before dying in jail.

The kit

  • Rise — William Marcy Tweed chaired the State Senate Finance Committee and bought votes from the corrupt Black Horse Cavalry to pass a municipal charter.
  • Corruption — William Marcy Tweed's downfall began when his puppet auditor James Watson died in a horse-sleigh accident and financial records were seized.
  • Exposure — William Marcy Tweed was mocked in Thomas Nast cartoons depicting him with a money bag for a head in Harper's Weekly.
  • Death — William Marcy Tweed escaped from Ludlow Street Jail and fled to Spain as a sailor before recapture and death in prison.

Runs with

Tammany Hall
Tweed served as boss of this political machine open card →
Thomas Nast
Nast drew mocking cartoons of Tweed in Harper's Weekly open card →
York
Tweed operated as Tammany boss in New York open card →
Spain
Tweed fled to Spain after escaping jail open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

As chairman of the State Senate's Finance Committee, this man bought the votes of the corrupt Black Horse Cavalry in order to pass a devolved municipal charter.

H

This man once fled to Spain and worked as a sailor after escaping from the Ludlow Street Jail.

M

This man stoked racial unrest as the foreman of the “Big Six”, a volunteer company working for Americus Fire.

M

Richard Connolly’s management of financial records helped protect this man, though he lost popularity after the Orange Riots broke out.

E

Thomas Nast drew many cartoons mocking this corpulent, corrupt “boss” of the Tammany Hall political machine.

E

Boss of Tammany Hall who was depicted with a money bag for a head in one cartoon.

10 more clues from the record
H

A sheriff turned against this man after the Orange riot broke out between Irish and Catholic Protestants.

H

After his arrest, this man offered to testify to the Board of Alderman in return for release but was rebuffed by Governor Samuel Tilden.

H

This man's downfall began when his puppet auditor, James Watson, died in a horse-sleigh accident.

H

Boss depicted as a portly man with a money bag for a head in Harper's Weekly.

H

This politician died in jail after stealing more than $200 million and once offered $500 thousand to get a Harper’s Weekly employee to leave him alone.

H

Future presidential candidate Samuel Tilden refused to let this political figure free from prison even after he testified to the Alderman Committee.

H

Tilden had come to prominence and won the Democratic nomination after crusading against what Tammany Hall boss in New York?

H

An informal group led by this man was embarrassed by articles printed using information obtained from Sheriff James O’Brien and bookkeeper James Watson.

H

This man’s downfall occurred when his dead bookkeeper’s financial records were seized by a sheriff and were forwarded to the New York Times.

H

This man led a campaign to boycott school textbooks produced by Harper’s to blackmail the company into firing one of its employees.

Watch out: Samuel Tilden refused Tweed's release offer, but clues do not specify Tilden's office at that time
#1686 · US Civil Rights Figures and Events · Level 3

Charles Sumner

Charles Sumner
Brady-Handy Photograph Collection · Public domain

Radical Republican senator · 1850s–1870s · Massachusetts

Charles Sumner was a Massachusetts senator nearly killed when Preston Brooks caned him after his 1856 "Crime Against Kansas" speech.

The kit

  • Rise — Charles Sumner began as a Conscience Whig before becoming a leading Radical Republican senator during Reconstruction.
  • Conflicts — Charles Sumner delivered a 112-page speech condemning the Kansas-Nebraska Act as a "swindle" using rape imagery and comparing Andrew Butler to Don Quixote.
  • Achievements — Charles Sumner chaired the Foreign Relations Committee and successfully opposed President Grant's proposal to annex Santo Domingo.
  • Legacy — Charles Sumner was condemned for an 1872 resolution calling for battle names not to be placed on regimental colors of the U.S. army.

Runs with

Kansas
denounced crimes against in famous speech open card →
Massachusetts
represented as senator open card →
Senate
caned on floor by Brooks open card →
Kansas-Nebraska Act
called it a swindle open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

In his most famous oration, this politician noted his rival had a “mistress, who though ugly to others, is lovely to him,” then compared that rival to Don Quixote.

H

In his eulogy for this man, Lucius Lamar stated “My countrymen!

M

Was caned after giving a speech denouncing "The Crime Against Kansas"?

M

As chair of the Foreign Relations committee, this man opposed the annexation of Santo Domingo.

E

Radical Republican senator who was caned on the floor of the Senate by Preston Brooks.

E

Know one another, and you will love one another.” In May 1856, this man delivered a 112-page speech that accused Andrew Butler of having an ugly mistress - the “harlot,” slavery. name this Massachusetts politician whose “Crime Against Kansas” speech earned him a vicious caning on the Senate floor by Preston Brooks.

