Andrew Jackson: The Making of America #2

The Making of America

by Teri Kanefield

Born into poverty, Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) rose to become the nation’s seventh president and the founder of the Democratic Party. When the War of 1812 broke out, Jackson’s leadership earned him national fame as a military hero, and during the 1820s and 1830s he became an influential, and polarizing, political figure. Jackson is best known for making America more democratic. The problem was that, for Jackson, “the people” were white and male. So while he moved the United States toward a true democracy, he also trampled on the rights of minorities, appointing proslavery Supreme Court justices and giving America the Indian Removal Act, which resulted in the Trail of Tears. The book includes selections of Jackson’s writings, endnotes, a bibliography, and an index. 

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Middle Grade, Politics, Audiobook, Biography Memoir

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2018

About the author

Teri writes novels, short stories, essays, stories for children, nonfiction for both children and adults, and lots of appellate briefs.

Her stories and essays have appeared in publications as diverse as Education Week, Scope Magazine, The Iowa Review, Cricket Magazine, and The American Literary Review.

Teri's books have received the following honors and distinctions:

The Girl From The Tar Paper School:
--Jane Addams Book Award
--Carter G. Woodson Middle Level Book Award, 2015
--California Reading Association Eureka Silver Honor Book Award
--Included on the 2015 list of Notable Social Studies Trade Books for young readers compiled by the National Council for Social Studies
--Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children (National Association of Teachers of English), Recommended Book
--Included in the New York Public Library's list of 100 children's books to read in 2014.
--A Junior Library Guild selection

Praise for The Girl From The Tar Paper School:
"Beautifully and clearly written." School Library Journal, starred review
"Worthy of the highest recommendation." Midwest Book Review

Rivka's Way
--Sidney Taylor Book Awards, Notable book of 2001
-- Lilith Magazine's 5th Annual Selection of Books for Young Readers
--Included in Great Books for Girls, by Kathleen Odean
--Included in Best Jewish Books for Children and Teens, by Linda R. Silver

Praise for Rivka's Way :
"A rewarding read for the romantically inclined." School Library Journal
"A simple but daring adventure." Voice of Youth Advocates

Guilty? Crime, Punishment, and the Changing Face of Justice
--Junior Library Guild selection

Teri's law practice is limited to representing indigents on appeal from adverse rulings.

She lives in California near the beach..

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to go a little backwards because I missed #2 of Kanefield's The Making of America series and I'm as I've already blogged about it, always a big fan of Kanefield's work and this series in particular. It does a bang-up job of discussing all of the historical/constitutional elements of "making of America" through the eyes of their patriotic people.

And what a guy was Andrew Jackson- who was a backcountry boy who became a Major General then became a president. But, he drove out the Native Americans, owned slaves, and believed in a paternalistic view (men should be caretakers for everyone else because white men rule and everyone else should obey, but as the man you should also provide and take care). He kicked ass and took names and stuck to his guns. He dueled and brawled when he needed to. Loved his wife Rachel and was likely saddened that they didn't/couldn't have children together yet there were always children around and a twin son to Rachel's sister essentially gave one of them to Andrew and Rachel to raise and named him Andrew Jr.

He despised "Washington" but he also believed passionately in patriotism. For all the bad, he was good as well and Kanefield does well to balance these two.

Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: ANDREW JACKSON: THE MAKING OF AMERICA by Teri Kanefield, Abrams, March 2018, 240p., ISBN: 978-1-4197-2840-2

"[African Americans] had for more than a century before been regarded as beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations; and so far inferior, that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect; and that the negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery. . . . He was bought and sold, and treated as an ordinary article of merchandise and traffic, whenever a profit could be made by it. This opinion was at that time fixed and universal in the civilized portion of the white race. It was regarded as an axiom in morals as well as in politics, which no one thought of disputing, or supposed to be open to dispute; and men in every grade and position in society daily and habitually acted upon it in their private pursuits, as well as in matters of public concern, without doubting for a moment the correctness of this opinion."
--Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, the Dred Scott decision (1857)

