Learn about Old Tippecanoe's marches against Native Americans and brief term as president of the United States
Learn about Old Tippecanoe's marches against Native Americans and brief term as president of the United States
An overview of William Henry Harrison.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
William Henry Harrison became the 9th president of the United States in 1841 – and the first to die in office only one month later. With such a short presidency, Harrison made more contributions on battlefields before taking office than he could in the White House.
William Henry Harrison was born near Richmond, Virginia, in 1773. His father, Benjamin, had an active role in revolutionary Virginia and became governor when William was 8. Ten years later Benjamin died, leaving most of his estate to his eldest sons. With little inheritance, William decided on a career in the military. His first post was in Cincinnati, which was then a small settlement in the Northwest Territory.
Harrison spent six years in the army, participating in campaigns against the Native Americans. He resigned in 1797, settling on a farm near Cincinnati with his wife and ten children. The following year, President John Adams appointed Harrison secretary of the Northwest Territory.
In 1800 the Northwest Territory was divided and Harrison became governor of Indiana Territory. He made several treaties with Indian tribes, stripping them of millions of acres of land in the region that is now Indiana and Illinois. Tecumseh, a chief of the Shawnee people, objected to these deals and demanded that land be returned to the Indians. In 1811 Harrison returned to military service, defeating forces led by Tecumseh’s brother at the Battle of Tippecanoe. This battle earned Harrison national fame, as well as a lifelong nickname – “Old Tippecanoe.” Two years later, Harrison added to his military accomplishments by defeating the British in the Battle of the Thames in Canada.
Harrison returned to Ohio and held several political offices from 1816 to 1828. He ran for president in 1836 but lost to Martin Van Buren. Four years later, at age 67, he won the presidential nomination of the Whig party, with John Tyler as his running mate. Opponents attacked him for his age, saying he should retire to a log cabin with hard cider. The Whigs turned around the criticism, using log cabins and jugs of hard cider as campaign symbols. Harrison became the first “packaged” presidential candidate, depicted as a common man from the backwoods. The Whigs also capitalized on his military fame with the slogan, “Tippecanoe and Tyler too.”
Harrison won the 1840 election decisively. He took the oath of office as president on March 4, 1841, and was bombarded with office seekers and other executive pressures. Harrison became gravely ill and died on April 4, exactly one month after taking office.
William Henry Harrison was born near Richmond, Virginia, in 1773. His father, Benjamin, had an active role in revolutionary Virginia and became governor when William was 8. Ten years later Benjamin died, leaving most of his estate to his eldest sons. With little inheritance, William decided on a career in the military. His first post was in Cincinnati, which was then a small settlement in the Northwest Territory.
Harrison spent six years in the army, participating in campaigns against the Native Americans. He resigned in 1797, settling on a farm near Cincinnati with his wife and ten children. The following year, President John Adams appointed Harrison secretary of the Northwest Territory.
In 1800 the Northwest Territory was divided and Harrison became governor of Indiana Territory. He made several treaties with Indian tribes, stripping them of millions of acres of land in the region that is now Indiana and Illinois. Tecumseh, a chief of the Shawnee people, objected to these deals and demanded that land be returned to the Indians. In 1811 Harrison returned to military service, defeating forces led by Tecumseh’s brother at the Battle of Tippecanoe. This battle earned Harrison national fame, as well as a lifelong nickname – “Old Tippecanoe.” Two years later, Harrison added to his military accomplishments by defeating the British in the Battle of the Thames in Canada.
Harrison returned to Ohio and held several political offices from 1816 to 1828. He ran for president in 1836 but lost to Martin Van Buren. Four years later, at age 67, he won the presidential nomination of the Whig party, with John Tyler as his running mate. Opponents attacked him for his age, saying he should retire to a log cabin with hard cider. The Whigs turned around the criticism, using log cabins and jugs of hard cider as campaign symbols. Harrison became the first “packaged” presidential candidate, depicted as a common man from the backwoods. The Whigs also capitalized on his military fame with the slogan, “Tippecanoe and Tyler too.”
Harrison won the 1840 election decisively. He took the oath of office as president on March 4, 1841, and was bombarded with office seekers and other executive pressures. Harrison became gravely ill and died on April 4, exactly one month after taking office.