10 more clues from the record
H

He was condemned for an 1872 resolution calling for the names of battles between U.S. citizens not to be placed on the regimental colors of the United States army, and he helped defeat President Grant’s proposal to annex Santo Domingo.

H

This Conscience Whig was a brother-in-law of the leader of the Cotton Whigs, Nathan Appleton. He was caned by Preston Brooks after giving the "Crime Against Kansas" speech.

H

Several days after the speech, Preston Brooks assaulted this senator with a cane. During Reconstruction, this man led the Radical Republicans in the Senate.

H

In one speech, this man condemned a senator for taking “a mistress...polluted in the sight of the world;” after that speech, Laurence Keitt brandished a pistol to prevent a brawl from breaking out.

H

This man was called “no better than a drunkard” by Laurence Keitt, who prevented his friend from challenging this man to a duel.

H

This man claimed that slaveholders were reliant on the “bludgeon, revolver, and the bowie-knife” after he was re-elected to the Senate.

H

Answer the following about congressman Laurence Keitt, FTSNOP:Keitt used a pistol to hold off senators who attempted to rescue this man, a Massachusetts senator beaten by Preston Brooks.

H

This Massachusetts senator was beaten with a cane by “Bully” Brooks after delivering the “Crime against Kansas” speech, in which this man spoke out against the Kansas-Nebraska Act using rape imagery.

H

This Republican called the Kansas-Nebraska Act “in every respect a swindle” in a speech that compared Andrew Butler to Don Quixote. He was nearly caned to death by Preston Brooks.

H

In one oration, this man argued that alleging "fanaticism" as a negative trait discredits brave historical figures such as Martin Luther and John Milton.

Watch out: Preston Brooks (the South Carolina congressman who caned him)
#1755 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

John McCain

John McCain
United States Congress · Public domain

U.S. Senator and presidential candidate · 1936–2018 · Arizona

John McCain was a Vietnam War POW, six-term Arizona senator, and 2008 Republican presidential nominee who lost to Barack Obama.

The kit

  • Rise — John McCain graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, was shot down during Operation Rolling Thunder, and endured torture at the Hanoi Hilton POW camp.
  • Achievements — John McCain co-sponsored the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act with Russ Feingold to restrict soft money in elections.
  • Conflicts — John McCain was the only Republican among the Keating Five accused of corruption and survived smears about his adopted Bangladeshi daughter.
  • Legacy — John McCain gave a dramatic thumbs-down vote against Affordable Care Act repeal shortly after returning from brain surgery in 2017.

Runs with

Arizona
represented Arizona in Senate for six terms starting 1987 open card →
Barack Obama
lost 2008 presidential election to Obama open card →
Senate
served as Armed Services Committee Chair from 2015 open card →
Panama Canal
born in Panama Canal Zone, confirmed natural-born citizen open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

This man and Russ Feingold co-sponsored the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.

H

This man, the only Republican member of the Keating Five, became Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2015.

H

During a brutal South Carolina primary, this man was accused of fathering a black child, a reference to his adopted daughter from Bangladesh.

H

This man escaped from the cockpit of an A-4E Skyhawk whose fuel tank was ignited during the deadly USS Forrestal fire.

H

Along with Russ Feingold, this senator sponsored the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 meant to restrict election contributions.

H

In 2000, this man co-sponsored a bill aimed at "soft money" that was later partially invalidated by the Citizens United case, along with Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold.

H

After being implicated as part of the Keating Five, this man fought for stricter campaign finance laws leading to an Act with Russ Feingold in 2002.

M

This senator gave an infamous thumbs down when voting against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

M

This man, who was permanently injured during a fire on board the USS Forrestal, sponsored a campaign finance reform act with Russ Feingold and entered the Senate by winning a seat vacated by Barry Goldwater. name this Vietnam War veteran and longtime Arizona congressman.

M

Push polls in South Carolina tanked this man’s 2000 presidential primary campaign, and his later Presidential run fell apart after choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate. name this runner-up in the 2008 Presidential Election, an Arizona senator who died in 2018.

M

This man was the only Republican to be part of the “Keating Five” group accused of political corruption.

M

David Foster Wallace’s reporting on this politician for Rolling Stone was published into a book titled for this man’s campaign bus.

E

Senator Paul Wellstone introduced an amendment to a 2002 Campaign Reform Act co- sponsored by Russ Feingold and what Arizona Republican?

E

The 2008 Republican candidateforU.S.presidentwas,fortenpoints this politician who died in 2018.

