Andrew Jackson (Democrat)
The 7th President of the United States (1829-1837), Andrew Jackson came from a military background. A hero of the war of 1812, he came to national attention when he led American troops to victory against the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (1814) and against the British at the Battle of New Orleans (1815). Known as "Old Hickory" for his toughness on the battlefield, Jackson denounced what he saw as a closed undemocratic society. Unlike previous Presidents, he did not defer to Congress in policy-making but used his power of the veto and his party leadership to assume command and increase the power of the presidency. More nearly than any of his predecessors, Andrew Jackson was elected by popular vote, and as President he sought to act as the direct representative of the common man. His influence was so great that the period 1830-1850 would later become known as the era of Jacksonian democracy. Modern historians praise Jackson as a protector of popular democracy, but criticize his support of slavery and Indian removal.