Editor’s note: This is the 28th in a series of essays on the history and meaning of the American political tradition. Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) was President of the United States for two terms, from 1829 until 1837. He also ran for the office in 1824 and received the most votes, but he didn’t receive a sufficient majority in the electoral college to elect him outright. It remained for the House of Representatives to decide the winner, and they chose John Quincy Adams, who had run second. Henry Clay was the … (read more)
