Governorship
Ford's rise in the judiciary led to his election as governor in 1842, becoming one of the most controversial politicians in the nation's history. He worked hard to repair the fiscally irresponsible Internal Improvements Act that built expensive bridges, canals, roads and highways, often in places where few people or communities existed. This bill was passed years earlier with the aid of a previous state representative, Abraham Lincoln, and Ford's actions helped turn the economic crisis around, although the debt for the Act would not be paid off until 1882. Ford also worked to build the Illinois and Michigan Canal, which greatly improved the state's finances.
Read more about this topic: Thomas Ford (politician)