“In February of 1832, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments in the case between the Cherokees and Georgia. The State of Georgia claimed that the United States Supreme Court had no jurisdiction over matters that took place within Georgia’s borders, so Georgia didn’t bother to defend itself in court.
The Supreme Court sided with the Cherokees, declaring Georgia’s law ‘repugnant to the Constitution, laws, and treaties of the United States’ and therefore void.’
Georgia ignored the Supreme Court on the grounds that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction over matters within its borders. Jackson, as president, was supposed to uphold the law and enforce the Supreme Court’s decision, but he took no steps to do so. In this case, he believed the Supreme Court was wrong. As Jackson read the Constitution, the Indians had no sovereignty in Georgia.
Jackson believed that as president, he was entitled to decide what the Constitution meant. He understood that the Constitution gave the Supreme Court jurisdiction over United States laws, treaties, and the Constitution, but as president he had taken an oath to defend the Constitution. As head of an equal branch of government, he thought his opinion should at least be equal to the Supreme Court.
He actually went further, arguing that, as president, his opinion on Constitutional matters should trump the Supreme Court. His reason? He was elected by the people and represented a majority of voters, while the Supreme Court, with appointed judges serving for life, was the least democratic of the branches, reflecting the opinion of a small handful of men…
When Jackson did nothing to enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling, Georgia took it as a signal to do as they pleased. Within weeks of the court’s decision, Georgia closed Cherokee schools, seized Cherokee farms and land, and distributed them to whites...Cherokee resistance lasted for years--until, at last, harassed and besieged--they were driven from Georgia.”

Author Teri Kanefield has crafted an exceptionally well-researched biography of President Andrew Jackson. Based upon the information presented in this biography, I conclude that Andrew Jackson was a scoundrel. He was an uneducated, abusive, slave-holding, genocidal tyrant who made a career of trampling mores, laws, and the United States Constitution. He might have been best remembered as being responsible for the Trail of Tears, had he not also been the ignoramus who put Roger B. Taney--the author of the Supreme Court’s infamous Dred Scott decision--on the Court.

Donald Trump’s admiration for Andrew Jackson is well known, and as one of his first acts, Trump had a portrait of Jackson hung in the Oval Office. Throughout the book it’s easy to see that these two lying demagogues have many attributes and beliefs in common.

One jaw-dropping aspect of the story involves Jackson’s utter ignorance, as a practicing attorney, of how promissory notes function and how his subsequent aversion to debt and hatred of banks adversely affected the country. A difference between Jackson and Trump is that when Jackson fell into debt, he never short-changed his creditors by declaring bankruptcy. And Jackson would have been aghast at Trump adding over a trillion dollars to the national debt to fund tax cuts for billionaires and giant corporations.

Jackson did have one shining moment in his stint as president. He concocted a solution to a constitutional crisis stemming from South Carolina’s interpretation of Constitutional law that the states had the right to nullify any federal statute that they interpreted as unconstitutional. Unfortunately, this contribution was minor compared to the toxic legacy of his two terms in office.

As with the author’s recent biography of Alexander Hamilton, ANDREW JACKSON: THE MAKING OF AMERICA provides amazing insight into our constitutional history and helps us understand the roots of so many persistent American conflicts. It’s a “wow” book that will blow the minds of many an adolescent reader.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Preacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never realize how much Jackson and Trump are alike interesting read.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Jackson (Making of America, #2) by Teri Kanefield, 230 pages. BIOGRAPHY. Abrams Books. 2018. $17.

Content: Language: G; Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.

BUYING ADVISORY: MS – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Andrew Jackson grew up poor with his widow mother and spent most of his childhood witnessing the Revolutionary War. At thirteen, he finally joined the war and had experiences that shaped him for life. Jackson never shied away from a fight and rose up through the ranks in the United States army. His deep love of the land and the frontier drove him in his decisions as a politician and his love and devotion to his wife and family portray a kinder side to the gruff man.

I totally enjoyed this biography. Andrew Jackson has such a polarizing effect on history because in one way he kept the United States safe from foreign powers, but on the other hand he harassed and led the murder of many Native Americans and fought for the rights of slavery. This biography does a good job of touching on the major events of Jackson’s life without bogging down in the details. It also shows his mistakes, along side his accomplishments.

Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Backwoods boy to President of USA
"Andrew Jackson The Making of America"
Teri Kanefield Abrams Books

Andrew Jackson 1767 – 1845 was a very popular president of the United States (1829 to 1837) who railed against big government and stood for the ‘common man’. Jackson didn’t trust ‘corrupt aristocracy’ as he labelled the political and financial establishment of the day.
Read Teri Kanefield’s whole panorama of the amazing life story of Andrew Jackson, from the brutal boyhood in extreme poverty to the success as a military general, later as President of USA and his final years.
Andrew Jackson had a very colorful life starting out in the back country of Carolinas in a family and community which knew all too much of poverty and war. He lost many of his family members to the British soldiers in the Revolutionary War. He then lived as an orphan and grew up in very tough circumstances. Teri Kanefield does us a great service in this very readable book bringing life and coherence to a childhood and rowdy young adulthood so different from what most of us are familiar with.
Andrew Jackson eventually educated himself sufficiently to become a lawyer and worked hard to take advantage of every opportunity which came through this work. His financial dealings sometimes went well but sometimes were spectacular failures and left him distrustful of banks. After moving to Nashville, a frontier town, Andrew Jackson met and later married Rachel Donaldson in what became a lifelong partnership. They filled their homes with children of family members and friends.
Jackson learnt bravery in his youth and carried that forward in his adult life. He served in the military and eventually led US forces in defeating the British forces in the battle of New Orleans 1815.
Jackson grew up in the Carolinas where slavery was an accepted practice. At times in his career he became a slave owner and saw no problem in that. Andrew Jackson also did not share the view of Washington political establishment of the time that Indian people had rights to land and sovereignty. He regarded Indian land as unsettled and available for settlers. He therefore supported dispossession of some Indian tribes including the Cherokee which led awful suffering as the Cherokee were ‘relocated’ away from their land in Georgia to another state.
Jackson was popularly elected twice into the Presidency. Jackson brought his friends and family with him to Washington when he came to government because they were the people he knew and trusted. He worked hard to reverse many of the reforms of his predecessors. Jackson did believe strongly in the Union and sought to preserve it at all costs. There is no hint of deceit or corruption in this writing on Jackson’s life or his Presidency.
Reading about Jackson’s life in the level of detail which Teri Kanefield has so skilfully set out, a great picture of a man and a time full of opportunities and contradictions emerges. The waves of popular support which elected him and continued throughout his presidency sounds like an early taste of what is echoed in the popularism much evident today. Jackson had simple answers that people understood.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Jackson, the second book in The Making of America series from Teri Kanefield, is an important work both for helping middle school children understand the development of the country and for offering some insight into the kinds of people some of today's politicians admire.

While I find Jackson to be anything but a man worthy of much admiration in 21st century America he played a large role in the shaping of the country. Because of that his story is indeed an important part of history. Kanefield does a remarkable job of presenting the man in a fair and accurate way (something I would have struggled to do without pointing out the obvious negative implications for our current predicament). By doing so students can question during classroom discussion how or why some things were accepted and even encouraged. A slanted presentation would have caused lock step reactions on all sides and would not have helped to either promote debate or actually teach the nuances of history.

Like the previous volume (on Alexander Hamilton) this book will be a valuable addition to both home and school libraries as well as a wonderful addition to the classroom itself. In addition to Jackson's story there are plenty of sidebars with ideas, incidents, and terms that will allow this book to serve as more than simply a biography of Jackson.

Kanefield tells his story in a coherent narrative that leads from important historical event to important historical event while also showing how Jackson's personal life and psychological makeup contributed to his actions during those events. When too much importance is given to a charismatic person then that person's personal strengths and flaws become ever more important because we are giving them so much power. There is a warning here even if it is not made explicit (as expected from a good history book) about personal vindictiveness and pettiness when given power. Combined with a less than astute ability to pay attention to details (sounds like right now) and long lasting harm can result.

I would recommend this to both schools and parents. While the book itself is balanced it certainly invites discussion about both history and government, so where one might sit on the political spectrum won't matter. Kanefield does not judge Jackson here, she tells his story,often in his own uneducated words.

[Mathias Kools · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book quite short. That might be why it's marked for "middle school" readers. It may also be for the reason that Andrew Jackson was not as literate and grammatical and prolific as presidents of the past. So maybe there's not a "John Adams Journal" to dump into the pages (I'm looking at you McCullough).

I thought Kanefield was helpful guiding me through Jackson's actions. What were his motivations? Often personal pride and wanting to tear down ivory towers. What did people think at the time? Mixed, some thought he was an outrageous character and some saw him as a legendary fiery character to lead them. Knowing these things, how can we judge his actions? Sometimes rightfully harshly such as his actions to push the Cherokee out of their native lands in Georgia or his dissolution of the national bank.

