Andrew Jackson Popular Books

Andrew Jackson Biography & Facts

Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before his presidency, he gained fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses of the U.S. Congress. Often praised as an advocate for ordinary Americans and for his work in preserving the union of states, Jackson has also been criticized for his racial policies, particularly his treatment of Native Americans. Jackson was born in the colonial Carolinas before the American Revolutionary War. He became a frontier lawyer and married Rachel Donelson Robards. He briefly served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, representing Tennessee. After resigning, he served as a justice on the Tennessee Superior Court from 1798 until 1804. Jackson purchased a property later known as the Hermitage, becoming a wealthy planter who owned hundreds of African-American slaves during his lifetime. In 1801, he was appointed colonel of the Tennessee militia and was elected its commander. He led troops during the Creek War of 1813–1814, winning the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and negotiating the Treaty of Fort Jackson that required the indigenous Creek population to surrender vast tracts of present-day Alabama and Georgia. In the concurrent war against the British, Jackson's victory at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 made him a national hero. He later commanded U.S. forces in the First Seminole War, which led to the annexation of Florida from Spain. Jackson briefly served as Florida's first territorial governor before returning to the Senate. He ran for president in 1824. He won a plurality of the popular and electoral vote, but no candidate won the electoral majority. With the help of Henry Clay, the House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams in a contingent election. Jackson's supporters alleged that there was a "corrupt bargain" between Adams and Clay and began creating their own political organization that would eventually become the Democratic Party. Jackson ran again in 1828, defeating Adams in a landslide. In 1830, he signed the Indian Removal Act. This act, which has been described as ethnic cleansing, displaced tens of thousands of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands east of the Mississippi and resulted in thousands of deaths. Jackson faced a challenge to the integrity of the federal union when South Carolina threatened to nullify a high protective tariff set by the federal government. He threatened the use of military force to enforce the tariff, but the crisis was defused when it was amended. In 1832, he vetoed a bill by Congress to reauthorize the Second Bank of the United States, arguing that it was a corrupt institution. After a lengthy struggle, the Bank was dismantled. In 1835, Jackson became the only president to pay off the national debt. He survived the first assassination attempt on a sitting president. In one of his final presidential acts, he recognized the Republic of Texas. After leaving office, Jackson supported the presidencies of Martin Van Buren and James K. Polk, as well as the annexation of Texas. Jackson's legacy remains controversial, and opinions are frequently polarized. Supporters characterize him as a defender of democracy and the Constitution, while critics point to his reputation as a demagogue who ignored the law when it suited him. Jackson's presidency has consistently been ranked as above average, although his reputation has declined since the late 20th century. Early life and education Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767, in the Waxhaws region of the Carolinas. His parents were Scots-Irish colonists Andrew Jackson and Elizabeth Hutchinson, Presbyterians who had emigrated from Ulster, Ireland, in 1765. Jackson's father was born in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, around 1738, and his ancestors had crossed into Northern Ireland from Scotland after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Jackson had two older brothers who came with his parents from Ireland, Hugh (born 1763) and Robert (born 1764). Elizabeth had a strong hatred of the British that she passed on to her sons.Jackson's exact birthplace is unclear. Jackson's father died at the age of 29 in a logging accident while clearing land in February 1767, three weeks before his son Andrew was born. Afterwards, Elizabeth and her three sons moved in with her sister and brother-in-law, Jane and James Crawford. Jackson later stated that he was born on the Crawford plantation, which is in Lancaster County, South Carolina, but second-hand evidence suggests that he might have been born at another uncle's home in North Carolina.When Jackson was young, Elizabeth thought he might become a minister and paid to have him schooled by a local clergyman. He learned to read, write, work with numbers, and was exposed to Greek and Latin, but he was too strong-willed and hot-tempered for the ministry. Revolutionary War Jackson and his older brothers, Hugh and Robert, served on the Patriot side against British forces during the American Revolutionary War. Hugh served under Colonel William Richardson Davie, dying from heat exhaustion after the Battle of Stono Ferry in June 1779. After anti-British sentiment intensified in the Southern Colonies following the Battle of Waxhaws in May 1780, Elizabeth encouraged Andrew and Robert to participate in militia drills. They served as couriers, and were present at the Battle of Hanging Rock in August 1780.Andrew and Robert were captured in April 1781 when the British occupied the home of a Crawford relative. A British officer demanded to have his boots polished. Andrew refused, and the officer slashed him with a sword, leaving him with scars on his left hand and head. Robert also refused and was struck a blow on the head. The brothers were taken to a prisoner-of-war camp in Camden, South Carolina, where they became malnourished and contracted smallpox. In late spring, the brothers were released to their mother in a prisoner exchange. Robert died two days after arriving home, but Elizabeth was able to nurse Andrew back to health. Once he recovered, Elizabeth volunteered to nurse American prisoners of war housed in British prison ships in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. She contracted cholera and died soon afterwards. The war made Jackson an orphan at age 14 and increased his hatred for the values he associated with Britain, in particular aristocracy and political privilege. Early career Legal career and marriage After the American Revolutionary War, Jackson worked as a saddler, briefly returned to school, and taught reading and writing to children. In 1784, he left the Waxhaws region for Salisbury, North Carolina, where he studied law under attorney Spruce Macay. He completed his training under John Stokes, and was admitted to the North Carolina bar in September 1787. Shortly thereafter, his friend John McNairy helped him get appointed as a pr.... Discover the Andrew Jackson popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Andrew Jackson books.

