On the 227th birthday of John Tyler, Constitution Daily looks back at the legacy of a most unusual President who established the concept of presidential succession and eventually was elected to the Confederate Congress.
johntylerPerhaps Tyler’s greatest contribution to the Constitution and history in general were his actions after the death of newly inaugurated President William Henry Harrison in April 1841. Vice President Tyler quickly settled a debate about who replaced the President in what capacity.
But soon after assuming his role in the White House, Tyler so offended his own party members that he was outcast from the Whig Party while still in office.
In general, historians don’t hold Tyler in high regard as a President. In surveys since World War II, Tyler isn’t ranked as the worst President, but he is always in the bottom 10 of historian’s rankings.
