Presidential Biographies | W. H. Harrison Administration - The William Henry Harrison Administration Legacy

The William Henry Harrison Administration Legacy

Because Harrison died so shortly after becoming president his administration did not leave a lasting imprint on the U.S. political system or the nation. The campaign of 1840 that brought him to power, though, established many important precedents. The use of the unit rule to nominate a candidate at conventions, the exploitation of the mass media to build a candidate's public image, and the direct communication of the candidate to the voters through public speeches on the campaign trail are all features of modern elections that are as commonplace today as they were groundbreaking over 150 years ago when the Whigs utilized them to unseat the Democrats. Harrison's death also led to the establishment of the precedent that the person who succeeds to the presidency actually becomes the president, and not just a temporary occupant of the vacated office.