Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States, serving from 1829 to 1837.
He was a lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who gained fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses of the U.S. Congress before his presidency.
Jackson is often praised for his advocacy for ordinary Americans and his role in preserving the union of states, but he has also been criticized for his racial policies, particularly his treatment of Native Americans.
His presidency was marked by significant changes, including the elimination of the Electoral College, the democratization of Federal officeholding, and the veto of the recharter bill for the Second Bank of the United States.
Siblings
Andrew had two older brothers, Hugh and Robert.
Hugh died in the Revolutionary War in 1779 at the Battle of Stono Ferry, while Robert died of smallpox in 1781 shortly after being freed from captivity by British forces.
Andrew’s younger brother, Samuel, was the only one of the three Jackson brothers to survive to adulthood.
However, he died of tuberculosis at the age of 15 in 1788.
The early deaths of his two older brothers during the Revolutionary War had a profound impact on the young Andrew.
He was orphaned at the age of 14 when his mother also passed away, leaving him as the sole surviving member of his immediate family.
This traumatic experience is believed to have shaped Andrew’s fiercely independent and combative personality later in life.
The loss of his brothers at such a young age may have also contributed to his strong sense of duty and desire to serve his country.
Accomplishments as a president
Jackson’s presidency was marked by significant actions and policies that shaped American history.
One of his most controversial moves was the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which forcibly relocated Native Americans from their ancestral lands to territories west of the Mississippi River.
This policy, known as the Trail of Tears, resulted in the deaths of thousands of indigenous people and is widely criticized as an act of ethnic cleansing.
Jackson also made a significant impact by dismantling the Second Bank of the United States.
He vetoed the bank’s charter renewal in 1832, arguing that it favored the wealthy elite over the common people.
Also Read: Adam Levine Siblings: The Supportive Sibling Squad Behind the Singer
This decision led to the bank’s dissolution and contributed to the economic downturn known as the Panic of 1837.
In terms of democracy, Jackson expanded voting rights to include all white men, not just property owners, making the political system more inclusive.
Additionally, during the Nullification Crisis of 1832-1833, Jackson stood firm against South Carolina’s attempt to nullify federal tariff laws, helping to maintain the unity of the United States.
Personal life
Jackson’s wife was Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson.
They met in 1786 and married in 1791, though there was some controversy around the timing of their marriage, as Rachel was previously married to Lewis Robards.
Rachel was a strong-willed and intelligent woman who played an active role in her husband’s political career.
She died just before Andrew Jackson’s inauguration as president in 1829, which deeply affected him.
Although Jackson and Rachel did not have any biological children, they adopted Rachel’s nephew, Andrew Jackson Jr., and raised him as their own.
Jackson Jr. was born in 1808 to Rachel’s brother, Severn Donelson, and his wife, Elizabeth.
After the Jacksons’ only biological child, a son named Andrew, died in infancy, they decided to adopt the young Andrew Jackson Jr.
Andrew Jr. grew up at the Hermitage, the Jacksons’ plantation in Tennessee.
As an adult, he managed the Hermitage farm and married Sarah Yorke of Philadelphia in 1831.
Jackson Jr. played an important role in his adoptive father’s life, serving as a trusted advisor and confidant.
He was also involved in the political activities of the Jackson administration.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874ncG1vNJzZmijkZ2uuK3TrqWgrV6YvK57wKebq52nYreir8qspqdlo56vrbXNoKpo