Andrew Jackson was unforgettable as a politician and as an
individual. His back-country upbringing brought him grit and stamina
unattainable to many upper-class Easterners. Known as the "Old Hero," his
military victories brought him praise throughout America. Another
distinguishable trait of Jackson's was his disgust for the national bank.
Altogether, this frontiersman had a distinct character with many eccentric
features and a strong hand on national politics.
Jackson was raised as an isolated frontiersman. He also learned savage territorial supremacy, from growing up on the Carolina Piedmont with Germans, Swiss, and Native Americans. Descended from Jonathan Edwards, Jackson possessed a reckless spirit and flaring temper, even as a youth. To further emphasize these negative traits, he was poorly educated and only interested in warlike activities. Other factors contributed to his irritability, such as "the big itch" (a skin disease he had in youth). Also, he tended to slobber, which made him humiliated and extremely sensitive to criticism.
English: Andrew Jackson - 7 th President of the Un...
Portrait of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president ...
A cartoon depicts Jackson battling the many headed...All these childhood
factors added up and left Andrew Jackson as a touchy, hot-tempered man.
Jackson grew from a isolated childhood to a very successful adolescence and adulthood. He actively served during the American revolution beginning at the age of 13. After the war, Jackson got a law degree and quickly gained a name for himself ruthlessly prosecuting debtors. He then was elected as not only a judge, but as a congressman and a senator. It was here that he gained much of his experience in politics, having a direct impact on many events including the war of 1812. Following this, he was then given a command post as the leader of the southern army in the Seminole campaign. In this post, he invaded Florida, then held by Spain, and chased after the Seminole Indians. This action had a direct effect on the...