Many other readers on this site have pointed similarities to President Donald Trump. I think these are apt comparisons. I couldn't help but think about the incoming president when I read about Jackson's "kitchen cabinet": a group of family and friends he met with instead of his official cabinet. Or the rotating set of press secretaries. Or the incitement of crowds. Or his desire for loyalty. Or his ego. Or his stacking of the Supreme Court: picking a new chief justice much more aligned with strict originalism than John Marshal.

When I'm an old man I look forward to Trump's biography. I look forward to a more neutral look to the outrageous character of our time. What is madness and what are his ideas I may not yet understand or appreciate? Where did he come from? And how might we look upon his presidency with decades of space?

[LitPick Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one in the series of The Making of America Series. This volume is about Andrew Jackson and his life and times. Andrew Jackson written by Teri Kanefield gives Andrew Jackson's life right from cradle to grave. Ms. Kanefield marks all Andrew Jackson's milestones from his education, marriage, career, military, and political aspirations. Andrew Jackson also had his own way of writing his views of living in his time; at the end of the book, there were selected writings from Andrew Jackson that expressed his views.

Opinion:
Andrew Jackson in this series written by Teri Kanefield is a biography that even adults will enjoy reading as well as younger readers. This is a good book series to use for classroom reads and discussions when covering the presidents and their times. I really liked how Ms. Kanefield mixed in various aspects our present government and political issues, and ways when she described the old Democrat Republican party as a single entity and now separate. She shows all these probable lessons in blocks of various sizes to explore a point that covered the past with the present. The Making of America Series is one that should be used in the schools or to be continued to be used by teachers at least for various history lessons.

[JoLee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured in "Historical Nonfiction for Young Readers" on Intellectual Recreation.

There are, of course, many books about the controversial presidency of Andrew Jackson, some even for young readers, but Teri Kanefield's Making of America series is compelling and very readable.

Jackson was a very interesting person, and this book hits all of the highlights and low points of Jackson's life, from his childhood during the Revolutionary War, to his elopement with Rachel Donelson, his military ambitions, and divisive politics.

I didn't have a lot of good feelings about Andrew Jackson going into this book, and I don't feel much better about him after finishing, but I do feel like I have a more complete picture of his life, legacy, and the lasting impact of his politics.

Review copy from NetGalley.

[Sam Brief · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's safe to say Andrew Jackson was Trump before Trump.

As Kanefield expertly illustrates, Jackson set the precedent for:
-Using/abusing presidential veto power
-Establishing a "kitchen" cabinet of trusted friends and family who advised him on all matters
-Firing cabinet members whenever they disagreed
-Thinking everyone who opposed him was part of a conspiracy (a la "witch hunt")
-Crafting his image as an outsider, arguing that less political experience is a good thing

Jackson advocated for slavery, massacred Native Americans and attempted to halt the progress of American industry. Yet somehow, in spite of the fact that he made it his mission to eliminate paper currency and the National Bank, he's on the $20 bill.

This all being said, a historical subject doesn't have to be a saint for a biography to be captivating. His (many) imperfections make the read even more gripping. It's concise, thorough and thought-provking. Especially on the heels of Trump's run in the White House, this biography is close to a gem.

[Kinsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography series for middle grade readers is popular at my library so I wanted to try them for myself. I think the writing style and content are perfect for this targeted age of readers. The authors does a great job of weaving in context about the social situations at the time while telling the story of Jackson's life. Readers not only learn about Jackson but also how the newly formed America was still struggling to figure out issues such as slavery, westward expansion, government, and the constitution. The additional context helps frame his life and decisions with the ideas and practices of that day in time. The book has several images and short chapters which will help readers interested in nonfiction transition to reading a longer chapter book like this one. Not as detailed as adult biographies I've read, but the stories told about him are informative and interesting.

[Sherry H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! If the biographies and history books I had to read in school were as half as interesting as Teri Kanefield's writing, I would have devoured them!

The book opens with a bang - Andrew Jackson doing something at his inauguration that no other president had done - letting the masses into the White House. He was quite the maverick, upsetting protocol his whole life.

