Product Description

Product Description

National Bestseller 

In this, the first major single-volume biography of Andrew Jackson in decades, H.W.Brands reshapes our understanding of this fascinating man, and of the Age of Democracythat he ushered in.

An orphan at a young age and without formal education or thefamily lineage of the Founding Fathers, Jackson showed that the Presidency was notthe exclusive province of the wealthy and the well-born but could truly be held bya man of the people. On a majestic, sweeping scale Brands re-creates Jackson’s risefrom his hardscrabble roots to his days as frontier lawyer, then on to his heroicvictory in the Battle of New Orleans, and finally to the White House. Capturing Jackson’soutsized life and deep impact on American history, Brands also explores his controversial actions, from his unapologetic expansionism to the disgraceful Trail of Tears. Thisis a thrilling portrait, in full, of the president who defined American democracy.

Customer Reviews (91)

Well researched and written book
Very pleasant to read. Brands brings to your imagination all of the amazing facts of this tough and rowdy president. I could not believe how fast I read the 500+ pages. Once I had arrived at the end I felt a little moved as if I had lived through the tragedy of our early American heritage.No one can help but be angry at the way he treated human slaves. In that light, considering the culture that brought him up, one cannot help but see a shade of compassion by his unique practice of keeping families together. One thing no one will argue. Andrew had a passion, and confidence that led a nation to grow, and face its own problems. A very well researched and stylish book that I believe everyone will enjoy.

American History Masterpiece
I really enjoyed reading this book. I didn't know much about Andrew Jackson before reading the book but I learned a great deal in a short time. The book flowed well and followed Jackson from birth, his early life, the revolution, his business ventures, duels,through wars, the presidency, and death. The material was so interesting I found myself flying through the book.

Jackson was involved with the Indian wars, Florida, New Orleans, and even Texas be it in battle or influence. I think everyone intersted in American history and important figures of our past should read this book.

Comments on abridged CD version
"Andrew Jackson - His Life and Times" - H.W. Brands

The following comments are for the abridged CD audio book version of "Andrew Jackson - His Life and Times" by H.W. Brands. Chuck Montgomery reads the book. This is a Random House Audio edition.

This listener found the narrator, Chuck Montgomery, an excellent speaker whose clear pronunciation and moderate pacing a pleasure to listen too. Mr. Montgomery has, in this reviewer's opinion, an appealing Southern tone to his diction that complements the subject matter.

This audio book consist 7 compact disks with a total playtime of approximately 8 hours. The disks are secured in two standard fan fold multi CD holders. These two inserts slide into the external packaging box. Each CD holder has identification on the spine listing the CD numbers. I mention this because not all audio book manufactures add this helpful numbering feature.

For several years I did a significant amount of business travel. I filled those hours listening to numerous non-fiction audio books most of them in the history-biography category. Many were ok, some good and very few compelling listening. "Andrew Jackson" falls into the latter category. There are two reasons for this personal judgment. The subject matter just crackles with exciting events and dramatic situations. In addition the author has a brilliant knack for bringing to life historical events and personalities. This authors talent was also evident in another audio book I have experienced,"Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt".

I will not even attempt to summaries the numerous actions and personalities covered in this book. The author does a more that creditable job of keeping his focus on Jackson. He does divert to elaborate upon the events and controversies of the times - just enough to make you want to follow up on, say, Sam Houston, Texas Independence, Aaron Burr, Indian Wars in Florida and other topics that kindled my interest.

My readings in American History have been confined, primarily, to the Revolutionary and Civil War Periods. I found the subject matter very informative and useful in what transpired between those two events.

Look for author Brands history lectures on YouTube. I found them most interesting and informative.

Entertaining, But Not Very In-Depth
While H.W. Brands covers Jackson's early years in satisfying detail, Brands covers his middle military career less thoroughly, and he rushes through Jackson's presidency, an area that one would think deserves the greatest focus.I certainly don't feel like I wasted my time, but I am definitely interested in finding another work on Jackson that covers his life in greater detail.

There are better choices for a Jackson biography
I purchased this book based on the favorable reviews on this site, but I was disappointed with it.Some significant events in Jackson's life are covered too briefly.The book is not one that "pulls you in" and I found it tedious to get through 560 pages.(Not like a bio written by David McCullough). ... Read more

Product Description
Was the man who lent his name to "Jacksonian America" a rough-hewn frontiersman?A powerful, victorious general? Or merely a man of will?Separating myth from reality, John William Ward here demonstrates how Andrew Jackson captured the imagination of a generation of Americans and came torepresent not just leadership but the ideal of courage, foresight, and ability. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

AWESOME BOOK!!!!
I love this book. Why? You should be ashamed to ask that question. BECAUSE ANDREW JACKSON IS A REAL TRUE SYMBOL FOR THIS AGE OF MANKIND, YOU MORON!!!!! Jackson understood that society back then was, indeed, a feudalistic society. But he did not knuckle under, he did not succcumb to laziness or expediency. No, he took charge of himself and rose out of poverty. He is a real man, something I look up to. He stood up for himself and took charge as an individual.

A Whiff Of Modern Politcs
American democratic politics, as can be easily seen in this year's presidential nominating processes, has always been encumbered with symbols. That fact is hardly new or news. What is news is that today's seemingly modern notion of proper electoral technique has a fairly ancient pedigree. Although Parson Weems did more than his share to establish the iconic figure of George Washington, arguably the subject of this work, Andrew Jackson, really was the first president to get the full public relations `spin' treatment that we take as a matter of course in today's politics.

