The United States' seventh president: Andrew Jackson
The United States' seventh president: Andrew Jackson
An overview of Andrew Jackson.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
NARRATOR: Andrew Jackson—the seventh president of the United States—was a military hero who became the first president elected through popular democracy, by a direct appeal to the mass of voters.
Jackson was only 8 when the American Revolution began in 1775. When he was 13 he and his brother Robert joined the local militia. In 1781 they were captured by the British. Jackson is the only U.S. president to have been a prisoner of war.
During the brothers' captivity, they refused to clean a British officer's boots and the man slashed each boy with his saber as punishment. They were then marched 40 miles to a prison, where they fell ill with smallpox. Jackson's mother was able to negotiate their release in exchange for British prisoners, but Robert died shortly afterwards. When Jackson recovered, his mother continued to nurse other colonial soldiers. She grew ill and died, leaving Jackson an orphan.
During the next war with the British—the War of 1812—Jackson distinguished himself as a national hero. His men gave him the nickname "Old Hickory," because they thought he was as tough as the hard wood of a hickory tree.
In January 1815 Jackson and his men defended the city of New Orleans and won a decisive victory. The war had actually ended weeks before, but it took word so long to travel that neither Jackson nor the British knew. The victory still helped boost national confidence and turned Jackson into a hero.
A few years later Jackson—now a general—led U.S. forces in the First Seminole War. This conflict was waged against the Seminole Indians of Florida. After the war the United States gained Florida and the Seminole were forced to move to a reservation. Later they were forced to leave Florida entirely. The Indian Removal Act, signed by President Jackson in 1830, forced all Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to leave their homes and move west. About 15,000 American Indians died during the difficult trip, now known as the Trail of Tears.
Jackson followed his military successes by running for the presidency in 1824. He received the most popular and electoral votes of all the candidates but not the majority necessary to win in the electoral college. The election then passed to the House of Representatives, which selected John Quincy Adams as president. Jackson and his supporters spent the next four years campaigning. They became known as Jacksonian Democrats—or simply Democrats—representing the start of the modern Democratic Party.
In 1828 Jackson again ran for president, directly appealing to the mass of voters. He was the first president to be elected through popular democracy rather than through the support of a strong political party. Jackson won reelection in 1832 by an overwhelming margin.
While in office, Jackson helped strengthen the power and popularity of the presidency. He was the first president to be viewed as a man of the people. He was the first born in poverty, the first born in a log cabin, and the first from west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Because of his background, Jackson was a little rougher than previous presidents. He participated in many duels during his lifetime, including one in which he killed a man. In 1835 he became the first president to face an assassination attempt. The would-be assassin shot at him twice, but both guns misfired. In response, Jackson attacked the man with his wooden cane.
One popular story about Jackson says that he cursed so much that his parrot picked up foul language, too. When Jackson died in 1845, his bird created such a disturbance at the funeral that it had to be removed.
Jackson was only 8 when the American Revolution began in 1775. When he was 13 he and his brother Robert joined the local militia. In 1781 they were captured by the British. Jackson is the only U.S. president to have been a prisoner of war.
During the brothers' captivity, they refused to clean a British officer's boots and the man slashed each boy with his saber as punishment. They were then marched 40 miles to a prison, where they fell ill with smallpox. Jackson's mother was able to negotiate their release in exchange for British prisoners, but Robert died shortly afterwards. When Jackson recovered, his mother continued to nurse other colonial soldiers. She grew ill and died, leaving Jackson an orphan.
During the next war with the British—the War of 1812—Jackson distinguished himself as a national hero. His men gave him the nickname "Old Hickory," because they thought he was as tough as the hard wood of a hickory tree.
In January 1815 Jackson and his men defended the city of New Orleans and won a decisive victory. The war had actually ended weeks before, but it took word so long to travel that neither Jackson nor the British knew. The victory still helped boost national confidence and turned Jackson into a hero.
A few years later Jackson—now a general—led U.S. forces in the First Seminole War. This conflict was waged against the Seminole Indians of Florida. After the war the United States gained Florida and the Seminole were forced to move to a reservation. Later they were forced to leave Florida entirely. The Indian Removal Act, signed by President Jackson in 1830, forced all Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to leave their homes and move west. About 15,000 American Indians died during the difficult trip, now known as the Trail of Tears.
Jackson followed his military successes by running for the presidency in 1824. He received the most popular and electoral votes of all the candidates but not the majority necessary to win in the electoral college. The election then passed to the House of Representatives, which selected John Quincy Adams as president. Jackson and his supporters spent the next four years campaigning. They became known as Jacksonian Democrats—or simply Democrats—representing the start of the modern Democratic Party.
In 1828 Jackson again ran for president, directly appealing to the mass of voters. He was the first president to be elected through popular democracy rather than through the support of a strong political party. Jackson won reelection in 1832 by an overwhelming margin.
While in office, Jackson helped strengthen the power and popularity of the presidency. He was the first president to be viewed as a man of the people. He was the first born in poverty, the first born in a log cabin, and the first from west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Because of his background, Jackson was a little rougher than previous presidents. He participated in many duels during his lifetime, including one in which he killed a man. In 1835 he became the first president to face an assassination attempt. The would-be assassin shot at him twice, but both guns misfired. In response, Jackson attacked the man with his wooden cane.
One popular story about Jackson says that he cursed so much that his parrot picked up foul language, too. When Jackson died in 1845, his bird created such a disturbance at the funeral that it had to be removed.