Summary Of Andrew Jackson's Life And Work

Born in the back woods in 1776. Andrew's parents were poor irish farmers. He received education although it wasn't the best , sometimes he attended school and sometimes he did not. In his teens he took an interest in law and for 2 years he studied it. He became a good lawyer in tennessee. A Lot of people were jealous of how good the young lawyer was and he often participated in fights with these people. He killed a man in a duel who insulted his wife. Andrew made lots of money as his job as a lawyer. He bought slaves and a mansion. He called this mansion the Hermitage and was located near Nashville. He was the first man from Tennessee to be elected to the house. He also served shortly in the senate. He became a great general in the revolution

and became a war hero after defeating the British at New Orleans. He gained the nickname “Old Hickory” because people thought he came from humble beginnings and that he was sort of an “average”man. This persona gave him the popular vote when he ran for president. (www.whitehouse.gov) Although he was young his first firefight was fought at the battle of hanging rock during the revolution. At this battle he was captured by the british and imprisoned. He then worked for a saddlers shop. After he was released he attended law school at Salisbury N.C. (http://bioguide.congress.gov/). Historian John Spencer Bassett (as cited in Bugg, 1962) described Jackson
“His enemies hated him and rarely saw his good qualities; his friends loved him and reluctantly admitted his failings; and in a sense each was right”(www.AndrewJackson.edu).

Andrew jackson did not believe in the white man and the native americans merging together. He tried to make a deal with the natives down south to move them somewhere else. The majority disagreed so instead he asked the minority and they said yes so the minority moved but the majority stayed . President Jackson then forcefully removed the natives from their land and sent them west. This was the beginning of the trail of tears, a long, far, and treacherous journey for the natives that subjected them to death disease and suffering. As president jackson had a lot of opposition. 2 new parties arose out of the old republican party, the democrats and the national republicans (whigs). The democrats supported him and the whigs opposed him.Henry Clay and Daniel Webster ,prominent leaders of the republican party, portrayed Jackson as a dictator and a sort of king. Journalists who didn't like him portrayed him in king's clothes with him holding a scepter standing on the torn up constitution. Clay and Webster claimed to be protectors of the civil and popular liberties. Unlike previous presidents Jackson did not defer to congress for policy making. He used the power of the veto and his party leadership to assume command. Jackson and the second national bank , a private corporation but a virtual monopoly funded by the government, had problems from the start. Jackson opposed the idea of a bank that was to powerful. When the bank saw that andrew didn't like it the bank threw all its power at him. Andrew jackson charged the bank with undue economic privilege. The congress favored andrews views and the bank was then dismantled. Andrew jackson did a good job as president. His policies would come to influence America's future in a big way, putting his own dent in the forming sculpture of freedom that would become a powerful, dignified, and beautiful country that we all more or less love.