扎卡里·泰勒(Zachary Taylor)是美國第十二任總統(tǒng)。泰勒1784年出生在弗吉尼亞州,之后由于舉家搬遷來到了肯塔基,在父親的種植園中長大。隨著泰勒家族的日益繁榮,他們搬進(jìn)了磚房,在此之前,泰勒和七個兄弟姐妹住在一起住的是小木屋。泰勒只接受過基礎(chǔ)教育,由于肯塔基邊境沒有學(xué)校。
Taylor joined the U.S. Army in 1808. He was promoted to captain in 1810 and in 1812, he successfully defended Indiana's Fort Harrison from attack by Native Americans. He spent the next three decades winning major military victories, including the Battle of Buena Vista in 1847 during the Mexican-American War. This last battle elevated him to being a national hero and compared with George Washington.
泰勒1808年加入了美國軍隊,并于1810年和1812年升為上尉,在印第安納州的哈里遜堡成功擊退了印第安人的進(jìn)攻。在接下來的30年里,他贏得了重大的軍事勝利,其中包括1847年美墨戰(zhàn)爭中的維斯塔戰(zhàn)役。維斯塔戰(zhàn)役是他的最后一場戰(zhàn)役,并且他由此成為了美國的民族英雄,堪比喬治·華盛頓。
Taylor decided to enter politics in 1848. With his reputation as a war hero and his straight talking, he won the 1848 presidential election. The slavery issue dominated much of Taylor' sterm in office, especially because he owned 100 slaves. He advised California and New Mexico to apply for statehood. Southern leaders threatened to break away from the Union as the new states would reject bills allowing slavery.
泰勒1848年決定從政。泰勒由于既是戰(zhàn)神,說話又直言不諱,被選為了1848年美國總統(tǒng)。泰勒在任期間的主要問題是奴隸制問題。他當(dāng)時擁有100個奴隸。他主張給予加利福尼亞和新墨西哥州的地位。南方領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人威脅要脫離聯(lián)邦,成立一個無奴隸制的新國家。
Taylor stood firm against the possible rebellion. He said he would personally lead the Army in a fight against them and hang "persons taken in rebellion…with less reluctance than…hanged deserters and spies in Mexico". He never wavered, but events took an unexpected turn. He died in 1850 as a compromise was being drafted. The conflict he warned of started eleven years later – the American Civil War.
泰勒堅決抵制潛在叛亂。他說他會親自帶領(lǐng)軍隊攻打他們,還要絞殺“叛兵……以比絞殺墨西哥逃兵和間諜……更不容懈怠的精神。”他對此堅定不移,可是事情又發(fā)生了意想不到的變化。1850年,正當(dāng)和解協(xié)議起草期間,泰勒逝世了。11年后,這場泰勒警示過的沖突又重新燃起,美國內(nèi)戰(zhàn)爆發(fā)。