1791: Born in Pennsylvania

1813: Admitted to the bar of Pennsylvania and opens a law practice in Lancaster; elected to the Pennsylvania state legislature as a Federalist and reelected in 1815

1821-30: Serves in the U.S. House of Representatives

1831: Appointed U.S. minister to Russia

1834-45: Elected to U.S. Senate as Democrat from Pennsylvania

1845-49: Serves as secretary of state under President James K. Polk

1853-56: Serves as U.S. minister to Great Britain

1857-61: Serves as fifteenth U.S. president

1859: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, furthers tension among abolitionists and supporters of slavery

1868: Dies in Pennsylvania