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Birth of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767, in the Waxhaws region between North Carolina and South Carolina. Jackson's birthplace is assumed to have been at one of his uncle's houses in remote Waxhaws region. Jackson's birth came just three weeks after the sudden death of his father at the age of 29. Growing up in poverty, Jackson received an erratic education in years before the Revolutionary War. After his older brother died, he joined a militia at the age of 13. -
Jackson enlists in Revolutionary War.
Jackson at thirteen decided to join the continental army as a courier. The Revolution took a toll on the Jackson family, all three boys saw active services. One of Andrew's older brothers, Hugh, died. Later, Jackson and his older brother Robert were taken prisoner for a few weeks. While they were captives, a British officer ordered them to clean his boots. The boys refused, the officer struck them with his sword and Andrew's hand was cut. Jackson harbored a bitter resentment towards the British. -
Battle of the Horseshoe Bend
More than 1,000 Creek Warriors were assembled behind a barricade against Jackson's troops. The Red Sticks hoped for a decisive victory over Andrew Jackson's force of 2,600 European American soldiers, 500 Cherokee, and 100 lower creek. Jackson was the Major general in the Tennessee Militia at this time. Jackson sought to "clear" the Mississippi territory for American settlement. He was viewed as a hero after this battle. This battle ended the Creek War. 800 of the 1,000 Creek Warriors died. -
Battle of New Orleans
On December 24, 1814, the United States and Britain signed a treaty in Ghent, Belgium that ended the war of 1812. News was slowly spread, therefore the two sides met at New Orleans on January 8, 1815. Andrew Jackson led a militia of Indians, frontiersman, slaves, and fighters. Heavy casualties were inflicted upon the British, and after this event Andrew Jackson was considered a hero that foiled British plans for an invasion. This event secured United States control of the port of New Orleans. -
Election of 1824 - The Corrupt Bargain
This election marked the collapse of the Republican-Federalist political framework. No candidate ran as a Federalist, for the first time ever. Andrew Jackson won the electoral college, with John Q Adams trailing behind him. No one had received a majority of the votes in the electoral college, this led to the house having to choose between the top two candidates. Henry Clay, speaker of the house, led strong attacks against Jackson and persuaded the house to choose John Q Adams. -
Election of 1828
The election of 1824 left Jackson supporters bitterly disappointed. He had had garnered the most electoral votes, but had been denied presidency by the house. This 1828 election was unique as nominations were no longer made by Congressional caucuses, but by conventions and the state legislatures. John Q Adams was re-nominated by forces calling themselves the Republicans, the Democratic opponent was Jackson. Jackson crushed John Q Adams in this election, taking the presidency. -
The Indian Removal Act
This act was signed into law by Jackson on May 28, 1830, granting the president to claim unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indians lands within existing state borders. A few tribes went peacefully, but many resisted the relocation policy. Between 1838 and 1839, during the winter/fall, the Cherokees were forcibly moved across the U.S frontier into Oklahoma. Approximately 4,000 Cherokee died on this march, known as the "Trail of Tears". -
Worcester v Georgia
In this court case, the U.S supreme court held in 1832 that the Cherokee Indians constituted a nation holding distinct sovereign powers. Worcester was a close friend of the Cherokee leaders and often advised them about political and legal rights under the constitution. Georgia conducted relentless campaigns to remove the Cherokees, who held territory in the southeast. John Marshall eventually ruled in favor of the Cherokee, conducting that they had a "domestic, dependent nation" under the U.S. -
Bank War - No accurate date
This was a campaign led by Jackson in 1833 to destroy the Second Bank of the U.S. The Bank of the U.S was created by Alexander Hamilton. The Bank's purpose was to regulate economic policies. Jackson thought this bank was too powerful, he thought the Bank president Nicholas Biddle and bank administrators used the bank for their own profit. The Bank cut back on loans which hurt farmers. Therefore, Jackson vowed, "I will kill it!". He vetoed the Bank when its charter was up for renewal. -
Nullification Crisis
In 1828, Congress passed a high protective tariff that infuriated southern states because they felt it only benefited the industrialized North. A high tariff on imports increased the cost of British textiles. This tariff benefited American producers of cloth, mostly in the north. The South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification was enacted into law, therefore South Carolina completely ignored the tariff. Confrontation was avoided with Jackson when Congress revised the tariff with a compromise bill.
