On this day, March 4, in 1853

The 14th President of the United States, Franklin Pierce, stepped into office and began his rather controversial presidency. During Pierce's 4-year term, his administration passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which ultimately reopened the possibility of slavery in West and sparked a series of events that lead to the ear of pro-slavery violence known as Bleeding Kansas. Pierce also emerged as a strong advocate of American expansionist policies and in a secret document known as the Otsend Manifesto, Pierce attempted to acquire Cuba from Spain for $120 million US dollars. Further, if Spain didn't cooperate, the Manifesto suggested that the U.S. seize Cuba by force. Although this plan was never executed, the American government jumped at the opportunity to occupy Cuba near the end of the Spanish-American War.