Jackson’s Early Life Andrew Jackson had a rough early life, faced with many deaths and hardships. Jackson was born on March 16, 1767. His father had already passed before Jackson’s birth and his mother had to raise three boys all herself, with the help of some of their family. Jackson only received and had the privilege to an elementary level education. This of course was not his or any of his family’s fault, as the British were beginning to invade the U. S.. This invasion of the British led to the death of many, unfortunately for the Jackson family.
As the British intruded America, the Jackson’s gave up their life to fight for their proud country, a dance with death. Andrew’s oldest brother Hugh, enlisted into the army. Andrew and Robert, one of his brothers, fought with irregulars because they were too young to enlist. They wanted to show pride in their country by helping fight in any way. Andrew was in his young teenage years at this time. Though Andrew Jackson survived, his family was very unfortunate. His oldest brother Hugh died in war from what is thought as heatstroke at Stono Ferry. Mother Jackson was also unlucky, became ill and passed as well.
Both Andrew and Robert developed smallpox in 1781 from being captured by the British. After they were released, Robert passed due to the case of smallpox. Andrew Jackson had survived, now orphaned and a veteran of war at only age fifteen. Jackson had a devastating early life, but decided to accomplish great things anyway. After his calamitous childhood, Jackson’s hatred for the British developed and his budding pride for his country thrived. Election of 1824/1828 The election of 1828 was a deserved and crushing victory for Andrew Jackson. The election for the 1824 term was a sly win by two of the candidates, a cheat surpassing Andrew Jackson.
Henry Clay, who was fourth at the time, decided to drop out of the presidential election and lead his supporters to John Quincy Adams. “Coincidentally”, Henry Clay became John Q. Adam’s secretary of state. Of course, Jackson was upset by this as he should be. Jackson actually won the popular vote and would have won the election if there was no corrupt bargain between two candidates, although the overall winner was decided by the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Andrew Jackson was forced to wait another four years to have a shot at being president once again.
As the 1828 election began Andrew Jackson was bombarded with cruel slander from his opponents, trying to get favor of other supporters. In spite of this, Andrew Jackson, expectantly, threw back some slander as well. His opponents aimed to something he held dearly: his wife. Mrs. Jackson was married before her and Andrew, but she had an unofficial divorce with her first husband. This caused a lot of conflict with his wife Rachel and those who badmouthed Jackson. They constantly insulted Rachel Jackson for her previous marriage and how it was “unclassy”, of course those were not the words used to describe her.
Andrew was furious at this, he never minded being the topic of a negative conversation or political argument, but his wife was another story. In very unfortunate matters, Rachel Jackson died right after Andrew was elected in 1828. Andrew Jackson was able to forgive all those who slandered his name, but never those who taunted Rachel, he blamed them for her quick death. Andrew Jackson had all the reason to be angry. Jackson had a successful victory in the 1828 presidential election. He won by a large margin and on well deserved terms. Jackson received 178 electoral votes as the runner up received only 83.
Jackson also received the nation’s popular vote with 647,286 popular votes. A new political party was created from Jackson’s run for president: the democratic republic, which turned into the democratic party. Andrew Jackson ran for the common man, and the expansion of voting rights helped Jackson win the election. Jacksonian democracy favored common people and the expansion of rights to everyone. Andrew Jackson won because of his urge to help the average person and the expansion of voting rights. Military Experience Andrew Jackson received the commendable title of being a war hero and a hero of the West.
Andrew Jackson’s military experience started young. He fought when the British invaded. He volunteered when there was no need for him to, a recurring scene. Jackson fought after his oldest brother died and after both him and his brother contracted smallpox. Jackson was only 15 years of age and was serving his country in a brave way, without being asked or coerced. He saw a need and filled it, and would do this as many times as he saw fit. Jackson’s most famous war story is the righteous win over the Creeks. Jackson knew what to do when he heard the British invading, he grouped together around 50,000 men in order to fight.
