Changes

==President 1837-1841==

==President 1837-1841==

[[Image:Van-b-admin.jpg|thumb|450px]]Both as secretary of state and as the presiding officer of the Senate he acquitted himself with skill and honor, and with Jackson squarely supporting him, he was nominated by his party for the presidency in 1836.  

[[Image:Van-b-admin.jpg|thumb]]Both as secretary of state and as the presiding officer of the Senate he acquitted himself with skill and honor, and with Jackson squarely supporting him, he was nominated by his party for the presidency in 1836.  

During his 1836 presidential campaign Van Buren promised to continue Jackson's policies and won easily over [[Daniel Webster]], [[William Henry Harrison]], and H. L. White, the regional Whig  candidates.   

During his 1836 presidential campaign Van Buren promised to continue Jackson's policies and won easily over [[Daniel Webster]], [[William Henry Harrison]], and H. L. White, the regional Whig  candidates.   

The most difficult challenge was the financial panic of 1837 and the depression that followed. Just as Van Buren took office in March 1837 the nation's banks began to suspend specie (gold) payment. For the next three years unemployment, crop failures, and low prices created real distress throughout the nation. Banks closed their doors, states were unable to meet their financial obligations, and many workingmen in the eastern cities were without jobs and hungry. Since the prevailing economic thought of the period held that the government should abstain from interfering with the country's economic life, Van Buren did nothing to alleviate the effects of the depression.  

The most difficult challenge was the financial panic of 1837 and the depression that followed. Just as Van Buren took office in March 1837 the nation's banks began to suspend specie (gold) payment. For the next three years unemployment, crop failures, and low prices created real distress throughout the nation. Banks closed their doors, states were unable to meet their financial obligations, and many workingmen in the eastern cities were without jobs and hungry. Since the prevailing economic thought of the period held that the government should abstain from interfering with the country's economic life, Van Buren did nothing to alleviate the effects of the depression.  

Against this background of discontent and suffering he was renominated in 1840 to run against the Whig candidate, Harrison. In the campaign that followed, Whigs ridiculed Van Buren as "a Northern man with Southern principles," a cold aristocrat indifferent to the people's sufferings, and nicknamed him "Martin Van Ruin"; he was decisively beaten.

Against this background of discontent and suffering he was renominated in 1840 to run against the Whig candidate, Harrison. In the campaign that followed, Whigs ridiculed Van Buren as "a Northern man with Southern principles," a cold aristocrat indifferent to the people's sufferings, and nicknamed him "Martin Van Ruin"; he was decisively beaten.

==Free Soil candidate in 1848==

==Free Soil candidate in 1848==