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Lewis Cass
LewisCass2.jpg
22nd United States Secretary of State
In office
March 6, 1857 – December 14, 1860
President James Buchanan
Preceded by William Marcy
Succeeded by Jeremiah Black
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
In office
December 4, 1854 – December 5, 1854
Preceded by David Atchison
Succeeded by Jesse Bright
United States Senator
from Michigan
In office
March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1857
Preceded by Thomas Fitzgerald
Succeeded by Zachariah Chandler
In office
March 4, 1845 – May 29, 1848
Preceded by Augustus Porter
Succeeded by Thomas Fitzgerald
United States Ambassador to France
In office
December 1, 1836 – November 12, 1842
President Andrew Jackson
Preceded by Edward Livingston
Succeeded by William King
14th United States Secretary of War
In office
August 1, 1831 – October 4, 1836
President Andrew Jackson
Preceded by Roger B. Taney (Acting)
Succeeded by Joel Poinsett
2nd Governor of the Michigan Territory
In office
October 13, 1813 – August 1, 1831
Appointed by James Madison
Preceded by William Hull
Succeeded by George Porter
Personal details
Born (1782-10-09)October 9, 1782
Exeter, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died June 17, 1866(1866-06-17) (aged 83)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s)
Eliza Spencer
(m. 1806; her death 1853)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Branch/service  United States Army
Years of service 1812–1814
Rank Brigadier General
Battles/wars War of 1812

Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782 – June 17, 1866) was an American military officer, politician, and statesman. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate. He was in the Cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. He was also the 1848 Democratic presidential nominee. He was an important person for the idea of Popular Sovereignty. That idea said that the people in each territory should decide whether to allow slavery.

Life

He was born in Exeter, New Hampshire.

Career

In 1806, Cass was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. Also in 1806, President Thomas Jefferson chose Cass to be the U.S. Marshal for Ohio.

Secretary of War

On August 1, 1831, Cass quit being governor of the Michigan Territory to be the Secretary of War under President Andrew Jackson. He would be the secretary until 1836.

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