Martin Van Buren (December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was the eighth President of the United States (1837–1841). Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President (1833–1837) and the tenth secretary of state (1829–1831), both under Andrew Jackson. Only about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, but trim and erect, Martin Van Buren dressed fastidiously. Van Buren was a key organizer of the Democratic Party, a dominant figure in the Second Party System, and the first president not of British or Irish descent—his family was Dutch. He was the first president to have been born a United States citizen. since all of his predecessors were born British subjects before the American Revolution. He is the first president not to have spoken English as a first language, having spoken only Dutch growing up. As Andrew Jacksons Secretary of State and then Vice President, Van Buren was a key figure in building the organizational structure for Jacksonian democracy, particularly in New York. As president, he did not want the United States to annex Texas, an act which John Tyler would achieve eight years after Van Burens initial rejection. Between the bloodless Aroostook War and the Caroline Affair, relations with Britain and its colonies in Canada also proved to be strained. His administration was largely characterized by the economic hardship of his time, the Panic of 1837. He was scapegoated for the depression and called Martin Van Ruin by political opponents. Van Buren was voted out of office after four years, losing to Whig candidate William Henry Harrison. In the 1848 election Van Buren ran unsuccessfully for president on a third-party ticket, the Free Soil Party. Van Buren died fourteen years later at the age of seventy-nine. Van Buren was the last Vice President to be elected directly to the presidency until George H. W. Bush in 1988. 8th President of the United States In office March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841 Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson Preceded by Andrew Jackson Succeeded by William Henry Harrison 8th Vice President of the United States In office March 4, 1833 – March 4, 1837 President Andrew Jackson Preceded by John C. Calhoun Succeeded by Richard Mentor Johnson United States Minister to the United Kingdom In office August 8, 1831 – April 4, 1832 Nominated by Andrew Jackson Preceded by Louis McLane Succeeded by Aaron Vail (Acting) 10th United States Secretary of State In office March 28, 1829 – May 23, 1831 President Andrew Jackson Preceded by Henry Clay Succeeded by Edward Livingston 9th Governor of New York In office January 1, 1829 – March 12, 1829 Lieutenant Enos T. Throop Preceded by Nathaniel Pitcher Succeeded by Enos T. Throop United States Senator from New York In office March 4, 1821 – December 20, 1828 Preceded by Nathan Sanford Succeeded by Charles E. Dudley 14th Attorney General of New York In office February 17, 1815 – July 8, 1819 Governor Daniel D. Tompkins John Tayler DeWitt Clinton Preceded by Abraham Van Vechten Succeeded by Thomas Jackson Oakley Personal details Born December 5, 1782 Kinderhook, New York, U.S. Died July 24, 1862 (aged 79) Kinderhook, New York, U.S. Resting place Kinderhook Cemetery Kinderhook, New York, U.S. Political party Free Soil (1848–1854) Other political affiliations Democratic-Republican (Before 1825) Democratic (1828–1848) Spouse(s) Hannah Hoes (m. 1807–1819; her death) Children Abraham John Martin Jr. Winfield Smith Profession Lawyer, politician Religion Dutch Reformed
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 12:13:35 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015