He worked on his father's farm, and at age 15 was apprenticed to a cropper in the wollen industry. He became president on the death of Zachary Taylor in 1850. Most of his early years he was almost entirely self-educated. He was admitted to the bar in 1823 and set up a law office in East Aurora. He entered politics with the Anti-Masonic Party under the sponsorship of Thurlow Weed and subsequently followed Weed into the Whig Party. In congress Fillmore held office for three consecutive terms, declining renomination in 1842. He authorized Commodore Matthew C. Perry's expedition to Japan in 1852-1854. In 1856 he accepted the nomination for President of the Know Nothing, or American, Party.

During the Civil War he was against President Lincoln and during the Reconstruction period supported President Johnson. Two of his accomplishments were the Compromise of 1850, and the Fugitive Slave Act. On August 6, 1850, he delivered a message to Congress recommending that Texas be reimbersed for her claims to part of New Mexico. On being elected as president appointed his new Cabinet, with Daniel Webster at its head and his policy was different from Taylor. In 1854 he toured the Southern and Western States, and in 1855 traveled to Europe. In private life after he retired from office, he gave much of his time to civic activities.