William Henry Harrison Info, updated 5/3/98
February 9, 1773 - April 4, 1841
William Henry Harrison was the perfect microcosm for his era, for his Whig views and his active role in politics and war reflected the change in attitude of the times. As new technological, organizational, and political innovations formed, America’s personality was again beginning to change. Whigs were quickly charging toward the forefront of the political mindset of the times. Democrats had dominated the high-ranking jobs before, but with this new party, the Whigs, had started to gain support in Congress. Even though they didn’t last very long, their ideas helped to create the Republican party. This shift in politics, economics, and society were the real important addition that the Whigs gave to history. Harrison’s life is important to study because he’s a great example of someone right in the middle of the dramatic changes taking place during this time period, and the effect they had on him. This was an important time in America’s history, and what Harrison stood for was a large part of it.
Harrison had a lot happen to him in his life. He grew up in Virginia with a father who had signed the Declaration of Independence. He studied classics and history at Hampden-Sydney College, then studied to become a doctor at Richmond. Then he joined the army, and went Northwest with them, where he spent a good part of his life. After serving as an aide to General "Mad Anthony" Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, he became Secretary of the Northwest Territory, was it’s first delegate to Congress, and then became Governor of Indiana, where his main goal was to take the Indians land for settlers. By this time, around 1811, the Indian threat to settlers was serious. Tecumseh, and his brother, the Prophet, rallied the Shawnee against the settlers. Harrison led a small army into the Prophet’s town. One night, the Indians attacked the camping soldiers. The Americans won, but suffered many losses. The battle was later known as the Battle of Tippecanoe, and Harrison’s nickname from then on was, "Old Tippecanoe," for he had fooled the approaching Indians in battle into thinking that he was on a different horse, and the Indian’s goal was to kill him, and slaughter the remaining soldiers later, but they couldn’t kill him. Harrison won more military merits in the War of 1812, where during the Battle of Thames, he killed Tecumseh. After the war was over, he moved on again, this time running for president of the United States for the Whig party. After winning through the "Log Cabin Campaign", he gave the longest inaugural address in American history (1 hour, 45 min.). He made history again by being the first president to die in office, as well as the shortest stay in office : 31 days. He was also the oldest president to be inaugurated at age 68.
--Dan Croak, student at
Noble and Greenough School
--history teacher: Don Allard
--sources: "America’s History" vol. 1 to
1877 ; "World Book" Encyclopedia, volume "H"
; "Compton’s" Electronic Encyclopedia, 1996
version ; "Encarta" Electronic Encyclopedia, 1997
version ; "Grolier’s" Electronic Encyclopedia,
1995 version
Sites on Harrison, Biographies :
Sites on the Whig Party :
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