Born 15 March 1767 on the rural frontier region called the Waxhaws, located on the borders of North and South Carolina, Andrew Jackson did not represent what many expected in a president. His Scots-Irish immigrant origins, lack of education, and virtual poverty all destined him for the affairs of average men. He was, however, anything but average. With a fiery temper and vaulting ambition, the young Jackson stood out among his peers. Orphaned at the age of fifteen, he could easily have become lost. Instead, Jackson looked to the upper class and strove to join society's elite. He ultimately succeeded and as a result symbolized the possibilities for self-made men.
By the age of thirteen, Jackson had learned the meaning of struggle, duty, sacrifice, and Union because of the American Revolution's impact on his family. Both of his brothers and his mother (his father had died before Jackson's birth) were killed during the conflict. In the war's aftermath Jackson wandered for a time but ultimately settled on the study of law, realizing that it was an entrance to the upper class. While studying, Jackson made important connections that resulted in an offer to serve as public prosecutor for the western district of North Carolina. In 1788 he accepted and traversed the Appalachian Mountains into a new territory that came to be the state of Tennessee. It was here that Jackson achieved his initial goal of wealth and society. In 1791 he joined the Donelson clan by marrying Rachel Donel-son Robards and in doing so aligned himself with a well-respected, landowning family.
In 1795 Jackson served as a delegate to the Tennessee constitutional convention and the next year was elected as the state's first representative to Congress. He served as a U.S. senator in 1797-1798 and then, in 1798, was elected to the judgeship of Tennessee's superior court. In 1802 Jackson achieved election as major general to the Tennessee militia, a position that signified social standing and prestige. It was as military leader that he gained his greatest fame and ultimately opened the door to the presidency.
When the United States declared war on England in 1812, Jackson eagerly awaited his opportunity to repay the injuries he had received during the Revolution. Yet his first actions as commander were not against the British, but the Creek Indians who had utilized the timing of the war to stop American expansion into the Old Southwest. In a series of battles in 1813-1814, Jackson revealed his skill and courage. Subsequently promoted to the rank of major general in the U.S. Army, he proved victorious against the British at the Battle of New Orleans (1815) and in doing so raised himself to the heights of everlasting fame. The battle itself was won against overwhelming odds. The disciplined, veteran English forces were some of the same troops that defeated Napoleon, and many in both Britain and America expected a swift defeat for the rather meager defenses at New Orleans. Jackson, however, won the day and in doing so achieved the greatest military victory in the young nation's history up to that time. The people sang Jackson's praises and recognized him as a symbol of American greatness.
Just a few years later, in 1818, Jackson was once again ordered to defend the nation's borders, this time against Seminole Indians who engaged in raids on American citizens in Georgia. Jackson's subsequent invasion of Spanish Florida caused controversy because the action violated Spanish sovereignty. Nevertheless many Americans once again heralded Jackson's defense of the nation. His popularity greater than ever, Jackson entered the presidential race of 1824. He was narrowly defeated by John Quincy Adams during a runoff election in the House of Representatives but charged corruption when Henry Clay, who had orchestrated the House voting, was appointed secretary of state. Jackson and his supporters immediately began preparations for the election of 1828, campaigning on a platform of reform and arguing that Jackson was robbed of the presidency. As a man from humble origins who had struggled to gain fame and fortune, Jackson's victory was a symbol of what common men could achieve.
During Jackson's two terms as president, from 1829 to 1837, he oversaw the dismantling of the aristocratic, deferential governmental system created by the founding fathers. He believed that any man of intelligence could serve in governmental office. Such ideas, along with expanding voting rights throughout the nation, ushered in the era of the common man. Jackson continually argued that he was the elected representative of the people and that his job was to protect their interests. Jackson championed his famous veto of a bill to recharter the second Bank of the United States (1832) in such terms, and he beat down South Carolina's attempts at nullification by stressing the importance of Union and the Constitution for the people.
Not everyone loved Jackson, however. Some viewed him as a dangerous military chieftain who threatened the very liberties that he himself heralded. His invasion of Florida violated international law and exceeded orders. His veto of the bank and subsequent removal of federal deposits was viewed as tyrannical. The fact that he vetoed more bills than all of the previous presidents combined revealed tremendous and, some argued, aggressive power. Even his defense of Union during the Nullification Crisis bordered on mania, charged opponents. The Whig Party called Jackson "King Andrew" and fought what they viewed as dangerous, monarchical power.
Even after his retirement from the presidency, Jackson wielded significant political influence. The masses continued to love him as the nation's hero and at the time of his death on 8 June 1845, cities throughout the nation mourned his loss with the largest outpouring of veneration and respect America had ever witnessed.