| Zachary Taylor, 12th U.S. president, served only 16 months in office before he died. The slavery issue was already divisive by the time he took office in 1849. Taylor was a slave owner himself, but he did not oppose the entry to the Union of New Mexico and California as free states. He also promised to use the army to put down any secessionist movement. But he died before he could take decisive government action. |