Short Essay: Was Andrew Jackson An American Hero

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Andrew Jackson an American Hero “The planter, the farmer, the mechanic, and the laborer... form the great body of the people of the United States, they are the bone and sinew of the country men who love liberty and desire nothing but equal rights and equal laws.” Jackson knew that the common man is just as important as him and any other government official. At the age of 14 during the Revolutionary War, Andrew Jackson and his older brother Robert were captured by British soldiers. The officer in command ordered Jackson to clean his boots. Jackson refused. The officer raised his sword to strike a violent blow to his head, but Jackson ducked and threw up his left hand. That left him with a scar that stayed forever. By the Age of 15 Jackson …show more content…

Jackson had many moments as a hero but one of his firsts was “In the war of 1812, Jackson defeated the creek warriors, tactic allies of the the british, at horseshoe bend” (“Andrew Jackson War hero”). This was an accomplishment that Jackson carried with him forever. The main reason he joined this war against the british is because he blamed them for his family's deaths. He enjoyed being able to feel like he was able to avenge his family. 3 years later Jackson showed his heroic self, “On Jan 8, 1815, British General Sir Edward Pakenham led a frontal assault on Jackson's position. Some inexperienced Americans on the west bank broke and ran but in the main attack on the east bank, Jackson's men mowed down the advancing enemy with artillery and rifle fire. British casualties exceeded two thousand; Jackson lost thirteen dead, fifty-eight wounded and missing.” (“American President” A hero emerges). Jackson was able to overcome the other enemy even though they had a greater number of men with his intelligence and strategic thinking. Even though Jackson was a war hero he was also a family …show more content…

When Jacksons family honor got insulted he would stand up for them and kill if he had to. He did the same for his country when he was president. “On this day in 1806, future President Andrew Jackson kills a man who accused him of cheating on a horse race bet and then insulted his wife, Rachel” (Andrew Jackson Kills”). He killed Charles Dickinson because he insulted his honor and his wife's honor. He treated the US like the center of his life when his wife died and he became president, but before that his wife was his life and nothing mattered as much as her. Jackson considered his wife “The center of his life”(“Andrew Jackson's Tragic”). Jackson always loved his wife and treated her more like an equal and less of a possession like most men treated their wives back then. After she died he transferred most of his time and effort to being a great president. Being a man who loved his family and his country was another way Jackson an American