Andrew Jackson essays

Andrew Jackson essays Two years before Andrew Jacksons birth, the Jacksons and their first two sons made the crossing from Ireland and settled in the Carolinas. While clearing land one day in 1767, there was an accident, and his father was killed. A few days later, on March 15, Andrew was born and named after his father,(1, 2) The American colonies, unhappy with British economic exploitation, high taxes, and interference in their internal affairs, were fighting to overthrow the King's rule, (1, 2). The war reached the Jackson family quickly and completely. Andrew's oldest brother was killed in a battle in 1779. Jackson's mother became a nurse to American soldiers, and thirteen-year-old Andrew and a brother three years his senior joined the army. An exceptional horseman, Andrew was made a messenger. He impressed his commander so much that the man gave the boy a pistol. In April 1781 both boys were captured by British troops. One English officer ordered Andrew to clean his boots. The boy, already known for his fiery temper, refused, and the officer pulled his sword and smashed it into the face of the boy. The blade left on Andrew's forehead a long, nasty gash that, like his hatred for the British, never completely went away. (1, 2) Young Andrew received as good education as could be had, and in fact a considerably better one than most boys because his mother had her heart set on seeing become a Presbyterian minister, (2, 14). However, as Andrew Jackson: Soldier and Statesman states, Throughout his life he remained a man of narrow education. He knew little of science, history, or literature, and his spelling was always a wonder to behold (even when he was President he might spell the same word three or four different ways in a letter). By the age of twenty-two, he was attorney general, or chief law officer, for the territory. About this time he met a daughter of ...