Martin Van Buren, who was President of the United States from 1837 to 1841, had a lackluster presidency.
Here are 10 interesting facts about the former president:
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #1:
Martin Van Buren was the first President of the United States who was actually born in the country. The seven previous presidents were British subjects.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #2:
Although he was born in the country, Martin Van Buren was multi-lingual. The president from New York spoke English and Dutch, a language that he spoke while at his private residence.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #3:
Another interesting fact about the eighth president is he was the first president to have a campaign similar to the ones modern-day politicians hold. More specifically, his campaign involved speeches, rallies, and fundraisers.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #4:
An unfortunate fact is his wife, Hannah, passed away at a young age. She passed away at age 35. He could have married after her death, but decided not to.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #5:
The American president had four sons with his wife. One of his sons, Abraham, was a military personnel of the Mexican-American War. Another one of his sons, John, was a lawyer and politician. John was the 21st Attorney General of New York.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #6:
Martin Van Buren enjoyed many activities in his spare time. Some of the activities he enjoyed were attending opera and theater performances.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #7:
A fun fact about the former Vice President of the United States is he had a passion for singing. In fact, while at some church gatherings, he sung so loud that the other singers were not able to hear themselves.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #8:
Like Thomas Jefferson, Van Buren also appreciated animals. Moreover, he was reluctant to give away two tiger cubs that eventually had to go to a zoo.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #9:
A random fact about the American politician is he was both Secretary of State and Vice President under President Andrew Jackson.
10 Interesting Facts About Martin Van Buren #10:
The last fact about the former United States Minister to the United Kingdom is his presidency was marked by the Panic of 1837. Critics believed that he did not do enough to prevent the financial crisis. Some even started calling him by a new nickname, “Martin Van Ruin.” Furthermore, his presidency was limited to one-term, although he tried to stage a comeback in the 1848 election.
Sources:
“American President: Miller Center (1782-1862),” Miller Center.
“Martin Van Buren,” WhiteHouse.gov.