The present volume builds the case for Jackson symbolic virtues at a time when America, after a series of nasty encounters with the British, notably the War of 1812, developed an inward look westward and away from the `degeneracy' of the seaboard. If Jackson did not fit the bill to a tee then his agents, paid or otherwise, filled in the blanks. First place in those efforts goes to highlighting his military prowess and soldierly concerns in defeating (to what real purpose no one knows since the war was over by this time) against the British at the tail end of the War of 1812 at the Battle of New Orleans.

From there it was fairly simple to make him a man of the' people'. In this case the people being empathically not the residents of the eastern seaboard but the `fresh' yeomanry of the Westward trek. You know- the ones who exhibited all the plebian virtues as solid tillers of the soil, holders of folk wisdom against the effete nabobs of the cities and the true patriots of rising American agricultural capitalism. The author builds his case by using a series of fairly common references beginning his work with an analysis of a Jackson poetic tribute `The Hunters of Kentucky' and dissects that bit of work to see how it fit into the scheme of making Jackson the first "people's" president. All the other tributes and, at the end eulogies, then fall into place.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then his Whig opponents do that by learning from his handlers by the time of the `Tippecanoe' Harrison campaign of 1840. And from there we are off to the races. Note this- as if to reinforce the argument presented by the book- can anyone today deny that that myth built so long ago still, with the exception of a dent caused by his savagery against the Native Americans, stands as the way he is thought of in the American pantheon? The Democrats continue their traditional Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinners without blushing.

Highly relevant to an understanding of America today
This quite readable book (if you read scholarly books) is possibly more relevant today than when it was written (in 1953). The author demonstrates how the concepts of Nature, God, and Will combined in the American imagination to provide the basis for beliefs about ourselves as a nation and our place in the world.The author doesn't explicitly draw a line from then-to-now (or even then-to-1953), but you will be able to draw that line yourself if you are an observer of American culture.If you are interested in current politics or the state of the nation today, read this book; you will understand more about how we got to where we are. It is not a biography of Andrew Jackson, but rather a carefully drawn picture of his times, using him, as the titles says, as a "symbol" for his era.

This guys writing is for the birds
Reading this I am reminded of people you meet that talk just to hear themselves speak this book reminded me of those people. From the start you are engulfed in babble about Andrew Jackson. Even though this is considered a scholarly book, I feel that the writer just typed and typed and used words and sentences that were difficult to understand just to make himself sound important and intelligent. After reading this book I did not have a grasp on who Andrew Jackson was, but I did however know that I did not like the author.

Abstract but discerning
My first impression of this book was that it was nothing more than rampant ramblings of senseless quibble.Once the reader understands that this is a psychoanalytical, socio-political, cultural and philosophical study of Andrew Jackson the man, versus the times he endured, it is truly an insightful work.
Touted as a man of iron-will, determination and unbound democratic principles, Jackson was a man for the ages which he represented.
Praised for his efforts in the Florida Indian battles and the Battle of New Orleans against the British (and denounced by some for his disregard for orders), he nonetheless came out on top of the situation for the people and his country.
He exhibited qualities of the self-made man and this is what swayed his popularity.Jackson started from humble beginnings, and with his resolve and perceptiveness, became not only President of the United States for two terms, but was also looked up to as a hero with no self-limitations. ... Read more

Product Description
Andrew Jackson chapter from the book-Facts about the Presidents, featuring data on the president-s background, life, and administration. Here you will find comprehensive,-uniformly arranged data on birth, family, education, nomination and election, congressional sessions, cabinet and Supreme Court appointments, vice president, first lady, and more--highlighting both the personal and political. Bibliographies guide readers to additional information on the president. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Facts about the Presidents
I know this product well of old. I have previous editions. I enjoyed the current edition. I am a history lover so this well within my experience

Now in a fully updated eighth edition
Now in a fully updated eighth edition, "Facts About The Presidents From George Washington To Barack Obama" is an essential, core addition to every school and community library. Divided into two distinct parts, "Facts About The Presidents" offers biographical data on all 44 of America's presidents, as well as comparative data with respects to presidential chronology, family history, personal background, education and career, residence, physical characteristics, death and burial, commemoratives, and general statistics. Of special note is the section devoted to presidential elections, conventions, candidates, election returns, the vice-presidents, and more. "Facts About The Presidents" is an 816-page compendium of superbly researched, organized and presented information covering everything from presidential vetos to presidential salaries, making it an invaluable reference for students as well as an engaging browse for non-specialist general readers with an interest in those who have held the office and responsibility of presiding over the nation from its founding to the present day.
... Read more

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American Presidents from MobileReference describes early life, political career, significant events, legislation, programs, appointments, personal life, and post-presidential career of all American Presidents. FREE chapters from George Washington to Andrew Jackson in the trial version.

