To be remembered as uniquely mediocre, just another number to add to the 43 men sworn to office and 44 presidencies, Martin Van Buren was announced as the United States of America’s eighth president in 1836. Considered as the first professional politician to hold office, the creator of the adjective OK, and the founder of the Democratic Party, Van Buren has contributed more to America as is known today, over the long run, compared to his own immediate contributions as president. Van Buren was born on December 5,1782 to parents of Dutch descent in Kinderhook, New York, which was six years after the colonists in the present day United States declared their independence from Great Britain (Martin Van Buren 1). His father was a tavern keeper and
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Known as “the Little Magician” for being five foot six inches, the “OK president” with OK being an acronym for Old Kinderhook, New York where Martin grew up,“the Fox” for his “sly political maneuvers”, and as the “First Professional Politician”, as he was the first president to be born in the United States territory and not previously a citizen to the British Isles (Martin Van Buren - U.S. Presidents 1). Politically, Van Buren started off small and gradually moved up in political ranking. As he was leader of the “Albany Regency”, a New York political organization which was used to gain votes during his role as state attorney general and two terms on the New York State Senate from 1812 to 1820, to finally be elected into the U.S. senate in 1821 (Friedel 1). Opposing John Quincy Adams in the election of 1824 “helped form a coalition of Jeffersonian Republicans that backed Andrew Jackson in the 1828 election. This coalition soon emerged as a new political entity, the Democratic Party” (Martin Van Buren- U.S. Presidents …show more content…
Working closely under Jackson, Van Buren becomes Vice President in 1832 as the Democratic Party’s nominee, and then succeeds Jackson four years later as President of the United States in 1836, also under the Democratic Party. Just three months after the beginning of Van Buren’s term, the Panic of 1837 strikes the United States. The Panic of 1837’s creation has been pinpointed to Jackson’s Policies to the nonrenewal of the charter of the Second Bank of the United States; thus transferring federal funds to state banks, and also the enforcement of the Specie CIrcular, which eventually led to one of the nation’s most crippling economic downfalls. Van Buren’s attempts to solve this economic crisis did little to rescue the economy, as it only further deflated the public. Van Buren consequently only served one term as president and left the office in 1840 after losing to the Whig party’s nomination, Henry William Harrison. Attempting to reenter office in 1844, Van Buren is denied the Democratic ticket, as James K. Polk was more widely favored as he promoted the annexation of Texas and the spread of slavery. In 1848, Martin attempts again for reelection, but this time under the newly formed Free Soil Party. Failing yet again, Martin retires in 1848
Known as “the Little Magician” for being five foot six inches, the “OK president” with OK being an acronym for Old Kinderhook, New York where Martin grew up,“the Fox” for his “sly political maneuvers”, and as the “First Professional Politician”, as he was the first president to be born in the United States territory and not previously a citizen to the British Isles (Martin Van Buren - U.S. Presidents 1). Politically, Van Buren started off small and gradually moved up in political ranking. As he was leader of the “Albany Regency”, a New York political organization which was used to gain votes during his role as state attorney general and two terms on the New York State Senate from 1812 to 1820, to finally be elected into the U.S. senate in 1821 (Friedel 1). Opposing John Quincy Adams in the election of 1824 “helped form a coalition of Jeffersonian Republicans that backed Andrew Jackson in the 1828 election. This coalition soon emerged as a new political entity, the Democratic Party” (Martin Van Buren- U.S. Presidents …show more content…
Working closely under Jackson, Van Buren becomes Vice President in 1832 as the Democratic Party’s nominee, and then succeeds Jackson four years later as President of the United States in 1836, also under the Democratic Party. Just three months after the beginning of Van Buren’s term, the Panic of 1837 strikes the United States. The Panic of 1837’s creation has been pinpointed to Jackson’s Policies to the nonrenewal of the charter of the Second Bank of the United States; thus transferring federal funds to state banks, and also the enforcement of the Specie CIrcular, which eventually led to one of the nation’s most crippling economic downfalls. Van Buren’s attempts to solve this economic crisis did little to rescue the economy, as it only further deflated the public. Van Buren consequently only served one term as president and left the office in 1840 after losing to the Whig party’s nomination, Henry William Harrison. Attempting to reenter office in 1844, Van Buren is denied the Democratic ticket, as James K. Polk was more widely favored as he promoted the annexation of Texas and the spread of slavery. In 1848, Martin attempts again for reelection, but this time under the newly formed Free Soil Party. Failing yet again, Martin retires in 1848