Jackson, Andrew (1767-1845), was the first president born in a log cabin. Earlier presidents had come from well-to-do families. Jackson, the son of poor Scotch-Irish immigrants, became an orphan at 14. He grew up on the frontier of the Carolinas. Then he moved to Tennessee, where he became a successful lawyer and landowner. Jackson won fame as an Indian fighter and as a general in the War of 1812. He was nicknamed "Old Hickory" because of his toughness.
Jackson was a founder of the Democratic Party. He won election as President in 1828 partly because his party was so well organized throughout the nation. Jackson's military fame also attracted many voters.
Jackson made the presidency a more powerful office, though still subject to the will of the people. As president, he disapproved of many actions by Congress and vetoed 12 bills, more than all previous presidents combined. Many of these bills sought to increase federal spending on domestic improvements. The Democrats believed that the states, not the national government, should pay for such projects. Jackson's strong actions, particularly during disputes involving the Bank of the United States and the rights of states, won him much praise. He became known as a champion of the people.
The 20-year period after Jackson became president is often called the Age of Jackson. It has been described as the years of "the rise of the common man." Under Jackson's leadership, his followers tried to win reforms in the states. They demanded state regulation and inspection of banks. They fought for the right of workers to organize labor unions, and called for a 10-hour workday. They sought adoption of the secret ballot in elections. When Jackson was reelected president in 1832, he became the first president who had been nominated by a national political convention. Historians often use the term Jacksonian Democracy to describe the reforms and reform movements of the period from 1828 to 1850.
During Jackson's presidency, the opening of land in the West sped up the westward movement. Wild speculation on land, roads, canals, and cotton led to a business depression in the late 1830's. William Lloyd Garrison organized one of the first societies favoring an end to slavery. Peter Cooper built the first American steam locomotive used for passenger service, and Jackson became the first president to ride a train.
