Andrew Jackson was born in the Waxhaws near the border of North and South Carolina, on March 15, 1767. When Andrew Jackson was born, no one probably guessed that he would be the seventh president of the United States of America. He wasnt a high class person or had all the same credentials, but he became a war hero thus lifting him to his presidency. Andy Jackson was born the third child of Scotch-Irish parents. Jacksons father, also named Andrew, died as a result of a logging accident just before Andys birth.
Andys mother, Elizabeth (also known as Betty) was a very independent woman, she raised three sons at her sisters home in South Carolina. The revolutionary war was very hard on the Jackson family. All three boys saw active service in the war. One brother, Hugh, died during a battle. Andy and his other brother Robert were taken as prisoners of war. A British officer told them to shine his shoes and when Andrew said no, the officer sliced his hand. Andrew took this resentment to his grave.
Robert contracted smallpox and died. Andrews mother also died of an illness. Andrew was left as an orphan living with friends and relatives from the age of fourteen. Jackson taught school briefly but did not really like that so he decided to practice law. In 1796, Tennessee was separated from North Carolina and Jackson was elected a U. S. senator the following year. In 1802, Jackson was elected to major general in the Tennessee militia, ten years later he was appointed to major general in the U. S. orces. After several successful campaigns Jackson was finally promoted to major general in the regular army. General Jackson became a national hero after his defeat of British troops at the almost impossible to win battle of New Orleans. Jackson was so tough on his men that he earned the name Old Hickory. As a matter of fact, the two football teams on different sides of the Carolinas where Jackson grew up play the Old Hickory Classic to decide which county gets to adopt Jackson as from that home county.
Andrew Jackson had many friends but also many enemies. This was true throughout his life even during the elections and years in politics. Andrew Jackson ran for president in 1824. This election is commonly referred to as the Stolen Election, because Jackson won the popular vote but was unable to gain a majority in the electoral vote. So congress decided who would be the president. The results were: In the years leading up to 1828, Jackson and his supporters continually criticized Adams administration. Jackson was able to beat Adams in 1828.
Jackson and Adams were bitter enemies during the election of 1828, Adams criticized Jackson and said that he had committed adultery by marrying his wife Rachel Donelson. Andrew Jackson thought that Rachel and her former husband had been divorced, but a miscommunication between Rachel and the Kentucky legislation said that she was still legally married to her former husband, therefore leading to Adams accusations. Jackson was very different from the six previous presidents, he was not an aristocrat and was the first president to use the pocket veto to strike down bills.
One thing that Jackson did wrong during his presidency was discriminating against the Native Americans. Even though The Trail of Tears took place after Jacksons presidency, its roots were in the fact that Jackson did not uphold the right of the Native Americans. Jackson was a very controversial president, he once challenged a man to a duel because he made a rude comment about his wife. Jackson and his vice president John Calhoun did not get along and as a matter of fact Calhoun resigned.
Jacksons health was never very good and sometimes people werent sure if he would make it through his last term in office. In 1837, he retired to his home in Nashville called The Hermitage. Jackson remained a force in politics and supported Martin Van Buren and James K. Polk. By 1845, his health was very bad and on June 8, of that year he died at his home. Andrew Jackson was a very controversial president with many enemies but he was a smart man that did what he thought it took to run a country. He was a good president and kept this country headed in the right direction.
