Before he started his Presidency, he served as the Secretary of State and Vice President under Andrew Jackson. In this role, he assisted in shaping the party’s policies and strategies. During his four-years as President, Van Buren faced the Panic of 1837, a severe economic depression triggered by bank failures and a collapse in land prices. His response to the financial conflict was focused on maintaining government fiscal discipline. He created an independent treasury system to separate federal funds from private banks. However, these efforts failed as they were not enough to quickly end the depression, as this led to widespread unemployment. Furthermore, Martin Van Buren continued Andrew Jackson’s policy of Indian removal, which forced Native American tribes of the southeastern United States to relocate. Overall, Van Buren’s presidency solidified the two-party system in American politics.