Customer Reviews (1)

American Presidents
American Presidents - FREE chapters from George Washington to Andrew Jackson in the trial version

This is an excellent ebook. It is great for people beginning to learn about American politics. It's a great source for quick handy reminders. I have went back to this ebook more often, during the election season, to brief my memory. ... Read more

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Advance Praise for Jackson's Way

"I enjoyed it very much. It’s an excellent study . . . of an area and a time period too long neglected by historians . . . provides valuable new information, particularly on the Indians."–Robert Remini, author of The Life of Andrew Jackson

"John Buchanan has written a book that explodes with action and drama on virtually every page. Yet the complex story of the birth of the American West never loses its focus–Andrew Jackson’s improbable rise to fame and power. This is an American saga, brilliantly told by a master of historical narrative."–Thomas Fleming, author of Duel: Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Future of America

Praise for John Buchanan’s The Road to Guilford Courthouse

"Outstanding popular military history . . . an accomplishment of the same high order as . . . McPherson’s Civil War historiography."–Booklist

" A tense, exciting historical account of a little-known chapter of the Revolution, displaying history writing at its best."–Kirkus Reviews

"His compelling narrative brings readers closer than ever before to the reality of Revolutionary warfare in the Carolinas."–Raleigh News & Observer

"A lively, accurate account of a critical period in the War of Independence in the South . . . it deserves a large reading audience."–Don Higginbotham, Professor of History, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Unsubtantiated but Worthwhile Read
For someone so supportive of Jackson, his policies and actions (even when Buchanan himself deems them "going too far"), Buchanan fails to support his arguments. Clearly the author is enamored with the former President. Even during his military career when Jackson frequently disobeyed orders or followed his own code of conduct, Buchanan argues that he has sufficient reason for doing so and his actions were justified. But where is the evidence? By arguing that the Monroe administration was acting covertly to takeover the Floridas, he fails to cite from where he gets such information. There are no references to Monroe's history.
Buchanan has done his homework when discussing Jackson. He cites Jackson's papers and other credible biographies. He gives a well-rounded picture of the life and hardships Jackson endured and how electrifying his personality must have been. However, Buchanan goes a tad too far in arguing that Jackson, even when he broke the law, seized sovereign territory, killed two foreign residents, etc. was acting justly or on behalf of the administration where there is only evidence that he acted on his own accord. If those arguments are to be deemed credible in their own right, Buchanan needs to provide ample evidence that supports Jackson's seemingly arrogant decision-making process. He may have done his homework for Jackson, but the basis of his arguments seem based solely on his admiration for the man and not on historical facts or opinions of those present in that time. In other words, he acknowledges that there are those who call Jackson an Indian-hater or say he wanted to govern as a military dictator (ex. Napoleon), but fails to discredit those notions.

A Very Different Account
John Buchanan has written a most interesting book. Spanning the thirty year period 1780-1810 he covers a time of great uncertainty about just what to do with the existing and projected geographical definition of the fledgling United States. Aaron Burr was not the only person to think in terms of separation. Today, driving on Interstate Highways at 70 MPH through the Appalachian Mountains, it is difficult for us to understand just what an impenetrable barrier these mountains really were. No less a figure than Thomas Jefferson thought "whether we remain one confederacy or form into Atlantic and Mississippi confederacies I believe not very important to the happiness of either part."

No wonder then that the people of the west, as the west was then defined, drew so closely together and became such an interdependent, insular block. Surrounded by enemies (Great Britain on the North, Spain to the South and West and indifference from their own countrymen to the East), land locked with no natural outlet for their goods and agricultural products and at constant war with Native Americans, this, the fastest growing segment of the US population, was threatened with extinction. Thus, the setting was a tinder box with a truly separate people ready for that particular leader whose interests were not just aligned with but also coincident with their own.

Andrew Jackson was such a man. This is a story of survival, a story of great personal courage, of a very independent people who hacked their homes and way of life out of a true wilderness. It is a story of how the foundations of the Jacksonian Era were so firmly laid that the 34 year history of the Virginia Dynasty was so completely crushed in American politics that it never resurrected. An oft overlooked, misunderstood or just plain ignored segment of American history, these thirty years in the west were pivotal to the development of early America. Andrew Jackson was truly THE man, a most amazing force to be reckoned with, and an American to the very core of his soul.

Jackson, everyman's hero, today's leaders pale by comparison
The reader gets two stories for the price of one in "Jackson's Way." The first 150 pages tell the story of America's expansion West to the Mississippi River with objective and rich detail about the conflict and trials of both settlers and Indians, but little about Andrew Jackson.The book is also a good balance between modern apologists and proponents of manifest destiny. The second story describes Andrew Jackson the soldier andgeneral, mostly Andrew Jackson the consummate leader.I can list with the fingers on one hand the really good books about leadership, this book fits in that count. If you're tired of sniveling and self serving politicians and generals driven more by bureaucracy and pomp than fighting skill and tired of selfish chief executive officers raking in million dollar stock options while laying off thousands of workers without adequate severance compensation then meet Andrew Jackson as described by author John Buchanan.If you teach history and want to see students sitting on the edge of their seats instead of falling asleep then this book is for you too. The story describes in detail battles in the Mississippi River watershed during the war of 1812 culminating with the Battle for New Orleans (1814-15) when we whupped the British tail. Buchanan describes Jackson's leadership traits in a way thatreaders in virtually any profession can relate.

