Martin Van Buren was the first U.S. president to be born an American citizen.

Quick Scoop

  • Name: Martin Van Buren, 8th president of the United States.
  • Born: December 5, 1782, in Kinderhook, New York, after the Declaration of Independence.
  • Why he was the first “American-born” president: All previous presidents (George Washington through Andrew Jackson) were born before 1776 and were legally British subjects at birth.

A Bit Of Context

  • The United States declared independence in 1776, so anyone born in the colonies before that date was technically born a British subject, even though they later became American leaders.
  • Van Buren’s birth in 1782 made him the first president who was a U.S. citizen from birth and the first president born after American independence.

Extra Fun Fact

  • Van Buren grew up in a Dutch-speaking community in Kinderhook and is the only president whose first language was not English; he spoke English as a second language.

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