
That same year, Jackson’s mother, who was in Charleston taking care of two sick nephews, took ill and passed away. Soon after, Robert fell ill with an infection from which he never recovered. Both Andrew and his other older brother, Robert, were found by the British and taken as prisoners of war in 1781. Before the age of 15, his entire family was dead.įirst he lost his older brothers. And so life went on until 1779, when the American Revolutionary War reached Waxhaw.
The impoverished childhood that followed was never easy, but Jackson nonetheless spent his youth wrestling with friends and taking classes at a local Presbyterian church.
He grew up with just one parent not long before his birth, Jackson’s father unexpectedly passed away. On March 15, 1767, Andrew Jackson was born in the small town of Waxhaw, which straddles the border between North and South Carolina.
why his use of the veto changed American politics forever. how an Army troop he led outmaneuvered a larger British one and. about Jackson’s tendency to challenge his foes to duels. In this summary of American Lion by Jon Meacham, you’ll find out So let’s dive into the life of the United States’ seventh president, and see how he left his fingerprints on the highest office in the land. His political career was based on being a voice for the common man and protecting their liberty from special interests and corruption – a revolutionary idea at the time. In fact, he was one of the most popular US presidents of all time. Although he has been criticized in modern times for owning slaves and dealing harshly with Native Americans, he was wildly popular in his day. It was a time not only for citizens to eat but also to ask questions and share their opinions with the president. The day is celebrated in honor of President Andrew Jackson, who used to put a two-ton block of cheese in the White House foyer and invite the people to come and partake. In the presidential television drama The West Wing, the characters celebrate an annual Big Block of Cheese Day.