Hello, and Happy December to you! If you’re reading this post through email or a Google Reader or the like, please come click through today, because we’ve got some new stuff on the website. Take a look around. :)
It’s time for another installation of…
Today I’m schooling you on Martin Van Buren, the eighth President of the United States. Notably, also the first President to have been born a United States citizen.
Van Buren was known for his speaking and composition skills (a plus for a candidate, obviously, since we all love dynamic speakers). And Van Buren did a lot of politickin. He was a New York Senator, then moved onto being Secretary of State, then Vice President, and finally President. (He and Thomas Jefferson are the only two to hold the three latter positions.)
In regards to family life, when Van Buren was 25, he married Hannah Hoes. I’d also like to point out that his mother’s maiden name was Hoes. He and Hannah were distant relatives (that sort of stuff flew back then, y’all). He and Hannah had five sons and one daughter – sadly, the daughter was stillborn, and the third son was born and died in the same year. The other four sons all grew up to have some sort of experience in politics.
Van Buren also had a cool last name. Van. Buren. Makes me want to stick a “Van” in front of stuff.
Hey, doesn’t Van Buren look a little like Wolverine?
Alas, I’m afraid this is where is baller status ends. A cool name and goofy hair can only get you so far. Van Buren is marked by some bullyness. Some scandal. Some rude-ity. Some not-so-baller behavior.
Mormons were experiencing some major oppression in the 1800s – did you know there was an 1838 Mormon War? I did not. Anyway, Mormons were being kicked out of Missouri. Joseph Smith appealed to Van Buren for help. Van Buren allegedly said to Smith, “Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you; if I take up for you I shall lose the vote of Missouri.”
Dang, Van Buren. Daaang.
Regarding slavery, he said, “I must go into the Presidential chair the inflexible and uncompromising opponent of every attempt on the part of Congress to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia against the wishes of the slaveholding States, and also with a determination equally decided to resist the slightest interference with it in the States where it exists.”
:O What, now? I know. My research shows that at one point he did vote against slavery.. in Missouri, but I’m not convinced he made the turn around that Baller Benjamin Franklin once did. If I’m wrong, please tell me. Otherwise, I’m stamping Van Buren as an…
Anti-Baller of History
You're no baller!
Am I being harsh? Please tell me. Got another historical figure you’d like to see up here? Tell me that, too.
Sorry, Van Buren. And my apologies to the Van Buren Boys.
love the new header.
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Roo Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 10:28 am
Yay!! Thank you!
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The new look is awesome [or baller]. And you know I love your history lessons… I have to admit I knew nothing about Van Buren exept that he was president before reading this.
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Roo Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Thanks, Mandy!! You know, I didn’t either. Just that he was the 8th president, and that’s thanks to Seinfeld.
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Do you really have that many notebooks on the back of your sofa?
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Roo Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Somebody call Hoarders!!!
And, no. Haha.
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POTENTIAL BALLERS:
(question: does a baller already have to be dead? can they be fictional?)
William Wallace
Gospel Bill
P.Diddy
Pippi Longstocking
Laura Ingalls Wilder and while you are at it…
Ann of Green Gables
Corrie Ten Boom
Martin Luther King
Prince
Ernest
Those are my picks
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Roo Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Ernest? Like Ernest Goes to Camp?
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Lindsey Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 1:39 am
you betcha
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I’m glad I clicked over because I LOVE that new header! Ha Ha, he does look like Wolverine!! I learned a lot since I don’t ever remember learning about Van Buren, of course elementary or middle school seems sooooo long ago. Keep em coming!
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Roo Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Hi, Paulina! Thanks! I was nervous that people wouldn’t like it. :) Glad you do.
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First, excellent new header. I’m sorry the photographer showed up unannounced and gave you no time to clean up the couch. :)
Second, I learned a lot about our 8th president today, like how he didn’t wear pants (the pic is proof right?)
And third, I totally think you should do a segment on Ernest.
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Roo Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 3:54 pm
What, you don’t like my awesome notebook layout? He totally wore pants. I don’t usually draw them on my stick figures, haha.
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Oooh – love Ballers of History!!
I grew in Phoenix – Van Buren Street is where the Hookers hang out. Not a good place to be. So yeah – Anti Baller. ;)
What about Thomas Jefferson? He’s cool.
Or maybe Patrick Henry?
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Roo Reply:
December 1st, 2010 at 3:55 pm
Hooker street? Definitely anti-ballin.
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Another Baller – Andrew Jackson (but he also might be an anti-baller because of some not so nice things). Same goes for Teddy Roosevelt.
I still recommend Mr. Tesla, and also a guy by the name of Alan Turing (nerd stuff).
Finally, Abe Lincoln would make a great BoH. Just sayin.
On a unrelated note, I am starting my own band – Sprinkles on the Side. We’ll be picking up were Vanilla Ice left off. Boom.
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Roo Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:02 am
Rainbow Sprinkles on the Side.
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Milkshake Tim Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 1:44 pm
I hate you. This is about my Richard Simmons statement the other night, isn’t it?
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Your new header is sooooooooooo cute!
I thought Wolverine looked familiar.
And I love that Seinfeld episode.
Hope you’re doing well :o)
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Hey there, very interesting history lesson, but I think you meant to say the previous presidents were born British subjects, they were actually born here in the US. According to wikipedia. Love your blog
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Roo Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:48 am
You’re right. I’ll edit!
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Ballers (or NonBallers in this case) of History was worth the wait! So was the new header! :) And I don’t know that Ernest would count as a baller in any sense of the word (reference from above, assuming she DOES mean Ernest goes to Camp, Jail, etc.).
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benjamin banneker
frederick douglass
web dubois
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I love your new header!
And Abraham Lincoln for sure. And Samuel Morse. What’s better than an old fashioned telegram? :)
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How did I miss Ballers of History? Or anti baller wolverine look a like in this case. The new header is da bomb! (It even feels lame typing da bomb) As far as future ballers…maybe some inventors or scientists? Tesla? Curie? Einstein?
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[...] talked about other historical high rollers – George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Martin van Buren (who turned out to be an anti-baller). Don’t forget my disclaimer. Half of my extremely [...]