American History

Introduction
America has had a host of Presidents since they gained independence from British colonialists. President Obama the current President is the 43rd President while George Washington was the first President of independent America. Andrew Jackson came seventh in the long list of all the people who have had an opportunity to be President of one of the most powerful countries in the world. This discussion focuses on life and times of Andrew Jackson.

Childhood
Andrew Jackson a son of a Scotch colonialist was born in 1767 in Ireland. Andrew however did not get to meet his biological father as he died a month before Andrew was born after he sustained an injury and died a month before Andrew was born. Jackson was the youngest of three Jackson siblings (H.W. 107-111).

Jackson went to school when America was having the Revolutionary war and thus did not have a stable education. Nevertheless he managed to attain a formal education and at the age of thirteen Jackson was a member of a regiment. In 1779 the infamous Stono Battle claimed the life of his eldest brother Hugh who dies as a result of excess heat. In the same year Andrew together with his brother became prisoners after they were captured by British soldiers. They were held in captivity where the conditions were quite horrible and they almost died of starvation.

Career
After the American Revolution Jackson got into teaching but he did not enjoy it much. Throughout his life even as a young man Jackson had always wanted a challenging career and one that would help him seek justice for his people. He thus left teaching after a few years and practiced law in North Carolina. H completed his law studies in 1787 and was admitted to the bar. It is then that he began his career as a prosecutor in one of the courts in North Carolina (Rogin, M. 87-88).

Political Career
Jackson practiced law for about ten years before changing his career direction. In 1797 he was elected Senator of Tennessee apposition he held for term before tendering his resignation. After his resignation Jackson served as judge for a period of six years in the Supreme Court of Tennessee.

Military Career
His military career began during the American Revolution took a notch higher when he was elected to head the military in Tennessee as the Major General. After holding this position for close to ten years he was later promoted to head the United States and would later be appointed as leader of a troop during the war in Florida.

It was during the war in 1812 that Jacksons heroism emerged as he led the US troops to a massive defeat against the British during the New Orleans Battle (H.W. 125-128).

The real personality of Jackson became visible when he became fully active in politics. While he remained a loyal and true friend to those that were close to him, he was a fierce and indeed tough enemy to all who stood in his way of liberating his people. 1824 was a very significant year in the life of Andrew Jackson. This was the first time he attempted to become President of United States America. Although he won the presidential elections with a landslide he lacked the majority votes as was the requirement and thus could not as yet be declared President. This made Jackson quite bitter as he believed that his enemies were behind his troubles. All his opponents teamed together and Jackson did not win the elections. Instead John Adams was declared President leaving Jackson wit h so much hatred towards Adams and all his other opponents.

During the administration of Quincy Adams Jackson was very vocal in critiquing the administration citing uncountable flaws in the manner in which Adams governed the country. Jackson continually reminded people that their votes for the previous election had been stolen and that they should not agree to have a President forced down their throats in the next elections. This tact proved to be successful and in the 1828 elections Jackson won the Presidential elections with landslide, defeating Adams with a big margin of votes. Again in the 1832 elections Jackson emerged the winner year again defeating his opponent Henry Kentucky.

It was not only the rigging of the 1824 presidential elections that made Jackson develop hatred towards Adams. It was also a defamatory law suit that Adams and his camp filed against the Jacksons (Andrew and his wife) with an aim of defaming him and spoiling his reputation so that he would lose the favor of the people. According to the suit Andrew and his wife were accused of being involved in adultery a rumor that was manufactured and maliciously spread by Adams camp. The defamation was quickly spreading like a bushfire and before the results were announced Jacksons wife Rachel died. Jackson argued that his wife died a premature death because she could no longer handle the news that were being spread about her and her husband being involved in an adulterous relationship. All these events all the more added to Jacksons rivalry and bitterness towards Adams.

Achievements
Besides being the seventh President of United States of America, Andrew Jackson has quite a number of achievements to his name. First he was the first president to be elected with a landslide victory by the common people and who did not hail from the class of aristocrats. It is also during his reign as President that his vice-president stepped down. He is also widely known for having married a divorcee a practice that was widely frowned at during those days.

One major thing that Jackson always believed in was presidency that was strong so as to ensure effective governance. He therefore scrutinized all pieces of legislation to ensure that they were of importance to the citizens of the United States of America. It is also his belief of a strong and united union that brought him into loggerheads with leaders from the south who wished that the two regions, north and south, remain independent.

When President Jackson clashed with many a people because he always put the interest of the company first as opposed to the interests of individuals and this did not impress many.

RETIREMENET
After two terms in office as President of the United States o America, Andrew Jackson retired party on age grounds and partly because of his health. Even way back when he was in the military Jacksons health was never quite good and it is only his determination to liberate his people that kept him going. As a matter of fact there are times during his term as president that doubts were cast as to whether he would be able to complete his term in office due to his increasingly deteriorating health (Rogin, M. 122-126). Upon his retirement he went back to his big plantation in Hermitage with his wife.

Even after his retirement he was still vocal on political matters and his influence was still felt many years after he left the presidency. An example is the presidential election of 1840 which saw Martin Buren elected to power as Jacksons successor. This was pretty much Jacksons doing (H.W. 147-151).
 A few years later Jacksons health became really bad and in 1845 his health was at its worst and he died at his home in Hermitage. During their marriage the couple had no biological children but Rachael has adopted one of her nephews who came to be known as Andrew Jackson Junior. In his will Andrew Jackson bequeathed the Hermitage to Andrew Jackson Junior. However in his old age Andrew Jackson had incurred many debts some of which he had not managed to pay by the time of his death.
Rachel who was also old at the time of Jackson death was not in apposition to repay the debts incurred by her husband. As a result the Hermitage was sold so as to recover some of the money. Today the Hermitage is a historic site and is open for view to the public. The life and times of Andrew Jackson are memorable especially because of his many achievements and the great role he played in the liberation of the American people.