Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson was the first United States president to have absolutely no interest in law and proper politics. He was a fighting man that earned the nickname "Old Hickory" because of his abrupt leadership style and abrasive personality. He outwardly engaged in duels that often resulted in the death of his opponent. He was the first president to see the Native Americans as an obstacle to the expansion of the country and introduced the Indian Removal Act which resulted in the systematic relocation of thousands of Native American tribes. He was also the president that killed the National Bank when he would not vote to renew its charter. He was a proponent of states’ rights but always felt that, in many issues, the federal government had power that could not be overridden by the states.

Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767 to Andrew and Elizabeth Jackson. It is said that Jackson was born in raised on the border between North and South Carolina. Jackson himself would later state that he was actually born in Lancaster County, South Carolina, but there has never been any documentation to prove this statement other than Jackson’s own writings. Andrew Jackson was a military courier at the age of 13 for the Continental Army. While in his service, Andrew Jackson and his brother Robert were captured by the British and forced to work for the British army. The brother contracted small pox while in British captivity. Their mother was able to get the brothers released from the British, but Robert died less than a week after the release. Elizabeth Jackson is assured by doctors that her son Andrew would survive.

Jackson married Rachel Robards once while Robards was still married to her soon to be ex-husband Lewis. Lewis Robards had abandoned his wife and Andrew Jackson wanted to marry her. Jackson thought that Lewis had filed the divorce and married Rachel Robards. But Lewis Robards did not file for divorce and the first marriage between Andrew and Rachel was nullified. When it was officially determined that Rachel and Lewis Robards were divorced in 1794, Rachel married Andrew Jackson. The Jacksons did not have any children of their own but adopted and cared for 11 children. Rachel Jackson died of a heart attack in 1828. When Andrew Jackson became president, he invited his niece Emily Donelson to be White House hostess.

Andrew Jackson was always seen as an angry man, but he is also the only president in history that paid off the country’s entire debt. He served as president from 1829 to 1837 and then passed away on June 8, 1845.

Notable Andrew Jackson Quotes

"Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error."

"Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it."

"I weep for the liberty of my country when I see at this early day of its successful experiment that corruption has been imputed to many members of the House of Representatives, and the rights of the people have been bartered for promises of office."

"It is a damn poor mind indeed which can't think of at least two ways to spell any word."

The Only President to...

Andrew Jackson was the only United States President to have paid off the national debt.

Interesting Andrew Jackson Facts

The first known attempt on a sitting president's life was against Andrew Jackson when an out-of-work house painter attempted to shoot him with a pistol. The pistol misfired so he took out another which also misfired. As it turns out, the man was mentally ill. He was confined to a mental institution without ever being punished for the assassination attempt.