John Tyler, the Accidental President

Written by James Noggle

Narrated by Michael Butler Murray

The first vice president to become president on the death of the incumbent, John Tyler (1790-1862) was derided by critics as "His Accidency." In this biography of the tenth president, Edward P. Crapol challenges depictions of Tyler as a die-hard advocate of states' rights, limited government, and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. Instead, he argues, Tyler manipulated the Constitution to increase the executive power of the presidency. Crapol also highlights Tyler's faith in America's national destiny and his belief that boundless territorial expansion would preserve the Union as a slaveholding republic. When Tyler sided with the Confederacy in 1861, he was branded as America's "traitor" president for having betrayed the republic he once led.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Sep 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781515947752

James Noggle

Edward P. Crapol is William E. Pullen Professor of American History, Emeritus, at the College of William and Mary. He is author of James G. Blaine: Architect of Empire and editor of Women and American Foreign Policy: Lobbyists, Critics, and Insiders.

Reviews for John Tyler, the Accidental President

[zoharlaor · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

John Tyler, the Accidental President by Edward P. Crapol is a biography of America’s 10th President. Mr. Carpol was a professor in the Department of History at the College of William and Mary.John Tyler became America’s 10th President after President William Henry Harrison died in office after only 31 days. This was a first for the new republic, and Mr. Tyler set many precedents for the country, as well as for his successors.President Tyler, a Virginian, is remembered as the first VP to become President after the elected official died. He was nicknamed “His Accidency” and worked hard to shape the system, as well as executive power, for future generations.Like many other powerful people, Mr. Tyler was also full of hypocrisies once getting into a position of power. Once sitting being that big desk, in that round room, within the white mansion, he acted against his own ideology of advocating state’s rights, limited government, and his interpretation of the Constitution.John Tyler, the Accidental President by Edward P. Crapol also addresses the subject of Tyler’s treason of siding with the Confederacy during the American Civil War. The only President to die while being a citizen of another country that was also at war with the United States.The author, however, argues that Tyler’s presidency was groundbreaking in many ways. From the Annexation of Texas, to defining the role of a VP taking over the highest office in the land, from negotiating border agreements to policies advancing foreign policy with Asia.Mr. Carpol is certainly sympathetic to his subject, and his arguments for Tyler’s accomplishments are convincing. However, his sympathy for slavery, and the Confederacy, has tarnished his reputation in American history for the foreseeable future.Nevertheless, this is a capable, readable, and well-researched biography. I enjoyed reading it and learned a lot about a President whose name most Americans won’t even recognize.

[macdad-236140 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I found Edward Crapol's book to be an extremely informative study of America's tenth president, though part of this was because I know so little about Tyler before I picked up this book. Still, Crapol did a fine job in arguing that Tyler's presidency was more significant than has been appreciated, particularly in terms of its foreign policy. Crapol's focus on this area (a sign of his own academic concentration and the book's origins as a study of the foreign policy of the Tyler administration) demonstrates Tyler's considerable achievements, yet without glossing over or downplaying Tyler's pro-slavery agenda. Because of its lack of detail about Tyler's pre-presidential years (which are addressed only in passing) this may not be the first book I recommend people read if they want to learn about Tyler, but it definitely is one that is essential for a complete understanding of his life and his presidency.

[everfresh1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have the same gripes that other reviewers mentioned: repeats, lack of chronological narrative (each chapter is rather an essay on specific aspect of Tyler's policy). I can't really call this book a biography since there are some aspects of John Tyler life that just are not covered. For example, there is a fleeting mention of his first wife, but we know nothing about her nor the circumstances they met. I found the description of each of policy challenges to be quite good, very well explained - I just wish each chapter wouldn't be so self-contained, with some things described anew in each chapter.

[drneutron_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Before picking up John Tyler: The Accidental President, I didn't know much about Tyler - after all, he's generally considered a less than spectacular President and his main claim to fame is being the first Vice President to take over after the death of a President. Well, that and being the only "traitor President" given his involvement with the Confederacy later in life. After reading it, I still don't know all the much about Tyler. Instead of giving us a sense of the man, he chose to present the development of the major political issues and how Tyler responded to them. That's fine, but the discussion of a chapter per issue really missed the interconnections between the issues and became really repetitive. For instance, Crapol attempted to make similar points about Tyler's actions in say, the annexation of Texas just after addressing the same points in discussing relations with Hawaii. These two issues developed simultaneously, and a different presentation of events and Tyler's actions may well have resulted in a deeper understanding of the man.I'll give Crapol this: he genuinely wants to give Tyler credit where it's due. I hadn't realized that he was so heavily involved in the opening of Asia and the expansion of US influence in the Pacific. I also didn't realize how much he was driven by preservation of the Union over the issue of slavery - as much as previous, more highly regarded Presidents such as Madison. And yet, he remained a slave owner and when the time came, supported the secession of VIrginia from the Union. Honestly, part of the problem with Crapol's book may be the subject. I get the feeling that there's just not that much of Tyler worth writing about. Yes, he led the country, but that doesn't mean he was that difficult to understand or that there was much beyond what's presented here. He strikes me as a politician mostly concerned about preserving his way of life as a Southern gentleman farmer and his reputation in history. It may simply be that Tyler was no Lincoln and Crapol ran out of things to say about him. I suspect that I need to get another biography to find out.