author
Martin Van Buren
1782–1862
A master organizer of early American politics, he helped build the Democratic Party and became the eighth president of the United States. His years in the White House were shaped by the Panic of 1837, a financial crisis that tested both his leadership and his reputation.
2 Audiobooks
State of the Union Addresses
by Martin Van Buren
Inquiry Into the Origin and Course of Political Parties in the United States
by Martin Van Buren
About the author
Born in Kinderhook, New York, in 1782, Martin Van Buren was the first U.S. president born after American independence. Before reaching the White House, he built a long political career in New York and Washington, serving as a U.S. senator, governor of New York, secretary of state, and vice president under Andrew Jackson.
Van Buren was known as a skilled political strategist, earning the nickname "the Little Magician." He played a major role in organizing the Democratic Party and shaping the style of party politics that became a lasting part of American public life.
He served as president from 1837 to 1841. His term was dominated by the Panic of 1837, a severe economic downturn that made his presidency difficult and contributed to his defeat for reelection. Even so, he remains an important figure in the story of how American political parties and presidential politics took shape in the early republic.