美国总统8 威廉·亨利·哈里森.docx

美国总统8威廉亨利哈里森WilliamHenryHarrison:Short-LivedVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutWilliamHenryHarrison.Althoughhewaselectedin1840zmanyAmericansstillrememberhiscatchycampaignslogan:"TippecanoeandTylerztoo.""Tyler"referredtoJohnTyler,Harrison'spartnerontheticket.Inotherwords,Harrisonwasthecandidateforpresident,andTylerwasthecandidateforvicepresident.Thatseemsstraightforwardenough.But"Tippecanoe"?ThatwasHarrison'snickname.Itcamefromabattlehehadfoughtnearly30yearsbeforethepresidentialcampaign.Atthattime,HarrisonledtroopsagainstanallianceofNativeAmericantribes.ThealliancewasfightingwhiteAmericansettlerswhoweretakingnativepeople'sterritory.Harrisonandhismenwantedtopreventthealliancefromgettingthesuppliesandwarriorsitneededtofightalongwar.TheyplannedtoattackanimportantNativeAmericanbaseinwhatistodaythestateofIndiana.ButNativeAmericanwarriorsattackedfirst.Theystruckatdawn,whenHarrison'smenwerestillsleepinginacampneartheRiverTippecanoe.Thebattlewasconfusedandbloody.Manyfightersonbothsidesdied.Afterseveralhours,Harrison'stroopspushedtheNativeAmericanfightersawayfromthecamp.Itwasnotreallyclearwhowon,butHarrisondeclaredvictory.Hispresidentialcampaignremindedvotersaboutthebattle.Thenickname"Tippecanoe"suggestedHarrisonwasasimpleyettoughwesternerwhowouldfightforwhiteAmericans.ButthatimageofHarrisonwasnotentirelytrue.EarlylifeHarrisondidnotcomefromasimple,westernfamily.Instead,hewastheyoungestchildofawealthyfamilyfromthesouthernstateofVirginia.TheHarrisonswereactiveinthepoliticsoftheyoungnation.HisfathersignedtheDeclarationofIndependenceandbecamethegovernorofVirginia.YoungWilliamHarrisonreceivedagoodeducation.Buthedidnotwanttobecomeadoctororlawyer.Hejoinedthemilitaryinstead.HarrisonsucceededquicklyasanArmyofficer.HeearnedareputationasanableleaderinfightsagainstNativeAmericans.HarrisonbecamethegovernorofwhatwasknownasIndianaTerritory.InthatjobzhepersuadedNativeAmericanstoenterintotreatiesthatsoldtheirlandtotheU.S.government-oftenforverylittlemoney.Harrison'sinsistenceonsecuringlandforwhitesettlerswasonereasonNativeAmericantribesformedanallianceagainsttheUnitedStates.AmemberoftheShawneetribe,Tecumsehzwasoneoftheirmostprominentleaders.ItwasTecumseh,smenwhofoughtagainstHarrisonintheBattleofTippecanoe.Tecumseh'smenclashedagainwithHarrisonduringtheWarof1812atabattleinOntario,CanadaneartheRiverThames.Inthatbattle,boththeBritishandNativeAmericanswereclearlydefeated.Tecumsehwaskilled.Afterthat,theNativeAmericanalliancefellapart.AndHarrisonbecamefamousagain.PoliticalcareerAlthoughHarrisonwasawell-knownfighteragainstNativeAmericans,hecouldnotfindlastingsuccessasapolitician.HeservedbrieflyinboththeHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate,buthedidnotstayinthosepositionslong.Hestruggledwithdebt.HishomeinIndianawasveryexpensive.Healsohadtoprovideforhistenchildren.Theemotionalcostofhisfamilywasalsohigh:onlyfourofhischildrenlivedpasttheageof40.In1836zHarrison'sfortunesseemedtochange.Anewparty,calledtheWhigs,lookedtohimasapresidentialcandidate.TheWhigsstronglyopposedPresidentAndrewJacksonandhispolicies.TheydidnotwantJackson'svicepresidentandright-handman,MartinVanBuren,tobecomepresident.ButtheyunderstoodthatJacksonwasverypopularwitheverydayAmericans.SotheWhigsthoughtthatHarrison-amilitaryherofromthewest,justasJacksonwas-wouldappealtovoters.(Atthetime,votingwaslimitedmostlytowhitemen.)TheWhigsnominatedHarrisonasoneoftheircandidates.Harrisondidwell-butnotwellenough.VanBurenwonthe1836election.ButthenextelectionbelongedtoHarrison.Hiscampaigndevelopedthatmemorablesongabout"TippecanoeandTylerztoo."SupportersalsoturnedaninsultagainstHarrisonintoanadvantage.Harrison'soppositionsaidhewouldbehappytospendtherestofhislifejustsittinginalogcabinanddrinkinghardcider-analcoholicdrinkmadefromapples.TheoppositionwantedtosuggestthatHarrisonwasnotreallyinterestedinbecomingpresidentandworkinghardfortheAmericanpeople.ButHarrison'ssupportersusedtheimagesofalogcabinandhardcidertoportrayHarrisonasahumblemanwhocouldrelatetocommonAmericans.In1842,theplanwasasuccess:Harrisonwontheelection.AsurprisingturnofeventsAt68,Harrisonwastheoldestpersonyettotakeoffice.OnhisInaugurationDay,hereportedlywantedtoshowthathewasstrongenoughtoserveaspresidentbydeliveringaverylongspeechwithoutwearingacoatorhat.SeveralweeksIaterzHarrisonbecamesick.Hecomplainedofmanyproblems:an×ietyzfatigue,andpaininhisstomach.Hishealthgrewworseandworse.Onemonthafterhewassworn-in,Harrisondied.Itwasthefirsttimeinthecountry'shistorythatapresidenthaddiedinoffice.Theeventraisedmanyquestionsaboutwhowouldbecomepresident.Thatquestionisansweredinthenextepisodeofthisseries.Forfuturegenerations,italsoraisedaquestionaboutwhatHarrisondiedof.Thetraditionalstoryisthathislonginauguralspeechledtoafatalpneumonia.Butresearchersin2014proposedadifferentreason.JaneMcHughandPhilipMackowiakwroteintheNewYorkTimesthat,whileHarrisonwasinoffice,Washington,DCdidnothaveagoodsewersystem.Humanwaste"simplyflowedontopublicgroundsashortdistancefromtheWhiteHouse."TheresearchersconcludethatHarrisonprobablydiedfromproblemsrelatedtodrinkingdirtywaterinthepresident'shouse.So,forHarrison,winningtheWhiteHousemaynothavebeengoodfortuneatall.mKellyJeanKelly.Seehowwellyouunderstandthestorybytakingthislisteningquiz.WordsinThisStorycatchy-adj.appealingandeasytorememberslogan-n.awordorphrasethatiseasytorememberprominent-adj.wellknownright-handman-n.veryimportantassistantadvantage-n.agoodpositionorconditionmorelikelytosucceed