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Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States, serving one term in office. He was born on December 5, 1782 in Kinderhook, New York and died of heart failure in 1862. His father was a tavern keeper and farmer. Van Buren was the first president born as a citizen of the U.S.A., as all previous presidents were born before the American Revolution.
馬丁·范布倫是美國第8任總統，任期為一屆。1782年11月5日，他出生在美國紐約州的肯德胡克，并于1862年因心臟衰竭逝世。他父親是位酒館老板兼農民。馬丁·范布倫是第一位以美國公民身份出生并當選美國總統的人。因為前7位美國總統均出生在美國獨立戰爭之前。
Van Buren studied law and entered New York politics at the age of 17. He faithfully fulfilled his official duties for a decade and a half. His skill at gathering support for his party earned him the nickname "The Little Magician". In 1821, he was elected to the United States Senate representing New York. President Andrew Jackson rewarded Van Buren's loyalty by appointing him Secretary of State in 1829.
17歲時，馬丁·范布倫學習法律，并跨入紐約政壇。在十年零6個月的時間里，他忠實地履行了自己的公務。他善于為自己所在的黨派爭取支持，并因此獲得“小魔術師”的綽號。1821年，他被推選進了紐約州參議院。1829年，安德魯·杰克遜總統為表彰馬丁·范布倫的忠誠，將他推選為美國國務卿。
Van Buren's rise to the Presidency continued in 1833 when he was appointed Andrew Jackson's Vice President. Van Buren was President Jackson's first choice to take over from him from 1837. He easily won the 1836 election. Van Buren devoted his Inaugural Address to explaining how the American experiment and its prosperity was an example to the rest of the world.
1833年，馬丁·范布倫被任命為安德魯·杰克遜的副總統，自此，他離美國總統之職也不遠了。美國總統杰克遜希望，馬丁·范布倫能在1837年接任美國總統之職——他是杰克遜心中的總統第一人選。1836年，馬丁·范布倫在美國總統大選中輕松獲勝。他的就職演說主要解釋了美國是如何創建起來的，同時還聲明了美國的繁榮是世界的榜樣。
His Presidency was largely dominated by the recession that followed the "Panic of 1837". Hundreds of banks and businesses failed. Thousands lost their land. It was the worst depression to hit America in its short history. Many blamed him for it and nicknamed him "Martin Van Ruin". He was voted out of office in 1840 and was an unsuccessful candidate for President as an independent in 1848. He died in 1862.
馬丁·范布倫在擔任美國總統時，主要是在經濟衰退中度過的，這次的經濟衰退發生在“1837年恐慌”之后。當時，數以百計的銀行及公司倒閉，上千人失去自己的土地——這是出現在美國短暫歷史上最嚴重的一次經濟衰退。許多人責備馬丁·范布倫，并給他起綽號為“馬丁·范禍根”（"Martin Van Ruin"）。1840年，馬丁·范布倫在美國總統大選中競選失敗，并卸任了美國總統的職務。1848年，作為一個獨立的美國總統候選人，馬丁·范布倫還是遭到了落選。1862年，馬丁·范布倫逝世。
譯文屬可可英語原創，未經允許，不得轉載。
