Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson is considered to be perhaps one of the most complex political figures in US history. Some view him as a hero who worked for the people while others consider him to be an aggressive villain who plundered without a second thought. The truth is that he was a little bit of both.

He became the 7th president of the US in 1828, but he had to work all his life to get to this position. He was in fact, the first president to come from a family of immigrants. He lived a life of poverty until he was able to work his way up to the position of army general through sheer determination, hard work, and the aforementioned aggressive approach. After that, it was a clear path to becoming president of the United States.

Accomplishments and Criticism

From the very beginning, Jackson was a strong advocate of taking care of the people’s rights. During his presidency, he made sure to increase the amount of offices to be elected by the public, he considered himself to be the representative of all those without a voice, and also established a Democratic Party. In his earlier days, before making a name for himself in the military, he practiced law and worked as a judge.

The debate about whether Jackson was a hero or the villain of his own story arises when we look at the contradiction in what he believed and what he did. Coming from an unfortunate background himself, Jackson took it upon himself to create a system which would benefit the poor and the weak instead of just the privileged. However, his concern for delivering the people their rights was not seen when he signed treaties that resulted in the displacement of hundreds of Native Americans from their homelands. Also, there was no action taken against the practice of slavery during his time, nor were the blacks and the women given more rights.

Not Quite a Tyrant

It can’t be denied that Andrew Jackson was a man who knew how to obtain power and hold it. He made it clear during his presidency that the president was the one who would be the ultimate decision maker. His aggressiveness did not go unnoticed by his enemies as he is the first US president who became the target of an assassination attempt.

Jackson was not a real tyrant. He was just a man who made a few big mistakes but was also admired by many.