E

Barack Obama's opponent in 2008 this Republican senator from Arizona and Vietnam War hero.

10 more clues from the record
H

This man's plane was next to Fred White's when a Zuni rocket malfunctioned and slammed a Skyhawk plane, causing the 1967 USS Forrestal fire.

H

This man refused early release from a POW camp known as the “Hanoi Hilton” to deprive North Vietnam of a public relations opportunity.

H

An endorsement from Charlie Crist helped this man win his party’s Florida primary over Rudy Giuliani.

H

This man's father was commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, but this man was still imprisoned and tortured by the North Vietnamese.

H

This aviator graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was shot down during Operation Rolling Thunder.

H

This politician succeeded Barry Goldwater as senatorfrom Arizona in 1987.

H

This man rode the Straight Talk Express while meeting voters and was harmed by a smear tactic claiming his adopted Bangladeshi daughter was actually a child he fathered through an affair.

H

King’s Instagram depicts this senator on an Armed Services Committee trip to Saudi Arabia, as well as just before this senator’s vote against the “Skinny Repeal” during his return from brain surgery.

H

This politician investigated the myth that lots of unaccounted-for soldiers known by the acronym P·O·W/M·I·A were "left behind" in Vietnam. This longtime Arizona Senator lost the 2008 Presidential election.

H

A unanimous Senate resolution affirmed that people born in the Panama Canal Zone were natural-born American citizens, which was a relief to this Arizona senator and 2008 presidential candidate.

Watch out: Confused with Barry Goldwater, whose Arizona Senate seat McCain won in 1987
#1794 · US Congressional Figures · Level 1

Fiorello La Guardia

Fiorello La Guardia
New York Times Studios · Public domain

New York City mayor · 1930s–1940s · New York City

Fiorello La Guardia was a Republican mayor of New York City from 1933 to 1945 who broke Tammany Hall's control.

The kit

  • Rise — Fiorello La Guardia became mayor in 1933 after Italian defection from Tammany Hall following the Hofstadter Committee's downfall of Jimmy Walker.
  • Achievements — Fiorello La Guardia collaborated with Robert Moses on infrastructure projects including the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and upgraded the city during the New Deal.
  • Conflicts — Fiorello La Guardia targeted organized crime by dumping slot machines into the ocean, seizing artichoke supplies at Bronx Terminal Market, and appointing Thomas Dewey as prosecutor.
  • Legacy — Fiorello La Guardia read Sunday comics on his radio show during a newspaper strike and now names a major Queens airport opened in 1939.

Runs with

mayor
served three terms as mayor open card →
New York City
led New York City 1933–1945 open card →
York
led New York City 1933–1945 open card →
Tammany Hall
broke Tammany Hall's political control open card →

The ladder · 15 clues

H

This man ran the "Talk to the People" radio program, and while in Congress, this man sponsored a namesake act with George Norris to ban yellow-dog labor contracts.

H

This politician targeted Frank Costello by ordering the dumping of thousands of slot machines into the ocean.

H

This man challenged Henry Frank to a debate conducted in Yiddish after Frank accused this man of antisemitism.

H

When newspaper deliverymen in his city went on strike, this man read the Sunday Dick Tracy comics out loud on the radio show Talk to the People.

H

A namesake committee established by this man found that smoking marijuana "does not lead to addiction in the medical sense of the word".

H

This politician dubbed the Smedley Butler-alleged "Business Plot" a "Cocktail Putsch." This man's first act in office was to order the arrest of gangster "Lucky" Luciano, just before this man instituted a ban on the sale of artichokes.

H

This man, who led the talk show Talk to the People, worked with Thomas Dewey to “drive the bums out of town” and collaborated with Robert Moses to build such projects as the Brooklyn A Battery tunnel.

M

Politician who became mayor of New York in 1933 due to the defection of Italians from Tammany Hall.

M

This collaborator of Robert Moses curbed the strength of Tammany Hall and was the first Italian-American to serve as mayor of a major city.

M

This man appointed Thomas E. Dewey as a prosecutor to help “drive the bums out of town.” With the help of Robert Moses and Herbert Lehman, he upgraded the infrastructure of the city he led.

M

This man participated in a campaign where he avidly destroyed pinball machines with sledgehammers. :Name this Italian-American mayor who was dubbed “the Little Flower.” He co-sponsored an act with Senator George Norris which banned yellow-dog contracts.

M

This man took his highest office after the Hofstadter Committee brought about the downfall of Jimmy Walker.

