author
Andrew Jackson
1767–1845
Born on the Carolina frontier and orphaned young, he rose from a hard early life to become a war hero, a fierce political force, and the seventh president of the United States. His story is central to the rise of Jacksonian democracy and to some of the most debated decisions in American history.
1 Audiobook
State of the Union Addresses
by Andrew Jackson
About the author
He was born on March 15, 1767, in the Waxhaws region near the border of North and South Carolina, to Scotch-Irish immigrant parents. After losing his father before birth and becoming orphaned during the Revolutionary War, he studied law, moved west to Tennessee, and built a career as a lawyer, judge, landowner, and politician.
National fame came through his military career, especially after the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. That reputation helped carry him into the presidency, where he served from 1829 to 1837 and presented himself as a champion of the "common man." His name became closely tied to Jacksonian democracy, the expansion of presidential power, and bitter political fights such as the Bank War and the nullification crisis.
His legacy remains deeply controversial. He is remembered both for his forceful leadership and for policies that caused immense harm, especially the Indian Removal Act and the forced displacement of Native peoples, including the Cherokee, during the era known as the Trail of Tears. He died on June 8, 1845, at the Hermitage in Tennessee.