Summary
Highlights
Bailey Sarian introduces Andrew Jackson, a recurring figure in dark historical narratives. She describes him as a 'common denominator' in terrible stories and challenges listeners to consider the extent of his awful past. Jackson is painted as a complex character: a wealthy businessman involved in the slave trade, a general, a governor, a judge, a gambler, and an heavy drinker, who married a married woman and was not afraid to 'play dirty.' Despite these traits, he became the seventh president of the United States. The episode will primarily focus on his life before his presidency.
Born on March 15th, 1767, Andrew Jackson was the son of Irish immigrants. His father died before he was born, and by the age of 14, he had lost both of his brothers and his mother, leaving him orphaned. This tragic upbringing is presented as the only period for which one might feel sympathy for him.
At 20, Jackson moved to Salisbury, North Carolina, where he became a lawyer. He quickly gained a reputation as a 'rake'—a man who gambled, drank, and engaged in promiscuous behavior. After squandering his inheritance and becoming disliked in the Carolinas, he fled to Tennessee, which was then the 'wild frontier.' He rebooted his life as a frontier lawyer and judge, despite his limited education.
In Tennessee, Jackson met Rachel, who was already married. Despite her marital status, they moved in together and married in 1791, two years before her divorce was finalized. This scandalous relationship, which led to a bigamy accusation, would later become a recurring point of contention. Jackson used his wealth from his legal career to buy land and slaves, aiming to achieve social status in the Southern society where owning many slaves was a sign of prosperity. He quickly accumulated enslaved people, and utilized their unpaid labor to expand his various side businesses, such as horse breeding and general stores.
Jackson's ambition led him to hold various positions despite his wild reputation. At 24, he became Attorney General of Tennessee, then a member of the House of Representatives, and a year later, a Senator. When Tennessee became a state in 1796, Jackson, despite being known as a 'booze bag,' was chosen as a judge on the Tennessee Superior Court. He served for five years, even taking it upon himself to personally confront and threaten criminals when sheriffs were too afraid to bring them to court.
Jackson's relentless ambition extended to military leadership. After being appointed head of the Tennessee militia over the more qualified John Sevier, a significant rivalry ignited. Sevier, enraged by Jackson's selection, began spreading rumors about Rachel Jackson, calling her a 'whore.' Jackson, protective of his wife, confronted Sevier, leading to an attempted shooting and a formal invitation to a duel. Duels in the South were often symbolic, but Jackson's violent tendencies became evident when he attacked Sevier instead of engaging in a formal duel, further solidifying his reputation as a fearless and unpredictable figure.
By 1804, Jackson was a prominent figure, accumulating wealth from his various businesses, including land ownership, horse breeding, and enslaved labor. He purchased a cotton plantation outside Nashville, naming it 'The Hermitage.' Initially with nine enslaved individuals, he rapidly expanded his enslaved workforce through further purchases and trades, significantly increasing his wealth. The narrative underscores Jackson's extreme cruelty towards the enslaved, citing records of public beatings and instances where he offered rewards for runaways, explicitly encouraging their captors to beat them.
In 1806, Jackson participated in a famous duel against Charles Dickinson, a fellow attorney. Despite their 'frenemy' relationship, a heated argument at a horse race, once again involving insults directed at Rachel, led to the challenge. Knowing Dickinson was an excellent shot, Jackson devised a plan: allow Dickinson to shoot first, absorb the bullet, and then calmly take his shot. Dickinson's shot hit Jackson near the heart, but Jackson, though injured, deliberately re-cocked his misfiring pistol and killed Dickinson. This act, a clear violation of dueling etiquette, underscored Jackson's ruthlessness and disregard for rules.
