Western History 157: Who was Andrew Jackson and what were the key events of his Presidency?

Carolina native Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States.  Coming from wilderness /frontier stock Jackson  served in the Revolutionary  War as a patriot courier at the age of 13. Orphaned a year later he took to studying law under the tutelage of his uncle becoming a prosecuting attorney at the age of 21. A successful law practice eventually allowed him to become a wealthy landowner.  In 1798 Jackson was elected to the House of Representatives as the first member from Tennessee. He would serve as judge until 1804 before distinguishing himself in the War of 1812 where he led American troops to an unlikely victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans.

Always popular with his troops Jackson earned himself the nickname ‘Old Hickory’ as he was believed to be as tough as old hickory wood. Later on he would be involved in leading troops in the First Seminole War where he likely over stepped his orders by invading Spanish-controlled Florida. In Congress he was censured for his action but was ironically defended by John Quincy Adams, his future rival and the sixth President of the United States. 

When Florida reverted to American control in 1819 Jackson served in the capacity as its military governor for a short period in 1821. A year later he was elected to the US Senate and then in a bold move he stood for the Presidency in 1824. However in an election manipulated by supposed backroom dealings (known as the Corrupt Bargain) Jackson was denied the Presidency at the expense of John Quincy Adams.

Andrew Jackson - President (1828-1836) source: britannica.com

Jackson had a strong popular following  but  was derided by his opponents as a ‘jackass’-  a moniker that he accepted. This would later become the definitive symbol of the Democratic Party that he eventually founded.As President Jackson was known for his use of veto power to spearhead policy (as opposed to its traditional use as an instrument to resist unconstitutional change). He rallied against corruption and had a great deal of contempt for the Electoral College, but at the same time he tended to reward his followers through a system of spoils.

A cartoon mocking Andrew Jackson\s spoils system source: Library of Congress

Jackson’s earliest battle centered on the nature of the Second Bank of the United States. He saw it as a corrupt institution, controlled by elitist bankers, who manipulated the economy with paper currency. In the 1832 election he ran against Henry Clay who supported the renewal of the Bank’s charter. Jackson took the reverse position and carried the day. His stance here would lead eventually to the bank’s eventual demise in 1836.

However it was the nullification crisis that would in a sense define his Presidency. The passing of federal tariffs in 1828 and 1832 were opposed by politicians in South Carolina particularly who saw this as a move favoring Northern manufacturers at the expense of their state. Sentiments reached a fever pitch with the state passing a resolution to declare such tariffs as null and void. There were calls for secession with Jackson’s Vice President Calhoun  breaking with the President over this controversial issue.

Jackson himself was not a fan of the tariffs (he believed they were too high) but did not wish to see Federal Law undermined. Calhoun for his part would resign  and stand against Jackson for the presidency. He  was replaced by Martin Van Buren who would eventually become  the country’s Eight President. Fortunately a compromise was passed. The tariffs would be lowered but Jackson  earned future Presidents the right (via a provision) to enforce federal law. This would have significance in the lead-up to the American Civil War.

A very dark time in Jackson’s Presidency centered on his use of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 that forced  the mass displacement of various  Native Americans tribes from their ancestral lands to territory west of the Mississippi River. The Cherokee tribe for one suffered greatly here as they driven under gun point to relocate to Arkansas. The horrendous event has been immortalized as the Trail of Tears. It impacted 15,000 Cherokee causing about 4,000 deaths.

When Jackson left office in 1836 the economy was struggling. The inability of the banks to meet the gold and silver demands for the payment of public land (a result of Jackson’s opposition to paper money) led to financial shortages that would culminate in the Panic of 1837.

Overall Jackson had a mixed record as president although he is generally considered to have had a significant impact on American history for the reasons described above. The populist appeal of his Jacksonian Democracy would resonate nationally as it directly challenged the traditional power hierarchy that had dominated the country's politics since the War of Independence.