Today I’m schooling you on Martin Van Buren, the eighth President of the United States. Notably, also the first President to have been born a United States citizen.
Van Buren was known for his speaking and composition skills (a plus for a candidate, obviously, since we all love dynamic speakers). And Van Buren did a lot of politickin. He was a New York Senator, then moved onto being Secretary of State, then Vice President, and finally President. (He and Thomas Jefferson are the only two to hold the three latter positions.)
In regards to family life, when Van Buren was 25, he married Hannah Hoes. I’d also like to point out that his mother’s maiden name was Hoes. He and Hannah were distant relatives (that sort of stuff flew back then, y’all). He and Hannah had five sons and one daughter – sadly, the daughter was stillborn, and the third son was born and died in the same year. The other four sons all grew up to have some sort of experience in politics.
Van Buren also had a cool last name. Van. Buren. Makes me want to stick a “Van” in front of stuff.
Hey, doesn’t Van Buren look a little like Wolverine?
Alas, I’m afraid this is where is baller status ends. A cool name and goofy hair can only get you so far. Van Buren is marked by some bullyness. Some scandal. Some rude-ity. Some not-so-baller behavior.
Mormons were experiencing some major oppression in the 1800s – did you know there was an 1838 Mormon War? For reals... Anyway, Mormons were being kicked out of Missouri (Thank you Gov. Boggs ). Joseph Smith appealed to Van Buren for help (There was an extermination order out- ya it was LEGAL to kill Mormons... crazy!) . Van Buren allegedly said to Smith, “Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you; if I take up for you I shall lose the vote of Missouri.”
Dang, Van Buren. Daaang.
Regarding slavery, he said, “I must go into the Presidential chair the inflexible and uncompromising opponent of every attempt on the part of Congress to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia against the wishes of the slaveholding States, and also with a determination equally decided to resist the slightest interference with it in the States where it exists.”
:O What, now? I know. My research shows that at one point he did vote against slavery.. in Missouri, but I’m not convinced he made the turn around that Baller Benjamin Franklin once did. If I’m wrong, please tell me. Otherwise, I’m stamping Van Buren as an…
Anti-Baller of History
You're no baller!
