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Jackson's Birth
Andrew Jackson was born in the Waxhaws region that was between North Carolina and South Carolina on March 15, 1767. His parents were Scots-Irish colonists, Andrew and Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson, who immigrated from Ireland in 1765. -
Jackson enlists in Revolutionary Army
At the young age of thirteen, Andrew Jackson joined the Revolutionary Army as a courier. However, in a battle, Jackson and his older brother, Robert, were taken as prisoners in April 1781. However, while being imprisoned, both Jackson and his brother got small pox, which led to the death of Jackson's brother. Due to the ill treatment he received, Jackson resented the British. -
Battle of Horseshoe Bend
During the War of 1812, the Battle of Horseshoe Bend was fought in the Mississippi territory. Under Major General Andrew Jackson, the United States forces and their Indian allies defeated a part of the Creek Indian tribe who was against American expansion. This part of the tribe is known as the Red Sticks. However, this battle ended the Creek War. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans is the last battle of the War of 1812. For this battle, martial law was declared on Louisiana, and all the able-bodied men and every weapon were part of this battle. The American force eventually grew into 4,200 people. In the end of the battle, the total British casualties were around 2,000 people, while the total American casualties were less than 100. However, this battle could have been avoided since the treaty was signed prior to the time of the battle. -
Election of 1824
The Election of 1824, also known as "The Corrupt Bargain", had four candidates running for the presidential position: Andrew Jackson, William Crawford, John Quincy Adams, and Henry Clay. Even though Jackson won the popular vote, no one won since no one got enough electoral votes. It was then brought to the House of Representatives with the top 3, and since Henry Clay was no apart of the top 3, he used his position as Speaker of the House to persuade representatives to vote for Adams, who won. -
Election of 1828
This presidential run was a re-match between John Quincy Adams, who was in office at the time, and Andrew Jackson. However, unlike last time, Andrew Jackson won by a landslide. This is because once the public learned of the corruption of John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, they would not vote for Adams again. After losing, Adams became a senater who fought for the end to the slave trade. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act, signed by Andrew Jackson, gave the president the power to move Native Americans west of the Mississippi. At first, only a few tribes went peacefully, while most resisted. However, in 1838 and 1839, the Indians, mostly the Cherokee, were forced to move west by the government. This journey became known as "The Trail of Tears" because many Native Americans died along the way. -
Worchester vs. Georgia
To attract more white settlers, Georgia began moving Native Americans west. This predicament eventually became a Supreme Court case, known as Worcester vs. Georgia. In this case, the Supreme Court decided that Indians had the right to stay in the state. However, Jackson believed he did not have the power as the president to interfere, leading to the Trail of Tears, in which many Native Americans were forced to leave. -
Bank War
The Bank of the United States was created by Federalist Alexander Hamilton, and its purpose was to regulate economic policies. However, Andrew Jackson loathed the bank becuase he considered the bank to be too powerful, and he thought bank president, Nicholas Biddle, and the administrators used the Bank for their own profit. Therefore, when the Bank's charter was up for renewal, Jackson vetoed it on July 10, 1832. -
Nullification Crisis
The Tariff of 1828 hurt Southern planters because they depended on the trade with Europe. In result, South Carolina declared the Tariff illegal by passing the Nullification Act. The state even threatened to secede if they did not get want they desired. However, a compromise was made in which the tariff was lowered, but it gave the president more power to use force if a state threatened to secede.
