On this episode of Dave Does History, we mark the birthday of James Buchanan—America’s only bachelor president and, many say, its most ineffectual.

Born April 23, 1791, Buchanan entered office with unmatched experience and left it as the nation shattered into civil war.

What went wrong? Was he a victim of circumstance or a man who mistook inaction for wisdom?

Join us as we explore Buchanan’s tragic love story, tangled presidency, and the fateful decisions—or lack thereof—that helped bring the Union to the brink. It is a cautionary tale of a gentleman lawyer in an age that demanded a warrior.