Zachary Taylor

1784 – 1850

Zachary Taylor was an American military officer and politician who served as the 12th president of the United States from March 1849 until his death in July 1850. A career U.S. Army officer who became a national hero through his command in the Mexican–American War, he was a lifelong slaveholder who owned more than 100 enslaved people across his Louisiana and Mississippi plantations. He died in office, fewer than 16 months into his term, after a brief illness following a Fourth of July ceremony.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM