Historedia
Person

Franklin Pierce

Events
5
Episodes
10
Years
1852–1867

Every event in Historedia whose sources name Franklin Pierce, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. Franklin Pierce defeats Winfield Scott in the 1852 United States presidential election

    1852

    Role: Democrat

    1. November 2, 1852 · United States1852 Presidential Election

      Democrat Franklin Pierce defeated Whig Winfield Scott in the 1852 United States presidential election held on November 2, 1852.

  2. Inauguration of Franklin Pierce as 14th President

    1853

    Role: 14th President of the United States

    1. March 4, 1853 · East Portico of the United States CapitolInauguration at the Capitol

      Pierce was sworn in as the 14th President on March 4, 1853, at the East Portico of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

  3. Kansas–Nebraska Act becomes law

    1854–1867

    Role: President who signed the act

    1. May 30, 1854 · Washington, D.C. (legacy-row correction; not directly attested in supplied passages)Signing of the Kansas–Nebraska Act

      President Franklin Pierce signed the Kansas–Nebraska Act into law on May 30, 1854, creating the territories of Kansas and Nebraska.

    2. May 30, 1854 – January 29, 1861 · Kansas TerritoryEstablishment of Kansas Territory

      Kansas Territory was established on May 30, 1854, as an organized incorporated territory existing until 1861.

    3. May 30, 1854 – March 1, 1867 · Nebraska TerritoryEstablishment of Nebraska Territory

      Nebraska Territory was created by the Kansas–Nebraska Act, existing from May 30, 1854, until 1867.

  4. Ostend Manifesto drafted

    1854

    Role: U.S. President

    1. 1854 · United StatesPolitical Backlash

      The manifesto was denounced in the North and Europe, causing Pierce to avoid acknowledging it in his State of the Union address.

    2. October 1854 · Document sent to Washington; drafted in Ostend, Belgium, and prepared at Aachen, PrussiaManifesto Content

      The document described the rationale for purchasing Cuba from Spain and declared the U.S. justified in wresting the island if Spain refused to sell.

    3. October 9–11, 1854 · Ostend, BelgiumMeeting in Ostend

      Three U.S. diplomats met in Ostend, Belgium, from October 9–11, 1854, to draft the Ostend Manifesto regarding Cuba.

  5. Franklin Pierce declares the Topeka government in rebellion

    1856

    Role: President of the United States

    1. January 24, 1856 · Message to CongressPierce Declares Topeka Government Insurrectionist

      President Franklin Pierce declared the Free-State Topeka government in Kansas to be insurrectionist in a message to Congress on January 24, 1856.

    2. June 30, 1856 · CongressCongress Rejects Topeka Constitution

      Following Pierce's declaration, Congress rejected the ratification of the Topeka Constitution on June 30, 1856.

Sources

  1. Winfield Scott Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-22
  2. Franklin Pierce Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05
  3. Inauguration of Franklin Pierce Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-21
  4. Kansas–Nebraska Act Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-03
  5. Ostend Manifesto Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-29
  6. Bleeding Kansas Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-04