Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) was an American military officer and politician who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. From humble beginnings as a frontier lawyer in Tennessee, he rose to national prominence after his victory at the Battle of New Orleans (8 January 1815). He ran for president on a populist platform, supported by the new Democratic Party, and won election in 1828. During his two terms, Jackson worked to strengthen the power of the presidency as he dealt with major incidents such as the Bank War and the Nullification Crisis. He signed the Indian Removal Act, which displaced tens of thousands of Native Americans and has often been considered an example of ethnic cleansing. He left office in 1837 but continued to exert significant influence over national politics until his death in 1845.
More about: Andrew JacksonDefinition
Timeline
-
Apr 1781Andrew Jackson and his brother are captured by the British.
-
1788Andrew Jackson moves to Nashville and meets Rachel Donelson.
-
8 Jan 1815The pirate leader Jean Lafitte assists General Andrew Jackson in the successful defence of New Orleans against a British attack.
-
1824Andrew Jackson is a presidential candidate; John Quincy Adams wins the election.
-
1828Andrew Jackson wins the presidential election.
-
1829 - 1831The Petticoat affair, a political scandal involving Peggy Eaton, wife of the US secretary of war, dominates the first years of Andrew Jackson's presidency.
-
4 Mar 1829Andrew Jackson is inaugurated as the 7th president of the United States.
-
1833The American Whig Party forms in opposition to Andrew Jackson's presidency.
