Who is Martin Van Buren?

Martin Van Buren was born on December 5, 1782 in New York. As a young man, he opened his own legal practice after apprenticing to a local lawyer for about seven years. He then moved on to politics. He favored states's rights over a strong federal government, and during his time in Senate, he formed a coalition of Jeffersonian Republicans, which formed into the Democratic Party. He then became governor of New York, Secretary of State, and minister to Britain before earning the nomination for vice president.
After serving his vice presidential term, he became the 8th president of the United States in 1836. Early into his four-year term, a financial panic ensued as the country entered the worst Great Depression in its history. Unfortunately, Van Buren’s actions did not help much, and he did not win re-election in 1840. Without much political support, he retired as he watched slavery drive the country apart.