Excerpt
Introduction
Franklin Pierce grew up in a world that looked very different from today. There were no cars, no televisions, and no phones. People traveled by horseback or wagon, and news took days, sometimes weeks, to spread. He was born in a small town in New Hampshire in 1804, surrounded by the forests and hills of New England. His father, Benjamin Pierce, was a soldier who had fought in the American Revolution. Later, he became the governor of New Hampshire. That meant Franklin grew up in a house where politics and leadership were part of everyday life.
As a boy, Franklin wasn’t exactly the most serious student. He liked to have fun, and sometimes, that got in the way of his schoolwork. One story says he was near the bottom of his class at one point. But that didn’t last forever. Something changed. Maybe it was encouragement from his parents, or maybe he realized he wanted to do something important with his life. Either way, Franklin started working harder, and by the time he finished school, he had turned things around. He ended up going to Bowdoin College in Maine, where he studied law and history. That’s where he met Nathaniel Hawthorne, who later became a famous author. The two remained friends for the rest of their lives.
After college, Franklin decided to become a lawyer. He liked talking to people and debating important issues, which made law a good fit for him. But there was something else he enjoyed even more—politics. In the 1800s, politics wasn’t just something people read about in newspapers. It was a big event. People gathered in town squares to hear speeches, and political debates were full of energy. Franklin was drawn to that world. He started out in the New Hampshire state legislature, then worked his way up to the U.S. Congress. By the time he was in his early 30s, he was one of the youngest people serving in the U.S. Senate.
Despite his success, Franklin wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to be in the spotlight all the time. He was friendly and liked making connections, but he wasn’t loud or over-the-top. His way of winning people over wasn’t by giving fiery speeches but by quietly earning their trust. That skill helped him in politics, but it also meant some people underestimated him.
Then came the war. The United States was fighting Mexico, and Franklin decided to join the army. He wasn’t a professional soldier, but he was given the rank of brigadier general and led troops into battle. The experience wasn’t easy for him. At one point, he was badly injured when his horse fell on him. Despite the injury, he continued leading his men. Some thought he wasn’t the strongest military leader, but others respected that he didn’t back down when things got tough.
After the war, Franklin returned home and focused on his family. He had married a woman named Jane, and they had three children. Life should have been good, but tragedy struck again and again. Their first son died as a baby. Their second son also passed away at a young age. Then, just weeks before Franklin became president, their third and only surviving child died in a terrible accident. The loss devastated both Franklin and Jane.
When Franklin Pierce was nominated to run for president, many Americans didn’t know much about him. He hadn’t been in the national spotlight for years. Some people even called him a "dark horse" candidate—someone who wasn’t expected to win but did anyway. His opponents didn’t take him seriously at first. But once again, Franklin’s ability to connect with people helped him. He traveled across the country, shaking hands and meeting voters. His friends and supporters worked hard to promote him, and in the end, he won the election by a huge margin.
Becoming president was supposed to be an exciting time, but for Franklin, it started under a shadow. He and Jane were still grieving their son, and Jane hated the idea of living in the White House. She rarely appeared in public and spent much of her time in the White House’s private rooms. Franklin, meanwhile, had to face one of the most difficult times in U.S. history. The country was deeply divided over slavery. Some people believed it should be allowed in new states and territories, while others thought it should be banned. Franklin wanted to keep the country together, but his choices didn’t always make people happy. In fact, some of his decisions made things worse.
Franklin Pierce grew up in a world that looked very different from today. There were no cars, no televisions, and no phones. People traveled by horseback or wagon, and news took days, sometimes weeks, to spread. He was born in a small town in New Hampshire in 1804, surrounded by the forests and hills of New England. His father, Benjamin Pierce, was a soldier who had fought in the American Revolution. Later, he became the governor of New Hampshire. That meant Franklin grew up in a house where politics and leadership were part of everyday life.
As a boy, Franklin wasn’t exactly the most serious student. He liked to have fun, and sometimes, that got in the way of his schoolwork. One story says he was near the bottom of his class at one point. But that didn’t last forever. Something changed. Maybe it was encouragement from his parents, or maybe he realized he wanted to do something important with his life. Either way, Franklin started working harder, and by the time he finished school, he had turned things around. He ended up going to Bowdoin College in Maine, where he studied law and history. That’s where he met Nathaniel Hawthorne, who later became a famous author. The two remained friends for the rest of their lives.
After college, Franklin decided to become a lawyer. He liked talking to people and debating important issues, which made law a good fit for him. But there was something else he enjoyed even more—politics. In the 1800s, politics wasn’t just something people read about in newspapers. It was a big event. People gathered in town squares to hear speeches, and political debates were full of energy. Franklin was drawn to that world. He started out in the New Hampshire state legislature, then worked his way up to the U.S. Congress. By the time he was in his early 30s, he was one of the youngest people serving in the U.S. Senate.
Despite his success, Franklin wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to be in the spotlight all the time. He was friendly and liked making connections, but he wasn’t loud or over-the-top. His way of winning people over wasn’t by giving fiery speeches but by quietly earning their trust. That skill helped him in politics, but it also meant some people underestimated him.
Then came the war. The United States was fighting Mexico, and Franklin decided to join the army. He wasn’t a professional soldier, but he was given the rank of brigadier general and led troops into battle. The experience wasn’t easy for him. At one point, he was badly injured when his horse fell on him. Despite the injury, he continued leading his men. Some thought he wasn’t the strongest military leader, but others respected that he didn’t back down when things got tough.
After the war, Franklin returned home and focused on his family. He had married a woman named Jane, and they had three children. Life should have been good, but tragedy struck again and again. Their first son died as a baby. Their second son also passed away at a young age. Then, just weeks before Franklin became president, their third and only surviving child died in a terrible accident. The loss devastated both Franklin and Jane.
When Franklin Pierce was nominated to run for president, many Americans didn’t know much about him. He hadn’t been in the national spotlight for years. Some people even called him a "dark horse" candidate—someone who wasn’t expected to win but did anyway. His opponents didn’t take him seriously at first. But once again, Franklin’s ability to connect with people helped him. He traveled across the country, shaking hands and meeting voters. His friends and supporters worked hard to promote him, and in the end, he won the election by a huge margin.
Becoming president was supposed to be an exciting time, but for Franklin, it started under a shadow. He and Jane were still grieving their son, and Jane hated the idea of living in the White House. She rarely appeared in public and spent much of her time in the White House’s private rooms. Franklin, meanwhile, had to face one of the most difficult times in U.S. history. The country was deeply divided over slavery. Some people believed it should be allowed in new states and territories, while others thought it should be banned. Franklin wanted to keep the country together, but his choices didn’t always make people happy. In fact, some of his decisions made things worse.