Andrew Jackson
...poor Scotch-Irish immigrants. He ended up with enough education to be qualified to practice law. Jackson's father died before he was born. The Revolutionary War started soon after he was born. It was very bloody in the wild and poor country where they lived. Jackson at the age of 13, joined a regiment. He was captured by the British, was wounded and nearly killed by a sword to the face for not polishing a British officers boots. He and his brother, imprisoned together, caught smallpox. Jackson's mother got the boys released, but his brother died on the long trip home. His mother later went to tend wounded American prisoners and was fatally stricken by cholera. By his 30's Jackson had been elected a member of the United States House of Representatives of Tennessee and was senator, but resigned after one year. During The War of 1812, Jackson had some difficulties due to some enemies he made. In between overcoming various Indian tribes they won the war. After most of the capitol city of Washington was burned by the British, the Americans were badly in need of cheering up. Jackson became a United States Major General- this was very different from a state militia Major General. He continued to have military successes, though in his invasion of Spanish Florida, he got the reputation of being a kind of Caesar. In 1821, Jackson, at the age of 54 was in a very dangerous state of health. He, like many other southerners had defended his "Honor" in 2 or 3 duels and 1 shoot-out. He took two bullets. One lodged beside his heart and the other shattered his arm. At about this time, the "Hero of New Orleans" was perhaps the most popular man in the country. He received a "Favorite Son" endorsement for the presidency from his state of Tennessee. Believing that Washington had become a "Sink or corruption", he felt called to work for the office. To gain credibility, he ran for and won a...
View Full Essay