Jackson's Way
Jack Buchanan is a great writer! I was enthralled by this book from the moment 15 year-old Andrew Jackson swept onto the page. Buchanan brings to life the saga of the Old Southwest and the American pioneers. The most interesting element of the book is the portrait you get of Andrew Jackson, who was so loved men voted for him fifty years after his death.Anyone interested in the Presidents or the history of the Old Southwest will want to read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The 1828 presidential election, which pitted Major General Andrew Jackson against incumbent John Quincy Adams, has long been hailed as a watershed moment in American political history. It was the contest in which an unlettered, hot-tempered southwesetern frontiersman, trumpeted by his supporters as a genuine man of the people, soundly defeated a New England "aristocrat" whose education and political résumé were as impressive as any ever seen in American public life. It was, many historians have argued, the country's first truly democratic presidential election. Lynn Hudson Parsons argues that it also established a pattern in which two nationally organized political parties would vie for power in virtually every state.During the election of 1828 voters were introduced to a host of novel campaign tactics, includingco-ordinated media, get-out-the-vote efforts, fund-raising, organized rallies, opinion polling, campaign paraphernalia, ethnic voting blocs, "opposition research," and smear tactics.
In The Birth of Modern Politics, Parsons shows that the Adams-Jackson contest began a national debate that is eerily contemporary, pitting those whose cultural, social, and economic values were rooted in community action for the common good against those who believed the common good was best served by giving individuals as much freedom as possible to promote their own interests. It offers fresh and illuminating portraits of both Adams and Jackson and reveals how, despite their vastly different backgrounds, they had started out with many of the same values, admired one another, and had often been allies in common causes. Both were staunch nationalists, and both shared an aversion to organized parties and "electioneering."
But by 1828, caught up in a shifting political landscape, they were plunged into a competition that separated them decisively from the Founding Fathers' era and ushered in a style of politics that is still with us today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Planting partisanship's seeds
For most of us public school-educated Americans of a certain age, here is what our history classes sounded like: "Columbus in 1492 ... mumble, mumble ... Plymouth Rock and the first Thansgiving ... mumble, mumble ... Revolutionary War ... George Washington ... mumble, mumble, mumble ... slavery and the Civil War ... mumble, mumble ... cattle drive, cowboys, gold rush ... mumble ... World War I ... League of Nations ... World War II ... mumble, mumble ... zzzzzzzzz."

Most of us can recognize that Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams were presidents and if we really, really concentrated hard we might remember that Jackson gave us a victory at the Battle of New Orleans (though it came after the War of 1812 was concluded). But now Lynn Hudson Parsons has made some of those dusty names come alive in a very readable book that finds the seeds of modern politics in the 1828 presidential race between Jackson and J.Q. Adams.

This is a book that makes memorable a period of time that's often glossed over by teachers (or, more likely, napped through by bored students). There is enough sex, violence and intrigue to keep even the most bored student awake in history class. There's Jackson's famous temper that involved him in several duels in his younger years (and from which he still carried bullets lodged in his body from two of them). Then there's the scandal of Jackson running off with his future bride while she was still married to another man. The repercussions of that followed Jackson into the campaign and may have even contributed to his wife's death before he took the oath of office.

The Birth of Modern Politics draws stark comparisons between Jackson, the Southern little-educated orphan of immigrants, and Adams, the privleged son of the second president. Despite their differences, each man had a respect for the other and shared a sort of friendship. That friendship ended as Jackson and Adams locked horns for the presidency.

By 1828 the rules of the game had changed in elections. While blacks and women still were unable to vote, white males no longer had to be property owners in most states to vote. This brought an unprecedented number of new voters to the polls and Jackson's followers were the first to capitalize on this change. Likewise, the 1828 election saw coordinated political rallies, early attempts at fund-raising, and, perhaps the most lasting legacy, political partisanship.

Though it's a long way from today's 24-hour news cycle, sound bites and candidates racing back and forth across the country (candidates left the campaigning to their supporters in 1828), Parsons makes a convincing case that the election sewed the seeds of change in American politics. One of Parsons' most astute observations is the anti-intellectualism that accompanies tarring one's opponent as an "elitist." That's a tactic that still resonates in today's campaigns.

This is the kind of history book that not only brings history alive, but draws clear connections to the world we see about us today. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in politics and history.

Add this to your American Politics Collection!
This book is full of great information that any American History and Politics buff would absolutely love!

A Useful Overview of the Election of Andrew Jackson
This is an enjoyable and enlightening new book on the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828. It does a good job of discussing the coalition of supporters that put Jackson in the White House. It begins, appropriately with the collapse of the first party system and the election of 1824, which shaped fundamentally the 1828 campaign. The author contends that this election served as a watershed in the American political system. We have known this for a long time, but Parsons's goes further by insisting that the election of 1828 forever separated the politicians and people of the second American party system from the era of the Founders and its genteel, Enlightenment political ideals.

The author deals both with the rise of new styles of campaigning--emphasis on popular rallies, etc.--and on the division of American society into divergent pieces that had to be enticed to support the various organizations that could carry on the job of electing officials and formulating policies that reflected the priorities of its adherents. I'm not sure I would say that this election represented the "birth of modern politics," but it is a thought-provoking way to think about the election and its meaning.

