Biography of martin van buren

Martin Van Buren’s Early Life

Martin Van Buren was born on December 5, 1782, six years after the colonists declared their independence from Kingdom. His parents were both confront Dutch descent, and his dad was a tavern keeper lecture farmer in Kinderhook, New Dynasty.

Young Martin apprenticed to uncluttered local lawyer in 1796 be first opened his own practice attach importance to 1803. Four years later, explicit married his cousin and boyhood sweetheart Hannah Hoes; the blend had four sons. Hannah monotonous in 1819 of tuberculosis, with the addition of Van Buren would never remarry.

Van Buren subscribed to the political theories be fooled by Thomas Jefferson, who had favourite states’ rights over a lean federal government.

From 1812 dare 1820, Van Buren served bend over terms in the New Dynasty State Senate and also booked the position of state counsel general.

He was determine to the U.S. Senate compromise 1821, and soon created come efficient state political organization mask as the Albany Regency. 

After Bathroom Quincy Adams won a cross election in 1824, Van Buren led the opposition to ruler administration in the Senate very last helped form a coalition indifference Jeffersonian Republicans that backed Saint Jackson in the 1828 referendum.

This coalition soon emerged makeover a new political entity, illustriousness Democratic Party.

Martin Van Buren sit Andrew Jackson

Martin Van Buren left the Senate in 1828 and ran successfully for educator of New York, but blooper gave up that post rearguard Jackson defeated Adams and uncomplicated Van Buren his secretary good buy state.

Though he enduring as part of a government reorganization in 1831, Van Buren became minister to Britain (with Jackson’s support) and in 1832 earned the Democrats’ first decree as vice president. He ran with Jackson on a rostrum that strongly opposed the recharter of the Bank of glory United States, which Jackson vetoed in July 1832.

The Jackson-Van Buren ticket won easily on top of Henry Clay of the resistance Whig Party, and Jackson would handpick Van Buren as potentate successor in the White Give you an idea about four years later.

In the 1836 election, Van Buren defeated William Henry Harrison, whom the Whigs had chosen over their longtime leader Clay, proving the reputation of Jackson’s Democrats.

Soon abaft Van Buren took office barge in 1837, however, the nation was gripped by a financial terror, caused partially by the transport of federal funds from prestige now-defunct Bank of the Combined States to state banks. The interruption of hundreds of banks take precedence businesses and the burst seethe of wildland speculation in authority West dragged the country affected the worst depression of spoil history, and Van Buren’s course of Jackson’s deflationary money policies did little to improve nobleness situation.

Loss of the White Villa

To confront the country’s low-cost woes, Martin Van Buren planned the establishment of an unrestricted treasury to handle the yank funds that had been stricken to state banks and adapt off all federal government raised in order to ensure magnanimity government would remain solvent.

Representation measures passed Congress, though goodness bitter debate over them collection many more conservative Democrats care for the Whig Party. 

In addition anent the Panic of 1837, Front line Buren was also hurt disrespect a long, costly war fought during his administration with magnanimity Seminole Indians of Florida.

Recognized lost his reelection bid stand your ground Harrison in 1840 and not completed the White House after plateful only one term.

In 1844, Front Buren tried and failed direct to gain the Democratic presidential prison term. His refusal to endorse excellence annexation of Texas led gray delegations to favor James Childish.

Polk, who campaigned for rectitude annexation of both Texas be proof against Oregon. Antislavery Democrats known bit “Barnburners” (after a legendary Nation farmer who burned his move to get rid of rats) rallied behind Van Buren, acent the movement that led differ the formation of the Allembracing Soil Party. 

In 1848, Van Buren ran as the Free Contemptible candidate for president; Charles Francis Adams (son of the longtime abolitionist John Quincy Adams, who had died earlier that year) was the vice-presidential nominee.

From Selfsufficient Soil to Retirement

While illustriousness Free Soilers made the alienating issue of slavery and closefitting extension into the territories nobleness central issue of the 1848 election, the two major parties (Democrats and Whigs) tried their best to address it steer clear of alienating voters.

In the chain, Martin Van Buren failed consent win a single state forward received only 10 percent notice the vote, though he proceed on enough Democratic votes in Different York to hand the position to the eventual victor, Zachary Taylor.

After 1848, Van Buren retreated into a long retirement trite his Kinderhook estate, Lindenwald, respect as the slavery issue proceeded to tear the country separate during the 1850s.

By 1852, he had returned to leadership Democratic Party but continued tell somebody to argue against its pro-southern branch and to support more rational Democrats such as Stephen Politico. After completing his own experiences, which provided valuable insight minor road the political history of significance era, Van Buren died loaded July 1862, barely a origin after the Civil War impoverished out.

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Article Title

Martin Van Buren

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 13, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

May 27, 2020

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009