E

A 1932 act this man co-signed with George Norris banned yellow-dog contracts. name this “Little Flower”, an Italian-American mayor of New York City during the New Deal who now names one of the city’s major airports.

E

A Queens airport is named for this New York City mayor during the 1930s and '40s.

E

O’Brien, breaking Tammany Hall’s control of the New York mayoralty.

10 more clues from the record
H

This politician used his weekly radio show, Talk to the People, to read the Sunday comics to listeners during a newspaper deliveryman’s strike.

H

This man defeated “Holy Joe” McKee’s Recovery Party in a three-way election as the head of the “Fusion” group.

H

At the Bronx Terminal Market, this man seized his city’s supply of artichokes to break mob control of their market.

H

An act co-sponsored by this New Yorker was first fully applied in New Negro Alliance v.

H

This Republican defeated John P.

H

Ambassador Thomas Page Nelson forced this man into an impromptu propaganda tour, where he often had to literally dash off after speeches to fly dangerous combat missions during World War I. Despite serving as the head of a UN relief agency, this man let his sister languish in a refugee camp for years after she was liberated from Ravensbruck concentration camp.

H

Big on charisma and energy, he was known as “The Little Flower” for his diminutive stature. :Name this former congressman and FDR supporter who helped to reinvigorate New York City during the Great Depression and WWII. A site originally named for Glenn H. Curtiss was renamed for this man in 1953.

H

This host of the “Talk to the People” radio program organized a mob to destroy Frank Costello’s slot machines, years after joining a Nebraska progressive to co-sponsor an act banning yellow-dog labor contracts.

H

After this politician called Hitler a “brown-shirted fanatic,” the Nazi press referred to him as a “Dirty Talmud Jew”; and during World War II, his sister Gemma was sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp.

H

Answer the following about the namesakes of airports around the world. :This former New York City mayor is the namesake of an airport which Joe Biden compared to a "third world country".

Watch out: Called a 'Dirty Talmud Jew' by Nazis despite being Italian-American; he debated in Yiddish to counter antisemitism accusations
#1818 · US Congressional Figures · Level 3

Robert La Follette

Robert La Follette
Harris & Ewing Collection · Public domain

Progressive politician · 1855–1925 · Wisconsin

Robert La Follette was a Wisconsin politician who championed Progressive reforms and ran as a third-party presidential candidate in 1924.

The kit

  • Rise — Robert La Follette led a campaign against Wisconsin's political machine after Senator Philetus Sawyer offered him a bribe to fix a court case.
  • Achievements — Robert La Follette established the "Wisconsin Idea" as governor, using university professors to write bills and creating workers' compensation and graduated income tax.
  • Conflicts — Robert La Follette opposed US entry into World War I and was nearly expelled from the Senate after being misquoted about Germany, prompting Roosevelt to call him a "Hun."
  • Legacy — Robert La Follette ran for president in 1924 on the Progressive Party ticket with Democrat Burton Wheeler, winning Wisconsin and 17% of the popular vote.

Runs with

Wisconsin
served as Wisconsin governor 1901–1906 and senator, carrying the state in 1924 open card →
Teapot Dome Scandal
deferred to Thomas Walsh to lead the Congressional Teapot Dome investigation open card →
Senate
Bull Moose Party
ran third-party Progressive campaign in 1924, distinct from Roosevelt's 1912 effort open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

One politician from this family worked with Andrew Furuseth to sponsor an act ensuring the rights of naval workers.

H

That bribe led this man to lead a campaign against his home state’s political machine.

M

Leading third party candidate in that election, a senator who carried his home state of Wisconsin.

M

In the Senate, he helped pass the Seamen’s Act of 1915 and opposed the Espionage Act. name this man, the Republican Governor of Wisconsin from 1901 to 1906 and the Progressive presidential candidate in 1924.

E

This one-time running mate of Burton Wheeler was succeeded in the Senate by a son of the same name, who was in turn succeeded by Joe McCarthy. name this advocate of the pro-labor union "Wisconsin idea," a 1924 third-party presidential candidate and leading Progressive nicknamed "Fightin' Bob".

E

Reformist governor of Wisconsin who ran as a Progressive in the Election of 1924.

10 more clues from the record
H

After losing a Congressional election, this man was offered a bribe to fix a court case by Senator Philetus Sawyer.

H

He established workers’ compensation and a graduated income tax as part of his state’s namesake “idea.” This Republican chose Democrat Burton Wheeler as his running mate for a third-party campaign that won his home state in 1924.

