Andrew Jackson, the seventh president

FARGO, ND (Valley News Live) – We now arrive at “Old Hickory” – Andrew Jackson.

Before becoming the seventh president, Jackson was the first man elected to the House of Representatives for the state of Tennessee and later became its senator.

Jackson rose to national prominence during the War of 1812 when he was appointed General of the Army. He led his troops in key battles throughout the war against the British, including at Pensacola in 1814 and, most famously, his victory over the British at New Orleans in January 1815. This made Jackson a national hero just before the official end of the war.

In 1818, Jackson conquered Spanish Florida. His actions there and in the First Seminole War helped lead to the Spanish relinquishing all claims in Florida to the United States under the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819.

In 1821, Jackson became governor of the Florida Territory and later a U.S. Senator.

In 1824, General Andrew Jackson ran for the high office.

He received the majority of the popular vote and the most electoral votes of any candidate, but since none of the candidates won a clear majority of the electoral votes, the fate of the election now lay in the hands of the House of Representatives.

Speaker of the House Henry Clay supported then Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, which led to the election being certified in Adams' favor.

When Clay was appointed Adams' Secretary of State, Jackson and his supporters claimed there had been a “corrupt bargain” between the two, a claim they both denied.

The consequences of the election led to the beginning of the Jackson era in American politics.

In 1825, a coalition of Jackson's supporters broke away from the Democratic-Republicans and formed their own party, which became known as the Democrats.

In 1828, Andrew Jackson ran for president again with the support of his new party.

Jackson easily defeated Adams in the election and became the seventh President of the United States.

Jackson's victory this time came about because he appealed directly to voters – it was the first election campaign of its kind.

He sold himself as a representative of the common people. When he was to be sworn in, crowds gathered to see him. He was seen as the “people's president.”

As president, Jackson fought against the national bank and used his veto power to overrule Congress more often than any other president before him.

He also signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which led to the Trail of Tears, in which an estimated 4,000 Cherokee died. This remains one of the greatest stains on Jackson's legacy as president.

Jackson's actions met with strong resistance and led to the founding of a new party – the Whigs.

These were the early stages of the two-party system we know today.

Andrew Jackson was President of the United States from 1829 to 1837.

When Jackson's term ended, his vice president, Martin Van Buren, was chosen as his successor, ensuring that Jackson's legacy would continue to be significant for years to come.

All rights reserved.