In celebration of our national heritage, we finish our Pride in America series by honoring a duelist, frontiersman, populist, war hero, statesman, and patriot: Andrew Jackson.
Well before Jackson ascended to the Presidency, he earned renown as one of the nation’s first military heroes. During the War of 1812, Jackson rallied a force of several thousand volunteer militia to contest the British campaign to seize New Orleans. Against all odds, Jackson secured a resounding victory against a superior enemy force, demonstrating to the world that no band of tyrants can withstand the courage of men who have resolved to be free. For this feat, General Jackson was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and was known thereafter as the “Hero of New Orleans.”
Over two decades later, Jackson was elected as President of the United States at the head of the newly formed Democratic Party. Inspired by the ideals of Jeffersonian Democracy, Jackson dedicated himself to the cause of limited government. To this day, he remains the only President to successfully eliminate the national debt. As a defender of the constitution, he also vetoed the recharter of the Second National Bank, denouncing it as an engine for oligarchy instituted to benefit the economic and political elite.
Jackson’s most enduring legacy, however, is neither his military exploits nor his actions as President. Throughout his storied career, Jackson used his immense gravitas and prestige to champion the rights of the common man. In service of this noble cause, he transcended the form of any normal politician and became the living embodiment of an age–the Age of Jackson.
Jackson’s rise transformed the political landscape of America, elevating both the status and role of the common man in our system of self-government. The Jacksonian era was marked by a significant expansion of voting rights, unprecedented levels of public participation in politics, and the rise of a robust and responsive party system.
“Old Hickory” can also be credited for infusing the ethos of the frontier into our national character, solidifying the virtues we now associate with the quintessential American citizen–courage, patriotism, fortitude, daring, and self-reliance.
On this Fourth of July, we proudly celebrate the memory of a thoroughly American statesman, Andrew Jackson.