H

This husband of the suffragist Belle Case set himself aside in favor of Montana Democrat Thomas Walsh when it came time to pick a leader of the Congressional Teapot Dome investigation.

H

The civil rights advocate Belle Case married into this family, one of whose members lost a close Republican Senate primary to Joseph McCarthy.

H

This man led a filibuster against the Aldrich-Vreeland Act and exposed Philetus Sawyer’s attempt to bribe him to fix a court case.

H

Teddy Roosevelt called this politician a “Hun within our gates” and a “skunk who ought to be hanged” after he was misquoted as saying the US had “no grievances towards Germany.” This man worked with Charles von Hise to create a legislative reference library, and edited a namesake Weekly magazine with his wife Belle Case.

H

As state governor, he sent agents to read off the results of roll-call votes in the home districts of nay-voting legislators, and he formulated an "idea" named for his state, in which university professors played a large role in writing bills and filling regulatory positions.

H

name these men who ran as third-party Presidential candidates in the twentieth century.This Progressive Governor and Senator originated the “Wisconsin Idea” and was almost expelled from the Senate for his anti-war advocacy. He ran for President against Calvin Coolidge in 1924.

H

This man ran for US President in 1924 under his own Progressive Party, winning his home state. :Name this Wisconsin Congressman and Governor, who worked to establish political primaries and limit the power of railroad companies.

H

This Wisconsin senator and fiery opponent of trade unions, trusts, the League of Nations, and US involvement in foreign wars ran on the Progressive Party ticket in 1924, winning 17% of the popular vote.

Watch out: His son, also named Robert La Follette, succeeded him in the Senate and was later succeeded by Joseph McCarthy
#1833 · US Congressional Figures · Level 3

James Buchanan

James Buchanan
From Brady daguerreotype (Mathew Brady) (1822-1896) · Public domain

15th U.S. President · 1857–1861 · United States

James Buchanan was the only unmarried U.S. president, whose failure to prevent Southern secession preceded the Civil War.

The kit

  • Rise — James Buchanan defeated John C. Frémont, the Republican Party's first presidential candidate, in 1856.
  • Achievements — James Buchanan served five terms in Congress and was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Russia by Andrew Jackson.
  • Conflicts — James Buchanan accepted the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution in Kansas and the Dred Scott decision during his presidency.
  • Legacy — James Buchanan was investigated by the Covode Committee seeking grounds for impeachment over his controversial actions.

Runs with

Ostend Manifesto
drafted it with Pierce's request alongside Mason and Soulé open card →
John
Abraham Lincoln
his failure to prevent secession preceded Lincoln's Civil War presidency open card →
Brigham Young
attempted to remove him as Utah Governor in the Utah War open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

This man defeated the Republican Party’s first candidate, John C. Fremont, to win the presidency.

H

This man, who defended his actions in a series of letters in the National Intelligencer newspaper, was investigated by the Covode Committee that looked for ways to impeach him.

M

Franklin Pierce asked this man, along with John Mason and Pierre Soule, to draft the Ostend Manifesto.

M

For Dthe point, name this president who accepted the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution in Kansas and the Dred Scott decision during his presidency.

E

The Dred Scott case occurred during the term of this president who was the only president in history who never married.

E

The failure to prevent the Civil War is a common criticism of this 15th President of the United States.

10 more clues from the record
H

After serving five terms in Congress, this man was selected by Andrew Jackson to be US Ambassador to Russia.

H

This figure led the Amalgamators political faction, which was opposed by his friend and rival George M. Dallas.

H

His attempts to replace Brigham Young as Governor of the Utah Territory became known as his namesake Blunder.

H

This president attended the trial and shook the hand of congressman Daniel Sickles, who was tried with killing Francis Scott Key's great-nephew for having an affair with his wife.

H

Contemporaries like Postmaster General Aaron V. Brown implied that this man and William R. King were in a same-sex relationship, as they spent a decade as roommates.

H

This man was originally nominated to fill a seat vacated by Henry Baldwin; on denying that nomination, that seat was filled by Robert Cooper Grier.

H

This man’s Secretary of War, John Floyd, was accused of moving hundreds of thousands of rifles to different armories in the United States.

H

This politician tried to remove Brigham Young as Governor of Utah, resulting in a confrontation between the army and Mormon settlers.

H

This man’s Secretary of State, Lewis Cass, resigned due to this man’s perceived failure to protect Southern interests.

H

This man sent the army to confront the Mormons in the Utah War, and the Mountain Meadows massacre occurred during his administration.

Watch out: Confused with Franklin Pierce, who also served immediately before Lincoln and dealt with Kansas tensions