In 1812, at 45, Jackson was Commander of the Tennessee Militia when the U.S. declared war on Britain. Eager for battle, he led his men on an arduous thousand-mile journey to New Orleans, only for it to be a false alarm. He returned, paying for his men's supplies out of pocket, earning him the nickname 'Old Hickory' for his toughness. During this time, the Creek Civil War erupted, a conflict between the Creek Tribe and the Red Sticks, fueled by European influence. After a Red Stick attack on a white settlement, Jackson saw an opportunity for real battle. He and his militia attacked the Native American town of Tallushatchee, leading to a brutal massacre. Davy Crockett, fighting alongside Jackson, described how they 'shot them like dogs.' Jackson's savagery continued in another battle where his men killed fleeing Red Sticks, causing the river to run red with blood. He ordered his men to collect the noses of the dead as trophies and even 'adopted' a Native American baby, Lyncoya, whose parents were killed in the fighting. Six of Jackson's men who attempted to desert were executed as a warning to others. This campaign ultimately secured large tracts of land—more than half of Alabama and a significant portion of Georgia—for the U.S. government, earning Jackson national hero status.
Jackson, now a Major General, harbored 'unfinished business' with the Red Sticks who had fled to Florida, then a Spanish territory. Spain's policy of granting freedom to escaped slaves infuriated white Americans, including President Monroe, who implicitly urged Jackson to address the 'sketchy' situation in Florida, while officially cautioning against war with Spain. Jackson, interpreting this as a green light, invaded Florida, killing many people. Spain was outraged and demanded Jackson be punished, but the U.S. government downplayed the incident and ultimately purchased Florida from Spain for $5 million. By the age of 50, Jackson had thus acquired both vast Native American lands and the entire state of Florida for the U.S., cementing his reputation as a war hero and the 'original Florida man,' a figure who could 'do no wrong' due to his privileged status.
At 51, ailing from old wounds, constant pain, and exhaustion, Andrew Jackson retired from military life and returned home to Rachel and Lyncoya in Tennessee. Frustrated by what he perceived as 'corruption' in the developing country, he felt powerless. However, his friends soon approached him with the suggestion to run for president. Seeing an opportunity to lead, make rules, and continue wielding power without the physical demands of battle, Jackson eagerly embraced the idea, despite his physical decline.
Jackson, propelled by his popularity, began campaigning for president in 1822. He ran against John Quincy Adams, who was initially a supporter and belonged to the same Democratic-Republican Party. In the 1824 election, Jackson won the popular vote but failed to secure an Electoral College majority, leading to a five-way tie. The decision went to Congress, who, disliking Jackson, chose Adams as president. This marked the first time Jackson truly heard 'no,' and his fragile ego reacted with rage. Unable to 'murder' the president, he resorted to a smear campaign, branding the election a 'corrupt bargain' and immediately announcing his candidacy for the next election, three and a half years away. This intense rivalry and mudslinging caused the Democratic-Republican Party to split, giving birth to the Democratic (Jackson's supporters) and Republican (Adams' supporters) parties, a pivotal moment in American political history.
The 1828 election became one of the dirtiest in U.S. history. Jackson, acting as a 'professional shit talker,' relentlessly attacked Adams, spreading rumors and calling him names. Adams' supporters retaliated by reviving the old scandal surrounding Rachel Jackson's marriage, labeling her a 'whore.' Rachel, who had remained silent throughout, was deeply affected by the public slander. The election became a battle between 'pimp' (Adams) and 'murderer' (Jackson). Jackson ultimately won and became president. However, his victory was overshadowed by Rachel's death a few months before he took office, which he attributed to the political smears. At her funeral, he famously said, 'May God almighty forgive her murders, as I know she forgave them. I never can.' The host concludes by summarizing Jackson as a 'drunken rake,' 'bloodthirsty military tyrant,' 'morally unfit,' and a 'sensitive baby who couldn't hear the word no,' emphasizing that his negative qualities were true. The episode ends by foreshadowing a future discussion on the 'Trail of Tears,' which occurred during his presidency, further solidifying Jackson's image as 'the actual devil.'