While this is a very fine overview of its subject, clearly the author's primary intent, there is not that much new here for those immersed in the history of the era. The class divisions, the sectional influences, the push and pull of political traditions, the economics of the time, and the culture of the Antebellum U.S. are all present, but I looked hard for a new take on this and failed to find it. Instead it is a useful and succinct synthesis that builds on decades of historiographical contributions from a range of scholars, among them Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Robert Remini, Charles Sellars, Sean Wilentz, and others. I would recommend this book as an accessible survey of the election of Andrew Jackson, appropriate for classroom use, but not a benchmark in historical understanding of a well-studied subject.

Substantive and easy to read
Parsons packs an amazing amount of information in about 200 pages.While anyone who is familiar with this era will already have been exposed to a lot of what is said, the material is presented in an easily readable, logical, interesting manner.Really a quite good job accessable to anyone but also substantive enough for the already knowledgable.

an important step in understanding political development
The book makes a convincing argument that the election of 1828 is the first to resemble our current process.However aspects of modern politics occurred at different times.The beginning of true partisan electioneering definitely started in the 1800 contest between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.The book does acknowledge this and goes further to point out the changing electorate and the process for selecting electors.This would not be the final revision of these concepts.It's hard to draw a link to modern politics when election results were still factored by the three-fifths compromise.Two states also determined there electors in the state legislatures with no link to the popular vote.

The consensus among historians has been that the Jacksonian age was a revolutionary period in government, commerce, industry and of course politics.One problem I find with anointing this as the birth, is that both parties were not playing the same game using the same rules.Modern politics is a coordinated frenzy of press releases, rallies, debates, town halls and endorsements.The Jackson camp was really the only one using these tactics to their fullest advantage.It would still be years before these practices became the normal operation of political campaigns and evolve into their present state.A huge portion of modern politics is also fundraising and the Jackson's and Adam's did this but were not regulated in the way modern politicians are and since disclosure was not mandatory we can only estimate the influence and where the funds came from in 1828.

It's worth reading if you are not familiar with the period or looking for place to start.
... Read more

Product Description
An Excerpt from the book-

The treaty of commerce and navigation concluded at Washington on the 1st
of May, 1828, between the United States and the King of Prussia, was
laid before the Senate, who, by their resolution of the 14th of that
month, advised and consented to its ratification by the President.

By the sixteenth article of that treaty it was agreed that the exchange
of ratifications should be made within nine months from its date.

On the 15th day of February last, being fifteen days after the time
stipulated for the exchange by the terms of the treaty, the chargé
d'affaires of the King of Prussia informed the Secretary of State that
he had received the Prussian ratification and was ready to exchange it
for that of the United States. In reply he was informed of the intention
of the President, my late predecessor, not to proceed to the exchange in
consequence of the expiration of the time within which it was to be
made.

Under these circumstances I have thought it my duty, in order to avoid
all future questions, to ask the advice and consent of the Senate to
make the proposed exchange.

I send you the original of the treaty, together with a printed copy of
it.
... Read more

Product Description
An Excerpt from the book-

FELLOW-CITIZENS: The will of the American people, expressed through
their unsolicited suffrages, calls me before you to pass through the
solemnities preparatory to taking upon myself the duties of President of
the United States for another term. For their approbation of my public
conduct through a period which has not been without its difficulties,
and for this renewed expression of their confidence in my good
intentions, I am at a loss for terms adequate to the expression of my
gratitude. It shall be displayed to the extent of my humble abilities in
continued efforts so to administer the Government as to preserve their
liberty and promote their happiness.

So many events have occurred within the last four years which have
necessarily called forth--sometimes under circumstances the most
delicate and painful--my views of the principles and policy which ought
to be pursued by the General Government that I need on this occasion but
allude to a few leading considerations connected with some of them.

The foreign policy adopted by our Government soon after the formation
of our present Constitution, and very generally pursued by successive
Administrations, has been crowned with almost complete success, and has
elevated our character among the nations of the earth. To do justice to
all and to submit to wrong from none has been during my Administration
its governing maxim, and so happy have been its results that we are not
only at peace with all the world, but have few causes of controversy,
and those of minor importance, remaining unadjusted.
... Read more

Product Description
During his term in office (1829-1837), President Andrew Jackson sent eight State of the Union messages to Congress, the texts of which are contained in this volume. In Jackson's time this took the form of a written message that would be read to a joint session of Congress by the Clerk, rather than delivered in person, as it usually is today. Recurring themes in Jackon's messages included a desire to eliminate the Electoral College, and the removal of eastern Indian tribes to the then mostly unsettled areas west of the Mississippi. ... Read more

Product Description
1. George Washington
2. John Adams
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. James Madison
5. James Monroe
6. John Quincy Adams
7. Andrew Jackson
8. Martin Van Buren
9. William Henry Harrison
10. John Tyler
11. James K. Polk
12. Zachary Taylor
13. Millard Fillmore
14. Franklin Pierce
15. James Buchanan
16. Abraham Lincoln
17. Andrew Johnson
18. Ulysses S. Grant
19. Rutherford B. Hayes
20. James Garfield
21. Chester A. Arthur
22. Grover Cleveland
... Read more

Product Description

It was the Era of Good Feelings, but all was not well with the young Republic. From 1825 to 1849, presidents John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, and James K. Polk grappled with the legacy of the Monroe Doctrine, Indian removal, territorial expansion, the National Bank, tariffs, economic depressions, War with Mexico, near war with Great Britain, and the place of slavery in the growing nation.

