<P> Martin Van Buren ( born Maarten van Buren ; December 5 , 1782 -- July 24 , 1862 ) was an American statesman who served as the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841 . A founder of the Democratic Party , he held a number of senior positions in the U.S. Federal Government , including eighth Vice President ( 1833 -- 1837 ) and tenth Secretary of State ( 1829 -- 1831 ) , both under Andrew Jackson . Van Buren won the presidency by promising to continue Jackson 's policies . The Panic of 1837 which struck the nation combined with the growing political strength of the opposition Whig Party led to his defeat when he ran for reelection . During his half - century of public service , he built and perfected a new system of political parties at first the state and then the federal level ; at the end of his life , he was seen as a major figure of the abolitionist movement defending Abraham Lincoln 's policies during the American Civil War . Van Buren was the first President of the United States to be born a United States citizen . Of Dutch descent , he is the only U.S. President who spoke English as a second language . </P>
<P> Martin Van Buren ( born Maarten van Buren ; December 5 , 1782 -- July 24 , 1862 ) was an American statesman who served as the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841 . A founder of the Democratic Party , he held a number of senior positions in the U.S. Federal Government , including eighth Vice President ( 1833 -- 1837 ) and tenth Secretary of State ( 1829 -- 1831 ) , both under Andrew Jackson . Van Buren won the presidency by promising to continue Jackson 's policies . The Panic of 1837 which struck the nation combined with the growing political strength of the opposition Whig Party led to his defeat when he ran for reelection . During his half - century of public service , he built and perfected a new system of political parties at first the state and then the federal level ; at the end of his life , he was seen as a major figure of the abolitionist movement defending Abraham Lincoln 's policies during the American Civil War . Van Buren was the first President of the United States to be born a United States citizen . Of Dutch descent , he is the only U.S. President who spoke English as a second language . </P>
who was the first president defeated for reelection
who was the first president defeated for reelection
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren