Primary sourceSpeech3 December 1838
Second State of the Union Address
Martin Van Buren · 3 December 1838
Van Buren's own annual message to Congress delivered on 3 December 1838, describing the state of the nation during his presidency.
Van Buren's own words as president, delivered to Congress describing the condition of the nation in 1838.
About this source
What it is
This is the text of Martin Van Buren's second annual message to Congress, delivered on 3 December 1838, during his presidency. It is one of his official State of the Union addresses, preserved in the record of presidential works.
Why it matters
As a message written and delivered by Van Buren himself, this address is a direct record of how he described the condition of the country, including agriculture, industry, health, and foreign relations, in his own words. It shows how a president communicated with Congress and the public about the state of the nation and his priorities.
Look closer
- What topics does Van Buren choose to open his address with, and why might he start there?
- How does the tone of this official address compare to how a private letter might sound?
- What does the address leave out that might also have mattered to Americans in 1838?
This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Martin Van Buren on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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