10 Deaths That Could Have Changed American History

This post is in partnership with the History News Network, the website that puts the news into historical perspective. The article below was originally published at HNN.
The role of death and how it might have affected American history and politics is demonstrated in so many situations in American history.
In 1848, President James K. Polk had triumphed in gaining new territory from Great Britain by treaty, and by war with Mexico. While the political battle raged over what was to be done with the Mexican Cession territories and the expansion of slavery, Polk chose not to run for reelection, the only time in American history that a President, willingly, chose not to seek a second term. It was a wise decision on Polk’s part, as he fell ill shortly after retirement, and died only 105 days after the end of his term in June 1849, the shortest retirement of any President in American history. So he avoided dying in office by retiring in time.
In 1860, Democratic Senator Stephen Douglas competed for the Presidency in a four-person race, losing to Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln. It was a bitter defeat, particularly after Douglas had defeated Lincoln two years earlier for his Illinois Senate seat. But the fact that Douglas lost was good for the nation, as he died three months into Lincoln’s term, in June 1861, as the Civil War raged on.

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