As one would expect from confident citizens of the burgeoning young country, conflicting arguments swirled around the hot-button issues of the day. This rich resource of primary documents enables students to read these arguments first hand, and feel the passions and study the logic driving their often forceful positions.

All of the primary documents are annotated and placed into historical context. A thorough index concludes the work.

Product Description
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815, and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, with General Andrew Jackson in command, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and America's vast western lands. The Treaty of Ghent had been signed on 24 December 1814, but news of the peace would not reach New Orleans until February.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This battle was unbelievably more important than you realize!
Crack British troops fresh from defeating Napolean were sent to New Orleans to take away the entire country west of the Appalachians.The Treaty ending the War of 1812 was signed before the Battle was fought but it contained a paragraph that would have allowed a British victory at New Orleans to cancel out the Louisana Purchase.

What was amazing was that not only did General Andrew Jackson defeat the British, but he did it with extremely small losses by the Americans and extremely large losses by the British.Read it to see how the pirates who fought for the Americans and the use of aimed Kentucky rifles against British muskets were so important.Bravery by the crack British troops was exemplary, but in vain.

The book is very well written and easy to read. ... Read more

Product Description
The contents of these volumes of 'Celebrated Crimes', as well as the motives which led to their inception, are unique. They are a series of stories based upon historical records, from the pen of Alexandre Dumas, pere, when he was not the elder, nor yet the author of D'Artagnan or Monte Cristo, but was a rising young dramatist and a lion in the literary set and world of fashion.
... Read more

Product Description
The contents of these volumes of 'Celebrated Crimes', as well as the motives which led to their inception, are unique. They are a series of stories based upon historical records, from the pen of Alexandre Dumas, pere, when he was not "the elder," nor yet the author of D'Artagnan or Monte Cristo, but was a rising young dramatist and a lion in the literary set and world of fashion. ... Read more

Product Description
This historic volume was published in 1855.

Contains:

- The Declaration of Independence
- The lives of the signers
- The Constitution of the United States
- The Inaugural Addresses and First Annual Messages of all the
Presidents, from Washington to Pierce
- The Farewell Addresses of George Washington and Andrew
Jackson
- Sketches of the Lives of the Presidents - Washington to Pierce
...............................................................................

Contents:

J. Q. Adams's Inaugural Address
J. Q. Adams's First Annual Message
Jackson's Inaugural Address
Jackson's First Annual Message
Jackson's Farewell Address
Van Buren's Inaugural Address
Van Buren's First Annual Message
Harrison's Inaugural Address
Tyler's Address to the People of the United States
Tyler's First Annual Message
Polk's Inaugural Address
Polk's Mexican War Message
Taylor's Inaugural Address
Taylor's First Annual Message
President Fillmore's Message
Fillmore's First Annual Message
Pierce's Inaugural Address

Sketches of the Lives of the Presidents from Washington to Pierce:

George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
James Monroe
John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren
William Henry Harrison
John Tyler
James Knox Polk
Zachary Taylor
Millard Fillmore
Franklin Pierce








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Product Description
This volume was published in 1904.


A FIRST WORD WITH THE READER.

Life is ever the greatest teacher. The story
of great men is of absorbing interest, not only
to youth but to thinking men at every stage of
their lives. The political biographer is not
likely to make much of the personal religious
character of the man the story of whose
political honor and ambitious career he
seeks to narrate. So that it often happens that
a public man whose religious life was most de-
vout and who drew the nourishment for his
most splendid deeds from the hidden springs
of worship and communion with God, stands
in the eye of the multitude as an unknown
quantity religiously. It has been the purpose
of the author in these chapters to present in the
case of the score of men and women whose
lives are studied the religious side of their
career. Such information has been sought
from every quarter available, and is presented
in a way which it is hoped will picture the
truthful and helpful Christian personality of
each character portrayed.

Louis Albert Banks,
West Nyack, N. Y.,July 8, 1904
...............................................................................

Contents:

I. Abraham Lincoln
II. Rufus Choate
III. Samuel Finley Breese Morse
IV. John Quincy Adams
V. James Abram Garfield
VI. William McKinley
VII. Emma Willard
VIII. Daniel Webster
IX. Mary Lyon
X. Henry Clay
XI. Stonewall Jackson
XII. Washington Irving
XIII. Cyrus West Field
XIV. Robert Edward Lee
XV. Andrew Jackson
XVI. Elisha Kent Kane
XVII. Abigail Adams
XVIII. William Cullen Bryant
XIX. Frances Elizabeth Willard
XX. Benjamin Harrison

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Product Description
This American history volume for children was published in 1900.

From the book's Preface:

It is the aim of this work to set forth the main facts of
American History, particularly the earlier periods, in such
a way as to attract and interest pupils of the earlier
grammar grades.

It is now very generally acknowledged that history is
best approached through biography.Personal incident
is more attractive to every one, and especially to children,
than any narrative of events can possibly be.Most of the
book, therefore, has been given to biographical sketches of
representative makers of the nation.

Effort has been made to choose those men who would
best illustrate the most important phases of national growth.
Some of these phases are: the difficulties and dangers of
exploration, and how they were overcome by earnestness
and perseverance; the risks and hardships of settlement,
and how they were met and conquered; the independence
and patriotism of the colonists, and how they triumphed;
the effect of environment upon character; the develop-
ment of the people in politics and government and in
social life; and the progress of invention and its effect
upon national development.

