Andrew Jackson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Jackson
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 7th President of the United States | |
| In office March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1837 |
|
| Vice President | John C. Calhoun (1829-1832) Martin Van Buren (1833-1837) |
| Preceded by | John Quincy Adams |
| Succeeded by | Martin Van Buren |
| Military Governor of Florida | |
| In office March 10, 1821 – December 31, 1821 |
|
| Appointed by | James Monroe |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | William Pope Duval |
| United States Senator from Tennessee |
|
| In office March 4, 1823 – October 14, 1825 |
|
| Preceded by | John Williams |
| Succeeded by | Hugh Lawson White |
| In office September 26, 1797 – April 1, 1798 |
|
| Preceded by | William Cocke |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Smith |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's At-Large district |
|
| In office December 4, 1796 – September 26, 1797 |
|
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | William Claiborne |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 15, 1767 Waxhaws area of South Carolina, USA |
| Died | June 8, 1845 (aged 78) The Hermitage, Nashville, Tennessee, USA |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Widowed. Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson (niece Emily Donelson Jackson and daughter-in-law Sarah Yorke Jackson were first ladies) |
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an important figure in early American history. He became a famous general during the War of 1812. Later, he served as the seventh President of the United States. He was the first president from the Democratic Party. You can see his picture on the Twenty Dollar Bill.
Contents
Andrew Jackson's Early Life
Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767. This happened in the Waxhaws region, which is between North and South Carolina. His parents were Scots-Irish immigrants named Andrew Jackson and Elizabeth Hutchinson. They were Presbyterians who had moved from Ulster, Ireland.
As a child, Andrew could sometimes be quick to anger. However, he was also known for being kind to younger and weaker boys. He would often take them under his protection.
During the American Revolutionary War, young Andrew stood up to a British officer. He refused to clean the officer's muddy boots. Because of this, he received cuts on his hand and forehead. These marks stayed with him for his whole life.
Andrew became an orphan when he was 14 years old. He felt that the British were responsible for the deaths of his brothers and mother. He did not come from a rich family and did not go to college. Later, he moved to Tennessee and began a career in politics.
Andrew Jackson's Marriage
In 1791, Andrew Jackson fell in love with Rachel Donelson Robards. They had a marriage ceremony. However, there was a misunderstanding about Rachel's divorce from her first husband. Because of this, their first marriage was not fully legal. They officially married again three years later.
Andrew and Rachel did not have their own children. But they adopted several children into their family. Andrew later became a successful farmer and landowner.
Andrew Jackson's Military Career
In 1801, Andrew Jackson was made a colonel in the Tennessee militia. The next year, he was chosen to lead them.
He led troops during the Creek War from 1813 to 1814. He won a major victory at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. After this battle, the Treaty of Fort Jackson was signed. This treaty made the Creek people give up a lot of their land. This land is now part of Alabama and Georgia.
During the War of 1812 against the British, Jackson became a national hero. This was because of his big victory in 1815 at the Battle of New Orleans.
After that, Jackson led U.S. forces in the First Seminole War. This war helped lead to Florida becoming part of the United States. Florida was acquired from Spain through the Adams–Onís Treaty.
Andrew Jackson's Political Life
In the 1790s, Andrew Jackson served in the United States House of Representatives. He was also a Senator and a judge on the Supreme Court of Tennessee. In the early 1800s, he commanded the Tennessee Militia. He also fought in battles against Native American tribes. His victory at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812 made him very famous. He returned to the Senate in 1823.
Andrew Jackson played a big role in shaping the Democratic Party. He became its main leader.
In the 1828 Presidential Election, he defeated John Quincy Adams. He became President on March 4, 1829. Four years later, he was re-elected for a second term. In 1832, South Carolina wanted to leave the United States. Jackson stood firm, and a solution was found to keep the country together.
In January 1835, there was an attempted assassination on Jackson's life. An unemployed painter tried to shoot him, but both of his guns failed. This was the first time a U.S. president faced such an attempt.
