All the previous presidents were born before April 30, 1789, the date of General Washington’s inauguration as the first President of the United States. They were therefore born before there was a United States, although they were born in America.
Polk was vastly underrated as President. In fact, many historians list him among the top ten of Presidents. He was the last strong president up to, I would say William McKinley, even surpassing Lincoln and Grover Cleveland.
What explanation is needed?
He was the first elected President to be a natural born citizen. (John Tyler was the first President to be natural born, but he wasn’t elected President, he was elected Vice President and became President when William Harrison died in office).
Until Tyler, all U.S. Presidents were botn before the Constitution was ratified, thus they fell into the “or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution” clause.
“James K. Polk” by They Might Be Giants
In 1844, the Democrats were split
The three nominees for the presidential candidate
Were Martin Van Buren, a former president and an abolitionist
James Buchanan, a moderate
Louis Cass, a general and expansionist
From Nashville came a dark horse riding up
He was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump
Austere, severe, he held few people dear
His oratory filled his foes with fear
The factions soon agreed
He’s just the man we need
To bring about victory
Fulfill our manifest destiny
And annex the land the Mexicans command
And when the votes were cast the winner was
Mister James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump
In four short years he met his every goal
He seized the whole southwest from Mexico
Made sure the tarriffs fell
And made the English sell the Oregon territory
He built an independent treasury
Having done all this he sought no second term
But precious few have mourned the passing of
Mister James K. Polk, our eleventh president
Young Hickory, Napoleon of the Stump
Everyone born before the Declaration of Independence was born a British citizen. In fact, in 1775, George Washington was toasting the King of England every evening at dinner.
The term "natural born" appears on page 33 in addition to those above.
The word "parents" (plural) appears on pages 33 and 330, likely in conjunction with the two above terms.
Searching for "Vattel" produces no results.
However, the term "law of nations" appears on pages: xii, 9, 71, 172, 185, 194, 226, 405, 417, 425, 437, 438, 513.
The first Natural born citizen President was Martin Van Buren 8th President of the U.S. Both of his parents became citizens when we became a nation. Hence he was a natural born citizen per Article 2. The first President to be born to Americans citizens “ born after” our nation was formed ( and Natural born citizens themselves) would be Polk our 11th President. hope this clears up your question?
They were *both* natural born citizens and citizens at the time of the adoption of the Constitution.
James Polk was the first President born after the adoption of the Constitution, so the first to *only* be a Natural born citizen, and not one at the time of adoption of the Constitution.
But perhaps that's only of academic interest, since Van Buren and Taylor were eligible, whether one counts them as natural born or not.
From an earlier edition, there’s a useful footnote referencing a book by Thach and another by Farrand that evidently provide further detail on the source of the NBC clause:
http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=p1o_AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA325&img=1&pgis=1&dq=natural-born&sig=ACfU3U3ty8VF5MKgQlUD8IOpUDO3T6rcOQ&edge=1
Thus, it’s easily possible Corwin relied on these authorities rather than Vattel directly.