It has not been thought advisable to break the conti-
nuity of the narrative by dividing the text into sections, or
to insert many dates or foot-notes, or to add analyses and
appendices.At the end of each chapter an Outline is
given to summarize what has been said, and a few ques-
tions added in the line of suggestion.Each teacher will
use questions adapted to the age of the pupils and the
circumstances of the occasion.

The main idea in illustrating the book has been to give
the most authentic representations possible of the man,
the place, or the thing described, so as to round out and
complete the mental impression gained from the text.A
few illustrations which may be called imaginative have
been admitted; these are chiefly after paintings, based
upon authentic knowledge and information, or which are
among our national heirlooms.

The maps have been made as simple as possible, and
sometimes purely diagrammatic in character; and, for the
sake of clearness, only such details given in them as are
called for by the story.
...............................................................................

Content:
I. Old-Time Ideas
II. Columbus
III. The Cabots
IV. De Soto and Other Explorers
V. Drake and Raleigh
VI. Virginia and Captain John Smith
VII. Henry Hudson
VIII. The Pilgrims
IX. The Puritans
X. Lord Baltimore and Maryland
XI. King Philip's War
XII. Peter Stuyvesant and New Netherland
XIII. Father Marquette and La Salle
XIV. Nathaniel Bacon
XV. William Penn
XVI. Oglethorpe and Georgia
XVII. Life in New England and Middle Colonies
before the Revolution
XVIII. Benjamin Franklin
XIX. George Washington — The French and Indian War
XX. The Revolution
XXI. Daniel Boone
XXII. Thomas Jefferson
XXIII. Lewis and Clark
XXIV. Zebulon M. Pike
XXV. Early Inventors (Fitch, Fulton, Whitney)
XXVI. Andrew Jackson. — Tecumseh — ThevWar of 1812
XXVII. Canals, Railroads, Telegraphs, and Other Inventions
XXVIII. Oregon — Whitman's Ride
XXIX. Texas — Mexican War — California
XXX. Abraham Lincoln
XXXI. The Civil War
XXXII. The United States in Recent Years ... Read more

Product Description
Chalmette is not just another book about the Battle of New Orleans, but maybe for the first time you will understand WHY the British were there. This book shows how the United States nearly lost the Louisiana Territory at the end of the War of 1812. In the summer of 1814 England had finally conquered Napoleon and France. After 21 years of tremendous struggle against the European Continent, England had become a highly efficient war machine. They alone were left standing, a superpower. They had been carrying on a war in Europe with only an occasional jab at the United States. Now they were turning their full attention on that irritating loose association of states across the Atlantic.

The United States had almost no standing army; they had only the militia that each community maintained for protection against Indians. Most militias were a social club where men camped and fired their guns once a month, therefore their performance during the early part of the War of 1812 was pretty dismal. The exception was in the western states (between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River) where the militia was a working military force in frequent combat with Indians. These community militias from Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and a few from southern Ohio answered the call to join General Andrew Jackson to meet the British at New Orleans.

Jackson’s militia had to maneuver a far superior British Army into a position where Jackson’s men had a better than even chance of winning. They had to subdue the British allies (the Creek Indian Nation), they had to stop any Spanish help at Pensacola and Mobile (the best invasion point) and lastly they had to get them to land in a spot almost impossible to support.

It was the bleakest point in the history of the United States. The whole East Coast had been blockaded, raided and burned at will. British Canada ruled the north and now the English were going to take New Orleans, control of the Mississippi River and the Louisiana Territory. With the United States almost completely boxed in, see how, with determination and luck, they pulled off a victory that electrified the United States and stunned Europe.

Thebraggadocios Admiral Cockburn, who set the White House aflame in 1812, had brandished his sword from horseback, yelling mockingly "Where's Jimmy?" referring to James Madison, threatening to parade him and his wife Dolley, in humiliation through the streets of London. So self-assured and cocky that they would easily conquer the American "rebels," some British officers had brought, on board their vessels, wives and sweethearts to witness their anticipated victory"

Plans the British had for our country were thwarted when, ironically, Jackson used an ancient Scottish trick, luring the enemy into a marsh, to the defeat of the predominantly-Highland regiment. He had worn the British moral down by continual night attacks against outposts. Against overwhelming odds, Andrew Jackson and his rag-tag army of volunteer militia, local citizens, Baratarian pirates, Indians and Blacks soundly defeated General Pakenham's forces, with remarkably few American casualties. Regimented British military tactics proved a dismal failure, with tremendous British losses, and death of General Pakenham himself. Word spread quickly of the remarkable victory Jackson and his men had accomplished. In cities across the U.S.Joy was so great that even old enemies hugged enemies, and in the temporary White House, the Octagon House, President "Jimmy" at last could stop pacing and shaking in his boots.

Henry Clay and our ambassadors to England, with great mortification had signed the Treaty of Ghent, because the denial of search on the high seas, the main inciting cause of the war, was not in the treaty. But Jackson put it there in language in more enduring form than if it had been written in the treaty. Never again did the British dream of boarding our vessels or commanding the Mississippi R ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Battle for our nation's history
I very much enjoyed this brief history of an often neglected period of American history. In his short piece, Patton not only covers the battle itself, but places the battle in the larger context of the politics and international affairs of the day.That's a lot of material to cover and to accomplish it in a book of this length is commendable.What is sacrificed are discussions and details that would require hundreds of additional pages; what is gained is an appreciation of the topic and a desire (if one is so inclined) to learn more.

