Editor’s spotlight — updated daily
Zachary Taylor
United States
Zachary Taylor, a career military officer who became a national hero in the Mexican-American War, served as the 12th U.S. president from 1849 until his death in 1850. He died after only 16 months in office, making his tenure the third shortest. Taylor never held political office before his presidency, and his top priority was preserving the Union amidst the slavery debate.