How Important Was Henry Clay In American Politics

Words: 438
Pages: 2

First, Henry Clay was born on April 12, 1777, in Hanover County, Virginia. Henry Clay was a U.S politician in the 19th century that served in Congress as secretary of state under President John Quincy Adams. Henry Clay was a big figure in American politics in the middle part of the 19th century, his political skills earned him the nickname “The Great Compromiser.” Clay worked as a frontier lawyer before going into the office as a Kentucky senator and then the speaker of the House of Representatives. Henry Clay died on June 29, 1852. Consequently, Henry Clay Sr. was a well-known, political leader whose impact reached across both houses of congress and to the White House.
Second, Henry Clay was a U.S politician in the 19th century that served in Congress as secretary of state under President John Quincy Adams. Mr. Clay was appointed Secretary of State on March 7, 1825. Clay started doing his job as Secretary of State on the same day and served until March 3, 1829. When Clay became Secretary of State it stirred disagreements. Clay gave his support to John Quincy Adams instead of
…show more content…
Henry Clay got into politics early in his life, in 1803 he became the representative of Fayette County in the Kentucky General Assembly. In 1806 Clay got sent to the Senate through the Kentucky legislative assembly to occupy the seat vacated by John Breckinridge. Clay was sworn in on December 29, 1806 but, Clay’s term ceased after three months and he went back to Kentucky in the beginning of 1807. When Clay came back he got elected as the Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives and he initiated a decision that required the members to come in homespun suits. As was previously stated, Henry Clay was a huge individual in American politics in the central part of the 19th