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Overview

In the television drama The West Wing, a group of presidential advisers celebrate an annual Big Block of Cheese Day. President Andrew Jackson put a two-ton block of cheese in the White House foyer and invited people to come eat it. They could also ask questions and share their opinions with him during that time.

This anecdote about Jackson is revealing. Although he had a controversial reputation for his dealings with Native Americans and slaves, it’s important to note that he was extremely popular in his day. In fact, he was one of the most popular presidents of all time. It’s because of this popularity that he rose to political prominence as a voice for common men and women saying enough is enough when it came to special interest groups or corrupt politicians holding power over them—a radical idea at the time.

Let’s explore the life of a president who was born in the United States. We’ll see how his influence has shaped that country throughout its history.

There are three key points to this passage. First, Jackson challenged his opponents in duels because he was extremely competitive. Second, he led a troop that outmaneuvered a larger British one, and third, the use of the veto changed American politics forever.

Big Idea #1: Orphaned during the Revolutionary War, Andrew Jackson went on to marry the love of his life and establish himself as a prominent lawyer.

Andrew Jackson was born in 1767. He grew up with one parent and had a tough childhood. As a teenager, he attended church classes and wrestled with friends. However, his life changed when the Revolutionary War started, killing all of his family members before he turned 15 years old.

First, his older brothers died. Hugh fell in battle and Andrew’s other brother also died from an infection.

In 1832, Jackson’s mother took care of her sick nephews in Charleston. She fell ill and passed away. After that, Jackson moved to Waxhaw and never returned to his hometown.

Andrew Jackson was a lawyer and soon-to-be husband in 1787. He acquired his law license that year, but was known for being rowdy and carousing. During one of his first court cases, he even challenged the opposing counsel to a duel! In 1788, he moved to Tennessee and became friendly with the Donelson family. They had a daughter named Rachel who was married at the time but separated from her husband due to abuse.

Rachel and Jackson married, but they would later divorce. They remarried before the divorce was finalized.

Big Idea #2: Before becoming president, Jackson earned a name for himself as a colorful and violent character.

Jackson and Rachel remarried in 1794, after the confusion surrounding her divorce was settled. The couple loved each other very much, and Jackson went to great lengths to protect her honor because he always wanted to make sure that she would be safe.

In fact, Jackson was a man who loved his wife and friends. He would pull out a gun if anyone insulted them. This happened in 1803 when Governor John Sevier of Tennessee said something mean about Jackson’s wife or friends. The result was a shootout on the street with lots of people watching.

Thankfully, no one was hurt when a man fired his gun at Andrew Jackson in 1806. He missed the intended target and hit someone else instead. But blood was shed during that duel when Jackson shot Charles Dickinson, killing him instantly with a bullet to the chest.

Andrew Jackson was shot at multiple times. One of the incidents occurred when he got into a street fight with Jesse Benton and eventually took fire to his left arm. This incident helped solidify his reputation as an American hero, but it wasn’t the only time he was shot during that period. He also got hit in New Orleans while fighting for America’s freedom from its enemies, which is where he gained more notoriety and fame for being a war hero.