Martin Van Buren Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Martin Van Buren?
Martin Van Buren was the 8th President of the United States and a key leader in the Democratic Party. He was born on December 5, 1782 in Kinderhook, New York and served as President from 1837 to 1841. Van Buren was an accomplished lawyer before he entered politics and gained national recognition for his successful service as New York’s governor. His political career began in 1812 when he became a member of the Senate of New York. He then served as Secretary of State under both Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams before becoming Vice President under Jackson.Van Buren is often credited with helping to shape the modern Democratic Party, which he helped found during his presidency. He championed states’ rightsa position that was at odds with many other Democratsand promoted economic development through internal improvements such as road-building projects. He also established an independent Treasury system to manage government funds more efficiently than had been done before, which is still used today by many countries around the world. Van Buren’s legacy is complicated by his role in causing or exacerbating several major financial panics during his tenure, including the Panic of 1837 that occurred just after he took office and lasted for several years into his term. While some blame him for these events due to policies enacted during his presidency, others believe that they were largely caused by broader economic forces beyond his control such as over-speculation on land and international trade disputes between Britain and France that disrupted global markets. Despite this controversy surrounding him, Van Buren is remembered for being one of America’s most influential early Presidents whose work laid strong foundations for later administrations in both foreign policy objectives (such as negotiating peace treaties with Native American tribes) and domestic initiatives (like expanding internal improvements). He also left behind a lasting impact on American culture: The phrase OKa popular abbreviation used todayoriginated from supporters who wrote Old Kinderhook near their ballots to indicate their support for Van Buren in 1840 elections.