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[[File:Aj-map1812.jpg|thumb|Jackson's campaigns]]

[[File:Aj-map1812.jpg|thumb|Jackson's campaigns]]

Jackson led two great victories in the [[War of 1812]]--the first against the "Red Stick" Creek Indian forces that had raided, raped and killed American settlers and assimilated Indians in what is now Alabama. Indians seldom fought pitched battles; they preferred the ambush. Jackson, aided by Cherokee allies, trapped the Creeks at Horseshoe Bend in Alabama in March 1814, and killed over 800 enemy; the rest fled to Spanish Florida. (See [[Creek War]].)

Jackson led two great victories in the [[War of 1812]]—the first against the "Red Stick" Creek Indian forces that had raided, raped and killed American settlers and assimilated Indians in what is now Alabama. Indians seldom fought pitched battles; they preferred the ambush. Jackson, aided by Cherokee allies, trapped the Creeks at Horseshoe Bend in Alabama in March 1814, and killed over 800 enemy; the rest fled to Spanish Florida. (See [[Creek War]].)

Jackson led a contingent of Tennessee and Kentucky militia who routed over 2,000 British troops in the [[Battle of New Orleans]] in Jan. 1815.  The defeat ended British plans to turn the Mississippi Valley into a pro-British Indian nation. It was a great victory for Jackson and became source of enormous pride to all Americans.<ref> The battle happened after the peace treaty was signed, but before it was ratified and went into effect.</ref>

Jackson led a contingent of Tennessee and Kentucky militia who routed over 2,000 British troops in the [[Battle of New Orleans]] in Jan. 1815.  The defeat ended British plans to turn the Mississippi Valley into a pro-British Indian nation. It was a great victory for Jackson and became source of enormous pride to all Americans.<ref>The battle happened after the peace treaty was signed, but before it was ratified and went into effect.</ref>

===Religion===

===Religion===

His military success gave him tremendous popularity with the common man, and he ran for President in the [[United States presidential election, 1824|1824 Presidential Election]].  He won a plurality of the votes but no one got a majority and the election went into the House of Representatives, where they chose [[John Quincy Adams]] instead.  At the next [[United States presidential election, 1828|Presidential Election in 1828]] Jackson defeated John Quincy Adams, and then Jackson won reelection in the [[United States presidential election, 1832|1832 Presidential Election]].  Jackson survived an assassination attempt in January 1835 when a deranged man fired two pistols at him at point blank range in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.<ref>[http://www.americanheritage.com/people/articles/web/20070130-richard-lawrence-andrew-jackson-assassination-warren-r-davis.shtml Trying to Assassinate President Jackson]</ref>

His military success gave him tremendous popularity with the common man, and he ran for President in the [[United States presidential election, 1824|1824 Presidential Election]].  He won a plurality of the votes but no one got a majority and the election went into the House of Representatives, where they chose [[John Quincy Adams]] instead.  At the next [[United States presidential election, 1828|Presidential Election in 1828]] Jackson defeated John Quincy Adams, and then Jackson won reelection in the [[United States presidential election, 1832|1832 Presidential Election]].  Jackson survived an assassination attempt in January 1835 when a deranged man fired two pistols at him at point blank range in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.<ref>[http://www.americanheritage.com/people/articles/web/20070130-richard-lawrence-andrew-jackson-assassination-warren-r-davis.shtml Trying to Assassinate President Jackson]</ref>

Although Jackson won the 1828 election against incumbent [[John Quincy Adams]] by capturing almost 56% of the popular vote, the campaign was marked by anti-Jackson rhetoric that centered on Rachel Jackson's previous marriage to Lewis Robards and the allegedly "illicit union to Jackson"--that is, bigamy.  Jackson's supporters portrayed the Robards matter as a minor legal misunderstanding. Adams's supporters saw the incident as no less than long-term adultery by Andrew Jackson and portrayed Rachel Jackson as an immoral woman, implying the political dilemma that 'a vote for Jackson was a vote for sin.' The controversy paralleled a critical development in American politics. Expansion in voter participation, the growth of state political organizations, party loyalty, and the development of local campaign papers all led to the wide dissemination of scandal and fed 'the hunger of sensationalism.' To offset this, Jackson's supporters portrayed him as a brave soldier endowed with the virtues of manhood and the frontier spirit, placing him outside the usual social constraints.<ref> Norma Basch, "Marriage, Morals, and Politics in the Election of 1828." ''Journal of American History'' 1993 80(3): 890-918 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2080408  in JSTOR]</ref>

Although Jackson won the 1828 election against incumbent [[John Quincy Adams]] by capturing almost 56% of the popular vote, the campaign was marked by anti-Jackson rhetoric that centered on Rachel Jackson's previous marriage to Lewis Robards and the allegedly "illicit union to Jackson"—that is, bigamy.  Jackson's supporters portrayed the Robards matter as a minor legal misunderstanding. Adams's supporters saw the incident as no less than long-term adultery by Andrew Jackson and portrayed Rachel Jackson as an immoral woman, implying the political dilemma that 'a vote for Jackson was a vote for sin.' The controversy paralleled a critical development in American politics. Expansion in voter participation, the growth of state political organizations, party loyalty, and the development of local campaign papers all led to the wide dissemination of scandal and fed 'the hunger of sensationalism.' To offset this, Jackson's supporters portrayed him as a brave soldier endowed with the virtues of manhood and the frontier spirit, placing him outside the usual social constraints.<ref>Norma Basch, "Marriage, Morals, and Politics in the Election of 1828." ''Journal of American History'' 1993 80(3): 890-918 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2080408  in JSTOR]</ref>

==Issues==

==Issues==

Jackson thought the voice of the people was supreme law. Although a man of powerful prejudices and passions, he identified with the voice of the people, and thought his election as president gave him the unique power to express that voice. His opponents misunderstood the voice and lacked the legitimate national base in any case. Thus Jackson denounced anyone who crossed him an enemy of the sovereign people. To fulfill this voice of the people in the political arena, he thought that the preservation of states' rights was an indispensable precondition to the achievement of people-oriented democracy. Although Jackson's record was erratic, when his presidency was done, federal authority was vastly weaker, and the states, for practical purposes, were much stronger than before, though as the Nullification crisis proved, he would not tolerate defiance.

