Henry Clay

1777–1852

WEBSTER, CLAY, AND JACKSON

Henry Clay, an eminent American statesman and orator, was born in Hanover County, Virginia, April 12, 1777. Having studied at a common school, he read law, was admitted to the bar in 1797, and moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where he commenced practice and where he married in 1799. His active leadership of the "War Hawks," an anti-British organization, contributed greatly to the War of 1812, and his talent for political compromise helped to ease tensions between the North and South, and won him the name of the "Great Pacificator." He was several times Speaker of the House of Representatives, strongly advocated the Missouri Compromise, and was immensely popular throughout the country as both a statesman and orator. He ran for presidency three times, but in spite of his political achievements, was never elected. He died in 1852.

Adapted from The Dictionary of Biography by Charles Morris

Key events during the life of Henry Clay:

Year	Event
1777	Birth of Henry Clay
1797	Became a lawyer.
1799	Married.
1806-11	Served on the U.S. Senate.
	Speaker of the House of Representatives.
1821	Promoted the Missouri Compromise.
1831	Elected to the U.S. Senate.
1852	Death of Henry Clay.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Henry Clay  in	America First—100 Stories from Our History  by  Lawton B. Evans
Henry Clay  in	Heroes of Progress in America  by  Charles Morris
Henry Clay  in	Builders of Our Country: Book II  by  Gertrude van Duyn Southworth

Image Links
Webster, Clay, and Jackson  in Heroes of Progress in America	Henry Clay  in Builders of Our Country: Book II	A Session of the House of Representatives in the days of Webster and Clay  in Builders of Our Country: Book II

Contemporary	Short Biography