Best Seller Andrew Jackson Books of 2024

  • The Drowning Kind synopsis, comments

    The Drowning Kind

    Jennifer McMahon

    A NEW YORK TIMES BEST THRILLER OF 2021In this “blisteringly suspenseful tale that will keep you up at night” (Wendy Webb, author of Daughters of the Lake), a woman returns to the o...

  • American Capitalism synopsis, comments

    American Capitalism

    Louis Hyman & Edward E. Baptist

    From Cornell University Professors Louis Hyman and Edward E. Baptist, a collection of the most relevant readings on the history of capitalism in America, created to accompany their...

  • Countdown bin Laden synopsis, comments

    Countdown bin Laden

    Chris Wallace

    #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERFollowing Chris Wallace’s “riveting” (The New York Times) and “propulsive” (Time) first book Countdown 1945 comes a deeply ...

  • The Rise of Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    The Rise of Andrew Jackson

    David S. Heidler & Jeanne T. Heidler

    The story of Andrew Jackson's improbable ascent to the White House, centered on the handlers and propagandists who made it possible Andrew Jackson was volatile and prone to violenc...

  • White Trash synopsis, comments

    White Trash

    Nancy Isenberg

    The New York Times bestseller A New York Times Notable and Critics’ Top Book of 2016Longlisted for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for NonfictionOne of NPR's 10 Best Books Of ...

  • MatchUp synopsis, comments

    MatchUp

    Lee Child

    This “highly recommended” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) collection edited by New York Times bestselling author Lee Child pairs the beloved characters of twentytwo internation...

  • A History of the American People synopsis, comments

    A History of the American People

    Paul Johnson

    "As majestic in its scope as the country it celebrates. [Johnson's] theme is the men and women, prominent and unknown, whose energy, vision, courage and confidence shaped a great n...

  • Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    Andrew Jackson

    Teri Kanefield

    This biography for young readers explores the life of the controversial seventh U.S. president, as well as his successes, failures, and legacy. Born in the Carolina backwoods,...

  • International English Bible New Testament synopsis, comments

    International English Bible New Testament

    Andrew Jackson

    Written in simple language for an ordinary person, the International English Bible offers both accuracy and ease of reading in a single translation. The International English Bible...

