8th President
Democratic
1837-1841Martin Van Buren
Jacksonian Democracy
Van Buren inherited the financial panic of 1837 and helped consolidate modern party organization even as his presidency was weakened by economic crisis.
Sequence
8th President
Years
1837-1841
Party
Democratic
The presidency in power
Panic of 1837
Independent Treasury system
Intensifying sectional conflict over slavery
Sequence Recall
Previous
Andrew Jackson
Next
William Henry Harrison
Term Structure
1837-03-04 to 1841-03-04
Elected by the Electoral CollegeWhat This President Actually Did
A full dossier has not been written for this presidency yet. The page still includes timeline, institutional themes, measures, crises, and study prompts, and the dossier model is ready to be filled out presidency by presidency.
Vice Presidents
Richard Mentor Johnson
Constitutional Themes
Party system consolidation
Signature Measures
Independent Treasury
Defining Crises
Panic of 1837
Self-Test Prompts
Which party did Martin Van Buren represent, and what broader era does this presidency belong to?
Democratic. This presidency is grouped here under Jacksonian Democracy.
How did Martin Van Buren first enter office?
Elected by the Electoral College.
What are the three most important moments to remember from this presidency?
Panic of 1837; Independent Treasury system; Intensifying sectional conflict over slavery.
Daily Drill Extension
Which presidents bracket Martin Van Buren in the sequence?
Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison.
Which party and era should you associate with Martin Van Buren?
Democratic; Jacksonian Democracy.
How did Martin Van Buren first enter office?
Elected by the Electoral College.
Name two high-signal moments that make Martin Van Buren historically memorable.
Panic of 1837; Independent Treasury system.
Which constitutional or institutional themes should you connect to Martin Van Buren?
Party system consolidation.