Jackson thought the voice of the people was supreme law. Although a man of powerful prejudices and passions, he identified with the voice of the people, and thought his election as president gave him the unique power to express that voice. His opponents misunderstood the voice and lacked the legitimate national base in any case. Thus Jackson denounced anyone who crossed him an enemy of the sovereign people. To fulfill this voice of the people in the political arena, he thought that the preservation of states' rights was an indispensable precondition to the achievement of people-oriented democracy. Although Jackson's record was erratic, when his presidency was done, federal authority was vastly weaker, and the states, for practical purposes, were much stronger than before, though as the Nullification crisis proved, he would not tolerate defiance.

==Personal Life==

==Personal life==

As a young man, Jackson was a gambler who frequented brothels.<ref>http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/04/01/andrew-jacksons-tragic-love-story</ref>  He met a married woman (Rachel Donelson Robards) and reportedly broke up her marriage with his affections for her.<ref>Jon Meacham, "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House," pp. 21-22 (2008).</ref>  Jackson eloped with this married woman while her husband was suing her for divorce (unusual in those days) on the grounds of adultery.  Jackson's marriage to her constituted bigamy, a crime punishable by death under English [[common law]], and Jackson remarried her after her divorce became final.

As a young man, Jackson was a gambler who frequented brothels.<ref>http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/04/01/andrew-jacksons-tragic-love-story</ref>  He met a married woman (Rachel Donelson Robards) and reportedly broke up her marriage with his affections for her.<ref>Jon Meacham, "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House," pp. 21-22 (2008).</ref>  Jackson eloped with this married woman while her husband was suing her for divorce (unusual in those days) on the grounds of adultery.  Jackson's marriage to her constituted bigamy, a crime punishable by death under English [[common law]], and Jackson remarried her after her divorce became final.

* Doutrich, Paul E.  ''Shapers of the Great Debate on Jacksonian Democracy: A Biographical Dictionary.'' (2004). 360 pp.  [http://www.amazon.com/Shapers-Great-Debate-Jacksonian-Democracy/dp/0313315760 online edition]

* Doutrich, Paul E.  ''Shapers of the Great Debate on Jacksonian Democracy: A Biographical Dictionary.'' (2004). 360 pp.  [http://www.amazon.com/Shapers-Great-Debate-Jacksonian-Democracy/dp/0313315760 online edition]

* Gammon, Samuel Rhea. ''The Presidential Campaign of 1832'' (1922) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-presidential-campaign-of-1832-by-samuel-rhea-gammon.jsp online edition]

* Gammon, Samuel Rhea. ''The Presidential Campaign of 1832'' (1922) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-presidential-campaign-of-1832-by-samuel-rhea-gammon.jsp online edition]

* Feller, Daniel. "The Bank War," in Julian E. Zelizer, ed. ''The American Congress'' (2004), pp 93-111.

* Feller, Daniel. "The Bank War," in Julian E. Zelizer, ed. ''The American Congress'' (2004), pp 93–111.

* Hammond, Bray. "Jackson, Biddle, and the Bank of the United States," ''The Journal of Economic History'', Vol. 7, No. 1 (May, 1947), pp. 1-23 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-0507%28194705%297%3A1%3C1%3AJBATBO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6 at JSTOR]

* Hammond, Bray. "Jackson, Biddle, and the Bank of the United States," ''The Journal of Economic History'', Vol. 7, No. 1 (May, 1947), pp.&nbsp;1–23 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-0507%28194705%297%3A1%3C1%3AJBATBO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6 at JSTOR]

* Hammond, Bray. ''Banks and Politics in America from the Revolution to the Civil War'' (1957). Pulitzer prize winner; the standard history. Pro-Bank

* Hammond, Bray. ''Banks and Politics in America from the Revolution to the Civil War'' (1957). Pulitzer prize winner; the standard history. Pro-Bank

* Hammond, Bray. "The Second Bank of the United States. ''Transactions of the American Philosophical Society,'' New Ser., Vol. 43, No. 1 (1953), pp. 80-85 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0065-9746(1953)2%3A43%3A1%3C80%3ATSBOTU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-C in JSTOR]

* Hammond, Bray. "The Second Bank of the United States. ''Transactions of the American Philosophical Society,'' New Ser., Vol. 43, No. 1 (1953), pp. 80-85 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0065-9746(1953)2%3A43%3A1%3C80%3ATSBOTU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-C in JSTOR]

[[Category:Soldiers]]

[[Category:Soldiers]]

[[Category:Indian Wars]]

[[Category:Indian Wars]]

[[category:Jacksonian Democracy]]

[[Category:Jacksonian Democracy]]

[[Category:Irish-Americans]]

[[Category:Irish-Americans]]

[[Category:Democratic Governors]]

[[Category:Democratic Governors]]