During his presidency, Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act. This law allowed the U.S. government to force Native Americans to move from their lands. Many Native Americans were forced to travel west. This difficult journey, where many died, became known as the Trail of Tears.
Andrew Jackson was against the idea of a national bank for the United States. He believed that banks and their money were mostly for rich and powerful people. He felt they did not help ordinary citizens. The national bank's charter ended during his presidency, and Jackson chose not to renew it.
On March 4, 1837, Andrew Jackson finished his second term as president. His Vice-President, Martin Van Buren, was then elected president. Van Buren continued many of Jackson's policies. Jackson had a major influence on other Democrats throughout the 1800s.
Andrew Jackson's Legacy
Historians have different views on Andrew Jackson's legacy. Some admire him because he stood up for ordinary country people. He was often against wealthy aristocrats, bankers, and big businesses. Others criticize him for supporting slavery and for his actions against Native Americans.
Andrew Jackson's Death
Andrew Jackson's health declined as he got older. He passed away on June 8, 1845. He was surrounded by his family and friends. When he heard them crying, he said, "What is the matter with my dear children? Have I alarmed you? Oh, do not cry. Be good children and we will all meet in Heaven."
He died shortly after, at the age of 78, due to heart failure. In his will, Jackson left most of his property to his adopted son, Andrew Jackson Jr. He also left specific items to various friends and family members.
Interesting Facts About Andrew Jackson
- He was known as the “people's president” because he was popular with ordinary citizens.
- His picture is on the $20 bill.
- He became a war hero after defeating the British at the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812.
- He was the target of the first attempted presidential assassination on January 30, 1835.
- He is seen as the founder of the modern Democratic Party.
- During his presidency, about 45,000 Native Americans were forced to move from their homes. This led to the tragic Trail of Tears.
- He owned enslaved people.
- He won a duel against another man.
- His nickname was "Old Hickory," because he was tough like a hickory tree.
Images for kids
-
Young Jackson Refusing to Clean Major Coffin's Boots (1876 lithograph)
-
General Andrew Jackson as pictured in Harper's Magazine, Vol 28, "War with the Creek Indians", page 605, 1864
-
General Andrew Jackson by John Wesley Jarvis, c. 1819
-
The Battle of New Orleans. General Andrew Jackson stands on the parapet of his defenses as his troops repulse attacking Highlanders, by painter Edward Percy Moran in 1910.
-
Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans, painted by Thomas Sully in 1845 from an earlier portrait he had completed from life in 1824
-
Trial of Robert Ambrister during the Seminole War. Ambrister was one of two British subjects executed by General Jackson. (1848)
-
Teracotta bust of General Jackson by William Rush, 1819
-
Jackson in 1824, painted by Thomas Sully
-
President Andrew Jackson New York: Ritchie & Co. (1860)
-
Jackson's Indian Removal Act and subsequent treaties resulted in the forced removal of the major tribes of the Southeast from their traditional territories, many along the Trail of Tears.
-
Portrait of Jackson by Earl, 1830
-
William C. Rives, Jackson's Minister to France, successfully negotiated a reparations treaty with France in 1831.
-
1833 Democratic cartoon shows Jackson destroying the "Devil's Bank"
-
Richard Lawrence's attempt on Jackson's life, as depicted in an 1835 etching
-
USS Porpoise, a brig ship laid down in 1835 and launched in May 1836; used in the U.S. Exploring Expedition
-
A New York newspaper blamed the Panic of 1837 on Andrew Jackson, depicted in spectacles and top hat.
-
Mezzotint after a Daguerreotype of Jackson by Mathew Brady, April 15, 1845
-
Tennessee Gentleman, portrait of Jackson, c. 1831, from the collection of The Hermitage
-
Andrew Jackson as Grand Master of Tennessee, 1822
-
Equestrian statue of Jackson, Jackson County Courthouse, Kansas City, Missouri, commissioned by Judge Harry S. Truman
-
Jackson portrait on obverse $20 bill
.jpg)
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Andrew Jackson para niños