There is an abundance of pictures and diagrams, which add to the interest of the biography. There's an extensive bibliography in the back, along with a comprehensive index.

Andrew Jackson was an interesting character and his story enhanced by excellent writing style!

Thanks to Teri & Abrams Publishing for an ARC of this book.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teri Kanefield does an excellent job of giving us a well rounded view of Andrew Jackson. As a teacher I know that a lot of what is taught in our history classes is a glorified view of men and their actions. We don’t always get the whole picture. We see him in one case going against the supreme court because he thought that his opinion and his decisions as the president were worth more than the judgement of the supreme court. He managed to create an environment in Georgia whereby their actions eventually drove the Cherokee people out of Georgia. He is presented as a passionate family man. He definitely had trust issues when it came to government. However, the author provided a lot of information to entice you to do further research. This is a book that should be in every school library.

[Alexa Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really informative, and well-written, especially for the age group. I knew a lot about Andrew Jackson and the ways he influenced this country, but now I really see what happened in much more detail. While it was somewhat unpleasant to read about this unpleasant man, it was incredibly informative and I found myself reading small chunks to my husband out loud. Middle school students will find a lot of information laid out well in this book. The sidebars about political parties and the Constitution and other subjects that needed a bit of background were well-placed and offered just enough information to be useful without being overwhelming.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year I read the GIGANTIC biography American Lion on Andrew Jackson, when I really wish I would have just read this young adult biography. I loved the simple telling of Jackson's life. There were a few times when I felt like the author was judging Jackson from a modern perspective, but I liked that she included the good and the bad that Jackson did. Jackson reminds me of Trump in a lot of ways.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like history, this book will keep you captivated! You’ll learn a few things about Andrew Jackson, both good and bad. I was never particularly in love with Andrew Jackson and this book rather cemented that feeling. However, I try my best to understand the point of view of my political adversaries and that’s why I appreciate books like this - interesting, insightful, and informative.

[Beth Younge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been aware of President Andrew Jackson since the musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson which i adore so much. I enjoyed how his life was told and the way that the book was set out. It provided so much information and i think if you listen to the musical you need to read the book to understand the context of certain bits (ie. My name's Rachel). I feel like this is one book i'll have to visit it again as it was that good.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found in my local library in the Juvenile Biography section, the book is aimed at youngsters. But having read other books by Kanefield, I knew it would be a good way to get a basic understanding of a US President from long ago. I now respect Jackson at least a bit more than just knowing that the 45th president admires him enough to hang Jackson's portrait in the Oval Office.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an interesting time to read an Andrew Jackson biography with so many parallels to current day politics. This is a good one for middle school kids that uses the president's own words effectively to portray his character.

[Danielle Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful overview of Jackson's life and presidency. Written with enough detail to not feel as if anything is lacking, but doesn't bog one down with too many facts that might overwhelm. Very informative and was enjoyable to read.

[Kalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good young adult educational history book about one of the founding fathers of America. A man that was a bit different that you expect a president to be.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent intro to Andrew Jackson, but the book failed to adequately discuss Jackson's racist policies.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a ton about Jackson and his time period. The parallels to today are frightening. Overall, really interesting.

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look at the start of our countries politics. Seeing parallels to today's world/President. Not a pleasant individual, not politically correct but shows where we came from

[Trezspritzs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting history, but not such a great person.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the shorter books I've read about Presidents. But I feel like I got a good overview of Jackson.

[James Hale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much too brief, I guess maybe a sub part of a longer series? That was unclear going in

[Ellen Switzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. He enslaved hundreds of people
2. Lead and fought in the Tennessee militia
3. Became president only after first losing to John Quincy Adams that he and his supporters claimed was a “corrupt bargain.”
4. He signed the Indian Removal Act (ethnic cleansing and stealing of sovereign land)
5. Did not allow or believe in a Second Bank of the United States, claiming the institution was corrupt.
6. Only president to ever pay off the national debt.
8. 8. Appealed to the “average American” (white landowning/land seeking men) and is credited for sparking a populist movement.

[Karalena Fjortoft · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfect amount of pages for a weirdo president. He certain contained multitudes, but still a raging racist at the end of the day.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackson is a very complex and troubling figure, and this book does a good job of not “sugar coating” his many issues. I particularly enjoyed the contextual asides that were presented along with the text in order to explain key Constitutional issues.