Martin Van Buren

"Martin Van Buren" by Edward Morse Shepard is a detailed story of the life and career of the eighth U.S. president, looking at his big impact on politics, especially when it came to tariffs and the difficult issue of slavery. The biography begins by showing us how Van Buren was shaped by his friendships and the political world around him, including his son John, and the problems that Northern Democrats had with the rise of enslavement of people. The main topic of the story seeks to understand Van Buren's beliefs and actions, pointing out how he was influenced by Thomas Jefferson even as he dealt with the difficult political issues of his time, and how he demonstrated moral strength while helping to form the Democratic Party during a troubled period in American history.