扎卡里·泰勒(Zachary Taylor)是美國(guó)第十二任總統(tǒng)。泰勒1784年出生在弗吉尼亞州,之后由于舉家搬遷來(lái)到了肯塔基,在父親的種植園中長(zhǎng)大。隨著泰勒家族的日益繁榮,他們搬進(jìn)了磚房,在此之前,泰勒和七個(gè)兄弟姐妹住在一起住的是小木屋。泰勒只接受過(guò)基礎(chǔ)教育,由于肯塔基邊境沒(méi)有學(xué)校。

Taylor joined the U.S. Army in 1808. He was promoted to captain in 1810 and in 1812, he successfully defended Indiana's Fort Harrison from attack by Native Americans. He spent the next three decades winning major military victories, including the Battle of Buena Vista in 1847 during the Mexican-American War. This last battle elevated him to being a national hero and compared with George Washington.
泰勒1808年加入了美國(guó)軍隊(duì),并于1810年和1812年升為上尉,在印第安納州的哈里遜堡成功擊退了印第安人的進(jìn)攻。在接下來(lái)的30年里,他贏得了重大的軍事勝利,其中包括1847年美墨戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)中的維斯塔戰(zhàn)役。維斯塔戰(zhàn)役是他的最后一場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)役,并且他由此成為了美國(guó)的民族英雄,堪比喬治·華盛頓。
Taylor decided to enter politics in 1848. With his reputation as a war hero and his straight talking, he won the 1848 presidential election. The slavery issue dominated much of Taylor' sterm in office, especially because he owned 100 slaves. He advised California and New Mexico to apply for statehood. Southern leaders threatened to break away from the Union as the new states would reject bills allowing slavery.
泰勒1848年決定從政。泰勒由于既是戰(zhàn)神,說(shuō)話又直言不諱,被選為了1848年美國(guó)總統(tǒng)。泰勒在任期間的主要問(wèn)題是奴隸制問(wèn)題。他當(dāng)時(shí)擁有100個(gè)奴隸。他主張給予加利福尼亞和新墨西哥州的地位。南方領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人威脅要脫離聯(lián)邦,成立一個(gè)無(wú)奴隸制的新國(guó)家。
Taylor stood firm against the possible rebellion. He said he would personally lead the Army in a fight against them and hang "persons taken in rebellion…with less reluctance than…hanged deserters and spies in Mexico". He never wavered, but events took an unexpected turn. He died in 1850 as a compromise was being drafted. The conflict he warned of started eleven years later – the American Civil War.
泰勒?qǐng)?jiān)決抵制潛在叛亂。他說(shuō)他會(huì)親自帶領(lǐng)軍隊(duì)攻打他們,還要絞殺“叛兵……以比絞殺墨西哥逃兵和間諜……更不容懈怠的精神。”他對(duì)此堅(jiān)定不移,可是事情又發(fā)生了意想不到的變化。1850年,正當(dāng)和解協(xié)議起草期間,泰勒逝世了。11年后,這場(chǎng)泰勒警示過(guò)的沖突又重新燃起,美國(guó)內(nèi)戰(zhàn)爆發(fā)。