While serious students of the period may take offense at some details, I believe this book accomplishes exactly what it set out to do: That is to debunk the common misperception that the battle was meaningless due to a previously signed "treaty" and to stimulate thought and further research into a fascinating topic.

A VERY shallow over view..
The only redeeming feature of this book is Patton's contention that the British worded the Treaty of Ghent in such away that it allowed them time to try to capture New Orleans before it was actually ratified.Patton contends that they felt that Napoleon's sale of the Louisiana Territory to the United States was illegal.This being the case, New Orleans was not protected by the Treaty of Ghent, and therefore was ripe for the taking.

While most books on the War of 1812 pretty much call the Battle of New Orleans a meaningless slaughter fought after the treaty, Patton contends that the victory saved the U.S. form British domination of the Mississippi.. While I would agree that the battle was far from meaningless, if nothing else, it helped to unite the country, I think Patton is being a bit dramatic. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Patton does back his up.

The main problem that I have with the book, is that for the most part it is just a rehashing of other books, some of which weren't written more then a year or two earlier then this one.One need only look at the end notes to see what I mean. Not only does Patton use recent books, he almost quotes them verbatim.Patton's description of the victory celebration is almost identical to that of Remini's in his book the Battle Of New Orleans.

As for the Creek War and the Battle at Horseshoe Bend, Patton writes, "at Horseshoe Bend the tremendous struggle for control of North America ended, and ownership changed hands..."Hello?This battle directly lead to the Treaty at Fort Jackson in which the U.S. obtained 20,000,000 acres, and it precluded the Creek from having any major impact on the War of 1812, but to call it a struggle for the control of North Anerica is a little far fetched.

Then in describing the Privateer Jean Lafitte, Patton fails to mention the fact that 1)the British tried to buy his services for $30,000, 2) after he rejected them and reported their offer to Gov Claiborne, he was thanked by having his base camp attacked.Even still, he didn't go over to the British but instead became an instrumental part of Jackson's defense.

This series of events was far more important for the eventual victory at New Orleans then the US victory at Horseshoe Bend.Had Lafitte accepted their offer, he could have supplied the British with manpower, weapons, and ships as well as supplies and his knowledge of the area.Patton never quite grasped this.

I was however quite amazed that Patton actually alluded to the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812 (for more info see:When the Mississippi Ran Backwards).These earthquakes get very little attention in history books.

So while beginners to the War of 1812 and the BAttle of New Orleans may find this book interesting, to anyone with any knowledge of either it will read like a graduate paper or a set of Cliff's Notes.

PS as for the 3 reviewers before me, I didn't quite understand the glowing reviews so I took a second look. "Chalmette" was the only book all three of these reviewers had written about.. Kind of makes me wonder....

Chalmette
"Chalmette" takes its name from the Louisiana plantation where General Andrew Jackson led a collection of American militia, frontiersmen, Indians, Creoles, pirates, and Blacks in a stunning defeat of a larger, better trained and equipped British army in the Battle of New Orleans, January 1815.The details of the units and their commanders, the tactics, the phases of the conflict are clearly told, the various movements and maneuvers leading up to the battle, as well as the aftermath--jubilation in New Orleans and the United States, homeward sail for the stunned British, astonishment in Europe.The real significance of this victory, however, lies in the blocking of the British intent to wrest the Louisiana Purchase territory from the US and to control the Mississippi River, linking New Orleans and Canada in British hands.This dimension of the War of 1812 is told more clearly in Charles Patton's "Chalmette" than in most accounts of the Battle of New Orleans.Well researched and clearly presented in brief compass.

A Great History Lesson
Chalmette is a compelling look into America's "almost" forgotten past. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Mr Patton takes the reader on a journey into the Deep South during the war of 1812. He explains how America could easily have lost its freedom and gone back to England's rule. Although the book is a narrow 143 pages (I read it in a night), the book covers the events leading up to the battle and the personalities of its combatants in detail. The description of the battle is edge of the seat reading. However, the most compelling part of this book for me was the way the author writes of the life and struggles of Andrew Jackson, a real American hero. If you love American History, you must read this book!

American victory at the most crucial time.
What a reading delight this book is as the intriguing story virtually leaps from the pages. Some may remember the gravity for our young nation of the events leading up to the battle at New Orleans in early 1815. But for many it has been lost.

Yet what a critical time it was for the American experiment in freedom and democracy. This book details in a fasinating way the background years and the intrigue surrounding negotiations to end the nation's war with England. The action then builds from late 1814 right up through the climax of the final battle. The reader will find himself unable to put this book down until the reading is finished. It's a great read, not only for the history buff but also for every patriotic American. ... Read more

Product Description
The complete texts of all U.S. presidential inaugural addresses from George Washington in 1789 to Barack Obama in 2009.

The Kindle Edition includes a full Table of Contents. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

All the speeches, in one place
Following Obama's inauguration speech, I was interested in comparing it to the ones that had come before. This book brings them all together, and, through the hyper-linked front index indicating the president's name and the year of the inauguration, they are very easy to browse and read. Fascinating stuff. ... Read more