He volunteered himself as well as those who wanted to fight. The government waited a while to accept the offer, but finally agreed. They made no mistake, Jackson crushed the Creeks. The Creeks decided to never peril their men against a U. S. troop all because of Andrew Jackson. The Battle of Tohopeka was a defining moment in Jackson’s life, leading his men and the U. S. overall to a conquering. Editorial – Is Andrew Jackson a zero or a hero? Recovery is always a hard and long process. Some can spend years mending themselves after a traumatizing event. Andrew Jackson was the opposite.
Though he faced many extreme trials and tribulations, he quickly recovered and achieved many goals. He was a fighter. Andrew Jackson is a hero, because he turned a rough childhood successful, he jumped electoral obstacles, and was a war hero. Andrew Jackson went through an extremely difficult and almost traumatizing childhood. He was not blessed with an easy beginning life and had to fight to survive on the many circumstances he faced. For starters, Andrew was born and forced to grow up without a father. He had no influence in that region of life, yet he fought through not knowing his own father.
His education was taken from him, as he only received an elementary education because the British invaded and he found more importance in the war. At only age fifteen, he was a war veteran of the unofficial, irregular army as well as one of his brothers, while the other fought officially in the war against the British. Not only did one of his brothers die, but both. Andrew faced a deathly case of smallpox, but survived, as Robert passed. Hugh also died, contracting heat stroke while fighting in the war. Unfortunately, Andrew also lost his mother due to illness during the war.
Andrew had no one as an orphan and became a veteran of war by age fifteen. Andrew had brutal childhood, but turned his life around into a success story; becoming a president and being the common man’s democratic leader. As most hero’s come from a horrible past, Andrew Jackson definitely fits this mold. Not only was Jackson’s childhood incredibly harrowing, the beginning of his political life was also difficult to push through. The first election he ran for was basically rigged by two of the candidates. Henry Clay dropped out of the presidential race in fourth, but decided to have his supporters favor John Quincy Adams.
In the end of the 1824 election, Adams won, but many knew it to be because of a corrupt bargain. Unfortunately, Jackson had to wait one full term to try again, though he would’ve won the first time. However, this was a difficult election, full of harsh trash talk between opponents. Andrew Jackson never minded when they talked about him being a gambler or a dueler, but he was furious when his opponents went after his wife. They called her horrible names for an invalid divorce to her first husband. Andrew Jackson let them know that they could be forgiven for slander towards him, but they would never be forgiven for slander towards his wife.
Jackson ended up winning the election of 1828, well deserved. He won both the popular vote and the electoral college vote. With celebration comes a mourning for Andrew Jackson; his wife died shortly after his victory. He of course blamed the opponents who slurred her name. However, he kept fighting, to be a good president and tried his best, though anger infuriated him at times. Jackson fought in many ways, specifically emotionally, constantly left with nothing. This including the wars he fought in and honored for. Andrew Jackson was constantly seen as a war hero, even when the government didn’t wholly need him.
As said before, Andrew Jackson fought when the British invaded at a very young age. Though he wasn’t technically allowed to enlist, he fought with other irregulars in order to spare the country. He was prominent in the war of 1812, helping to defeat the British. As Jackson grew older, he continued his legacy. Jackson was named a war hero after he defeated the Creek Indians with a crushing victory. Upon hearing about the British soon to attack, Jackson immediately gathered a group of 50,000 volunteers in order to help the army.
The government was reluctant in letting the organized troop fight, but decided they need them to fight the Creek Indians. Jackson led the 50,000 with might at the Battle of Tohopeka. They were so victorious that the Creeks never bothered to menace them again, fearing for another horrible loss. Jackson was named the hero of the West and knew how to lead an army. Jackson was a hero, military wise, turning around a tough childhood, and a triumphant election after many hardships. Jackson faced one of the roughest childhoods, losing all of his family members in a short time period.
He also had very little education, and decided to risk his life for the U. S as an adolescent. Alas, Andrew also lost his wife right after winning the election, also after an emotionally tough election filled with hatred. They taunted his wife and she passed soon after, this was obviously infuriating to him, but he kept on. Andrew Jackson was an avid war hero, even after the crude losses and hardships he faced. He fought on. Andrew Jackson made negative decisions, but through criticism, loss, and hardships he kept fighting: a true hero quality
