John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States, serving between 1841 and 1845. He was dubbed "His Accidency" by his opponents because he was the first Vice-President to be elevated to the office of President by the death of his predecessor. Tyler was born in Virginia in 1790 on his father's plantation. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at the age of 19, against bar regulations.
Tyler started his political career at an early age. At the age of 21, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, where he served five successive one-year terms. He then went on to sit in the House of Representatives from 1816 to 1821. Tyler voted against most nationalist legislation. As a Senator he reluctantly supported Jackson for President as a choice between several evils.
The Whigs nominated Tyler for Vice President in 1840, hoping for support from southern states. Suddenly, incumbent President Harrison was dead after just 30 days in office and Tyler was in the White House. He insisted upon assuming the full powers of a duly elected President and even delivered an Inaugural Address. He was to have a troubled time as president.
Tyler's cabinet resigned over his economic policy. They expelled him from his own party and sent him hundreds of letters threatening to assassinate him. The House of Representatives initiated the first impeachment proceedings against a president in U.S. history. It failed. He did succeed in keeping his promise to annex the Republic of Texas, which became the 28th state in 1845. Tyler died in 1862, aged 71.