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James Knox Polk was America's eleventh President. He was born in North Carolina, in 1795. He was the eldest of ten children. His father traded in slaves and was a farmer. Studious and industrious, Polk graduated with honors in 1818 from the University of North Carolina. As a young lawyer he entered politics, served in the Tennessee legislature, and became a friend of Andrew Jackson.
詹姆斯·諾克斯·波爾克是美國第11任總統(tǒng)。1795年，波爾克出生在北卡羅來納州。他是家里十個孩子的老大。他的父親是個種植園主，曾參加過奴隸貿(mào)易。波爾克學(xué)習(xí)很勤奮用功，1818年，他以優(yōu)異的成績從北卡羅來納大學(xué)畢業(yè)。后來，他又以年輕律師的身份進入美國政壇，服務(wù)于田納西州立法機關(guān)，并與安德魯·杰克遜結(jié)為朋友。
In the House of Representatives, Polk was a chief lieutenant of Jackson in his Bank war. He served as Speaker between 1835 and 1839, leaving to become Governor of Tennessee. Polk became the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 1844 after arguing for the annexation of Texas and Oregon. He won the 1844 presidential election to become the first "dark horse" president.
波爾克曾在美國眾議院擔(dān)任杰克遜的首席中尉，參與抵制銀行活動。1835年至1839年，他擔(dān)任眾議院議長。1839年任田納西州州長。1844年，波爾克主張美國合并得克薩斯及俄勒岡，后被民主黨提名為美國副總統(tǒng)。他在1844年美國總統(tǒng)大選中勝出，成為美國第一個“黑馬”總統(tǒng)。
As President, Polk threatened war with Britain over annexing Oregon. A treaty was signed in 1846 after the British settled for land north of the 49th parallel, which today is the Canada border. Polk fought a war with Mexico between 1846 and 1848. American forces won repeated victories and gained New Mexico and California for the USA. Polk also tried to buy Cuba from Spain in 1848 but was unsuccessful.
身為美國總統(tǒng)的波爾克，曾就美國合并俄勒岡一事威脅英國，說要與英國開火。1846年，英國人在北緯49度以北的地方（如今這里是加拿大邊境）定居，并與美國簽訂協(xié)議。1846年至1848年，波爾克和墨西哥開戰(zhàn)。美國軍隊再次獲得勝利，奪得了新墨西哥州和加利福尼亞州。1848年，波爾克還試圖從西班牙手中購買古巴，但并未成功。
Polk left office due to bad health in 1849. He had promised to serve only one term. He oversaw the opening of the Smithsonian Institute and the U.S. Naval Academy, and the groundbreaking for the Washington Monument. The first U.S. postage stamps were also issued during his presidency. Historians call him America's "least known consequential president". He died of cholera on June 15, 1849.
1849年，波爾克由于身體不適，卸任了美國總統(tǒng)的職務(wù)。波爾克承諾過只擔(dān)任一屆美國總統(tǒng)。他曾親臨美國史密森研究院和美國海軍學(xué)院的開幕式，及華盛頓紀念碑的開工典禮。在他任職美國總統(tǒng)的期間，還發(fā)行了第一套美國郵票。歷史學(xué)家稱他為“功成身退的美國總統(tǒng)”。1849年6月15日，波爾克得霍亂逝世。
譯文屬可可英語原創(chuàng)，未經(jīng)允許，不得轉(zhuǎn)載。
