Graphic organizer for biography

Schuyler colfax biography graphic organizer pdf House of Representatives Colfax was the posthumous son of a bank clerk, Schuyler Colfax, and Hannah Stryker. After moving with his mother to Indiana in his youth, Colfax founded the St. Joseph Valley Register , which became one of the most influential papers in the state during his 18 years as editor. In the fluctuating political situation preceding the American Civil War —65 , he shifted from the Whig Party to the Know-Nothing Party and finally to the Republicans, who elected him to Congress in

Schuyler Colfax

American politician
Date of Birth:
Country: USA

Content:
  1. Schuyler Colfax: Early Life and Political Beginnings
  2. Antebellum Political Career
  3. Speaker of the House
  4. Vice President and Corruption Scandal
  5. Later Career and Legacy

Schuyler Colfax: Early Life and Political Beginnings

Schuyler Colfax was born in New York City in , the grandson of General William Colfax, who fought in the Revolutionary War.

Orphaned at a young age, Colfax moved with his stepfather to Indiana in He pursued journalism, becoming a newspaper editor at the age of

Antebellum Political Career

Initially a Whig, Colfax ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in He was elected in , becoming an outspoken critic of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

After the demise of the Whig Party, he joined the Know-Nothings and then the Republican Party. In , he chaired the House Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads.

Speaker of the House

Colfax became a staunch opponent of slavery. After Galusha Grow's defeat for Speaker of the House, Colfax was elected as his successor. He served as Speaker during the secession crisis and the early years of the Civil War.

Vice President and Corruption Scandal

In , Republican presidential candidate Ulysses Grant selected Colfax as his running mate.

Schuyler colfax biography graphic organizer Schuyler Colfax Jr. Colfax was known for his opposition to slavery while serving in Congress, and was a founder of the Republican Party. During his first term as speaker, he led the effort to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution , which abolished slavery. When it came before the House for a final vote in January , he emphasized his support by casting a vote in favor—by convention the speaker votes only to break a tie. Chosen as Ulysses S.

The Grant-Colfax ticket won a decisive victory, making them the youngest President and Vice President pair in American history until the election of Bill Clinton and Al Gore in During his vice presidency, Colfax became embroiled in a corruption scandal known as the Cr?dit Mobilier scandal, involving bribes paid to prominent politicians.

Later Career and Legacy

Colfax was not nominated for a second term as vice president.

He later pursued a career as a lecturer. In , he died from a heart attack triggered by a walk in sub-zero temperatures in Minnesota. Despite the scandal that overshadowed his later years, Colfax's contributions to the Republican Party and his role as a vocal opponent of slavery remain part of his legacy.