Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren was the eighth president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841. A skilled party organizer, he helped build the Democratic Party.

Andrew Jackson: Andrew Jackson was the seventh U.S. president and a leading figure in the Democratic Party. Van Buren served as Jackson’s secretary of state and vice president before succeeding him.
Second Party System: The Second Party System was the period of competition between Democrats and Whigs from the 1820s to the 1850s. Van Buren’s presidency unfolded within this increasingly organized two-party competition.
Kinderhook, New York: Kinderhook is a town in Columbia County, New York, where Martin Van Buren was born in 1782. Van Buren’s Dutch-American upbringing in this small town shaped his early life.
Independent Treasury Act: The Independent Treasury Act of 1840 established federal custody of public funds outside private banks. Its passage was a major legislative achievement of Van Buren’s administration.
Whig Party: The Whig Party was a major U.S. political party that opposed many policies of Andrew Jackson and his Democratic successors. Whigs opposed Van Buren’s Democrats and defeated him in 1840.
William Henry Harrison: William Henry Harrison was the ninth U.S. president, elected in 1840 as a Whig. Harrison defeated Van Buren in the election that ended his presidency.
Panic of 1837: The Panic of 1837 was a financial crisis marked by bank failures, credit contraction, and a prolonged depression. The crisis began shortly after Van Buren took office and dominated his administration.
Albany Regency: The Albany Regency was a New York Democratic political organization led by Martin Van Buren and his allies. It became a model of disciplined party organization and a base for Van Buren’s influence.
Amistad case: The Amistad case was an 1841 U.S. Supreme Court case concerning Africans who had revolted aboard a Spanish slave ship. Van Buren’s administration opposed the captives’ freedom claims before the Supreme Court ruled.
Henry Clay: Henry Clay was a Kentucky statesman and Whig leader who served as speaker of the House and secretary of state. Clay was a leading Whig rival to the Democratic political tradition Van Buren helped build.

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