Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren was a pivotal organizer of the Democratic Party and a dominant force in the Second Party System. He was the first president not of British descent, with Dutch ancestry, and the only president to not speak English as a native language. His administration was largely defined by economic hardship and strained relations with Great Britain. Van Buren holds the distinction of serving as Secretary of State, Vice President, and President, a rare feat shared with only one other person.