  • The Fallon Legacy synopsis, comments

    The Fallon Legacy

    Robert Jordan & Reagan O'Neal

    The thrilling conclusion to Robert Jordan's acclaimed Fallon trilogy traces the family's fortunes as it expands westward. The Fallon Legacy is the tale of a father and son who hav...

  • Works of Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    Works of Andrew Jackson

    Andrew Jackson

    13 works of Andrew Jackson Seventh President of the United States (17671845) This ebook presents a collection of 13 works of Andrew Jackson. A dynamic table of contents allows you ...

  • A Nation Without Borders synopsis, comments

    A Nation Without Borders

    Steven Hahn & Eric Foner

    A Pulitzer Prize–winning historian’s "breathtakingly original" (Junot Diaz) reinterpretation of the eight decades surrounding the Civil War. "Capatious [and] buzzing with idea...

  • 1831 synopsis, comments

    1831

    Louis P. Masur

    1776, 1861, 1929. Any highschool student should know what these years meant to American history. But wars and economic disasters are not our only pivotal events, and other years ha...

  • The Children on the Hill synopsis, comments

    The Children on the Hill

    Jennifer McMahon

    From the New York Times bestselling author of The Drowning Kind comes a genredefying novel, inspired by Mary Shelley’s masterpiece Frankenstein, that brilliantly explores the eerie...

  • A Likely Story synopsis, comments

    A Likely Story

    Leigh McMullan Abramson

    CBS New York Book Club with Mary Calvi and Belletrist Book Club Pick“Raw, complex, and utterly unforgettable.” Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling authorThe only child of a fam...

  • Woman of the Year synopsis, comments

    Woman of the Year

    Darcey Bell

    A deliciously twisty thriller about the dark side of female friendship and a revenge plot that gets a little out of hand from the New York Times bestselling author of the “intense,...

  • Patriotic Fire synopsis, comments

    Patriotic Fire

    Winston Groom

    December 1814: its economy in tatters, its capital city of Washington, D.C., burnt to the ground, a young America was again at war with the militarily superior English crown. Wit...

  • 50 Classic Biographies synopsis, comments

    50 Classic Biographies

    Lord Charnwood, John Cooke & Henry James

    Learn more about some of the most interesting people to ever live with this anthology of 50 classic biographies. An active table of contents is included to make it easy to quickly ...

  • TIME Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    TIME Andrew Jackson

    Jon Meacham & The Editors of TIME

    Andrew Jackson remains one of America's most extraordinary, influential and at times controversial leaders, defined by a brilliant military and political career that sought to adva...

  • The Half Has Never Been Told synopsis, comments

    The Half Has Never Been Told

    Edward E. Baptist

    A groundbreaking history demonstrating that America's economic supremacy was built on the backs of enslaved peopleWinner of the 2015 Avery O. Craven Prize from the Organization of ...

  • Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    Andrew Jackson

    H. W. Brands

    NATIONAL BESTSELLER  From the twotime Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author of The First American comes the first major singlevolume biograph...

  • To America synopsis, comments

    To America

    Stephen E. Ambrose

    Completed shortly before Ambrose's untimely death, To America is a very personal look at our nation's history through the eyes of one of the twentieth century's most influential hi...

  • The Reign of Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    The Reign of Andrew Jackson

    Frederic Austin Ogg

    This is a political book. Explore the legend of American President Andrew Jackson, aka 'Old Hickory in The Reign of Andrew Jackson, A Chronicle of the Frontier in Politics, Vol. 10...

  • A Nation Rising synopsis, comments

    A Nation Rising

    Kenneth C. Davis

    “History in Davis’s hands is loud, coarse, painful, funny, irreverentand memorable.” San Francisco Chronicle Following on his New York Times bestsellers America’s Hidden History a...

  • My Darling Girl synopsis, comments

    My Darling Girl

    Jennifer McMahon

    From the New York Times bestselling author of The Children on the Hill, a psychological thriller “that delivers both chilling scares and genuine emotion” (Chandler Baker, New York ...

