Over the years of its history, the United States of America has gone from a British colony to a powerful sovereign state claiming world leadership. It was a complex historical process, at certain stages of which one or another political figure clearly emerged, leaving a noticeable mark on the formation of the state. One of them was Jefferson Davis, whose brief biography is given in this article.
Young offspring of a slave family
Jefferson Finis Davis was born June 3, 1808 in Kentucky. He was the fifth child in the family of a local farmer, and received his name in honor of the creator of the text of the Declaration of Independence - Thomas Jefferson, whose passionate admirer was his father. The childhood of the future president of the Confederate States of America was spent among cotton plantations, on which hundreds of slaves belonging to his father worked, so it is not surprising that the slave spirit became an integral part ofpart of his nature.
Coming from a we althy family, Jefferson Davis was educated at the prestigious Transylvanian University, after which, at the request of one of the congressmen from his state, he was enrolled in the West Point Military Academy, which he barely managed to graduate in 1828, so how he was a notorious violator of discipline and an impenetrable lazy person.
Short-term happiness
The next seven years of his officer career, though with difficulty, but moved up, when suddenly, unexpectedly for everyone, Jefferson resigned. The reason turned out to be quite romantic - the service prevented him from marrying the daughter of a regimental commander, Sarah Taylor, with whom he fell in love without a memory - the future father-in-law did not want his daughter to face the disorder of army life.
When he retired, he achieved what he wanted, but fate was pleased to give the young only three months of happiness, after which Sarah died unexpectedly, having contracted malaria. Heartbroken, Jefferson Davis spent several years in complete seclusion, not wanting to see even the closest people. But time took its toll, and little by little he returned to life, unexpectedly for everyone, seriously engaging in politics.
The beginning of a political path and a new family
In this field, he showed much more diligence than in the walls of the military academy, and soon became a prominent figure among the activists of the Mississippi Democratic Party. His career progressed so well that in the next presidential election in 1844, Davis was already in the electoral college.
Then he met his future wife Varina Howel, who came from a we althy and respectable family. Despite the age difference - the bride was eighteen years younger than him, their marriage turned out to be long and happy. The couple had six children, but three of them were not destined to live to adulthood.
Mexican War and continued career
In 1846, a local conflict between Mexico and the United States escalated into a war, and Davis considered it his duty to join the Mississippi State Regiment. There he served under the command of his former father-in-law, General Taylor, the father of his first wife. Being by nature a brave and resolute man, Jefferson distinguished himself more than once in military operations, covering himself with special glory in the battle of Buena Vista and the siege of Monterrey.
When one of the congressmen from Mississippi died in 1847, the governor, considering the great merits of Davis, offered him to fill the vacant seat. By accepting this offer and becoming a senator, Jefferson established himself as a serious political figure. He spent four years as a member of Congress, after which he resigned to run for governor of Mississippi, but failed, and temporarily retired.
Heading an unrecognized state
His political career continued after the next President of America, Franklin Pierce, appointed him Secretary of War. In this new capacity, Jefferson Davis made great efforts to create a transcontinentalrailway line, which he considered essential to maintain the country's defense capability. He also contributed to the widespread modernization of the army's weapons.
By 1861, relations between the South and the North of the United States became extremely tense due to issues related to slavery. As a result, thirteen slave states seceded from the United States. The union they formed was called the Confederate States of America, and Jefferson Davis was soon elected president. It should be noted that the state created in this way was not recognized by any of the countries.
Career sunset
After the outbreak of hostilities, which took on the character of a civil war, Jefferson Davis, whose photo is presented in this material, seized full power, both civil and military, trusting government posts only to his close friends.
This caused a wave of discontent in the Confederation, especially intensified after a number of obvious miscalculations made by him and his cabinet. At the same time, the military superiority of the North became more and more noticeable every day, since much greater human and industrial resources were concentrated there. The situation was becoming critical.
Prisoner of Fort Monroe
Events became particularly acute after the assassination attempt on April 14, 1865, killed US President Abraham Lincoln. From the first days, his successor Andrew Johnson openly accused him of committingthe crime of Jefferson Davis, and placed a large reward on his head.
The war ended with the victory of the northerners, and on May 10 of the same year, Jefferson Davis was arrested. Yesterday's crowd idol and successful political leader was placed in the casemate of Fort Monroe, where he was kept chained by the leg to the wall for a long time. There he spent more than two years awaiting trial, which never took place. In 1867, the prisoner was released on bail, and then amnestied by the next president of America, Andrew Johnson, who came to power.
Last years of life
Jefferson Davis, whose biography is an example of an extraordinary career rise and subsequent fall, after his release from prison, could no longer return to politics. Once he tried to run again for the Senate elections, but was refused on the grounds that, according to the US Constitution, a person who once violated the oath - and this is how his participation in the war on the side of the North was regarded, has no right to hold public office.
Using previous connections and experience gained during his years in office, Davis spent several years in financial activities, being the president of a large insurance company in Memphis. In his free time, he wrote memoirs. The post-war period, which went down in history as the "reconstruction of the South", includes a number of statements that Jefferson Davis made in private conversations. He spoke of slavery, abolished as a result of the victory of the northerners, as the only possible formsojourn of blacks in America. He categorically did not allow the possibility of granting them equal rights with the white population of the country.
He died December 6, 1889 from pneumonia, received while visiting his plantations in New Orleans, and was buried there in the tomb of the Northern Virginia Army.