  • In Defense of Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    In Defense of Andrew Jackson

    Bradley J. Birzer

    "He was a man of the frontier, selfmade but appreciative of those who gave him their loyalty and support. He was, pure and simple, and American..." He was controversial in his time...

  • Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    Andrew Jackson

    George E. Stanley

    Dear Reader: The Childhood of Famous Americans series, seventy years old in 2002, chronicles the early years of famous American men and women in an accessible manner. Each book is...

  • Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    Andrew Jackson

    William Garrott Brown

    Biography of Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 June 8, 1845), the seventh President of the United States (18291837). He was military governor of Florida (1821), commander of the Amer...

  • Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans synopsis, comments

    Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans

    Brian Kilmeade & Don Yaeger

    Another history pageturner from the authors of the #1 bestsellers George Washington's Secret Six and Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates.The War of 1812 saw Ame...

  • The Life of Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    The Life of Andrew Jackson

    Robert V. Remini

    "A wonderful portrait, rich in detail, of a fascinating and important man and an authoritative . . . account of his role in American History.” New York Times Book ReviewThe classic...

  • Countdown 1945 synopsis, comments

    Countdown 1945

    Chris Wallace

    The #1 national bestselling “riveting” (The New York Times), “propulsive” (Time) behindthescenes account “that reads like a tense thriller” (The Washington Post) of the 116 days le...

  • Genius of Place synopsis, comments

    Genius of Place

    Justin Martin

    The full and definitive biography of Frederick Law Olmsted, influential abolitionist, ardent social reformer and conservationist, and the visionary designer of Central ParkFrederic...

  • American Lion synopsis, comments

    American Lion

    Jon Meacham

    The definitive biography of a largerthanlife president who defied norms, divided a nation, and changed Washington foreverAndrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tum...

  • Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    Andrew Jackson

    Sean Wilentz & Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

    The towering figure who remade American politicsthe champion of the ordinary citizen and the scourge of entrenched privilege"It is rare that historians manage both Wilentz's deep i...

  • The Passions of Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    The Passions of Andrew Jackson

    Andrew Burstein

    Most people vaguely imagine Andrew Jackson as a jaunty warrior and a man of the people, but he was much morea man just as complex and controversial as Jefferson or Lincoln. No...

  • Brothers and Wives synopsis, comments

    Brothers and Wives

    Christopher Andersen

    Featuring unreported details and stunning revelations, the longawaited followup to the “fabulous, addictive” (Chicago SunTimes) New York Times bestseller Diana’s Boys explores the ...

  • The Long, Bitter Trail synopsis, comments

    The Long, Bitter Trail

    Anthony Wallace

    An account of Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1830, which relocated Eastern Indians to the Okalahoma Territory over the Trail of Tears, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs whic...

  • A Being So Gentle synopsis, comments

    A Being So Gentle

    Patricia Brady

    The fortyyear love affair between Rachel and Andrew Jackson parallels a tumultuous period in American history. Andrew Jackson was at the forefront of the American revolutionbut he ...

  • Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    Andrew Jackson

    the late John William Ward

    Was the man who lent his name to "Jacksonian America" a roughhewn frontiersman? A powerful, victorious general? Or merely a man of will? Separating myth from reality, John Willia...

  • Andrew Jackson synopsis, comments

    Andrew Jackson

    Robert V. Remini

    Available in paperback for the first time, these three volumes represent the definitive biography of Andrew Jackson. Volume One covers the role Jackson played in America's territor...

  • How to Fight Presidents synopsis, comments

    How to Fight Presidents

    Daniel O'Brien & Winston Rowntree

    Make no mistake: Our founding fathers were more bandanasandmuscles than powderedwigsandtea.  As a prisoner of war, Andrew Jackson walked several miles barefoot across state li...

  • The Battle of New Orleans synopsis, comments

    The Battle of New Orleans

    Robert V. Remini

    The Battle of New Orleans was the climactic battle of America's "forgotten war" of 1812. Andrew Jackson led his ragtag corps of soldiers against 8,000 disciplined invading British ...