Cherokee Andrew Jackson

Answer 1

Andrew Johnson was not a Native American. He grew up poor and was born in a log cabin in North Carolina. His father died when he was 3 and his mother took in laundry. He never attended school and was apprenticed to a tailor in his early teens. In 1826 he moved to Tennessee and established himself as a tailor. He married Eliza McCardle the daughter of a shoemaker and they had 5 children. His wife tutored him in reading, writing, and math. Over time he became prosperous enough to buy land and have several slaves. His political career began in 1829 when he was elected alderman and that same year Jackson became the 7th president. Both men saw themselves as a champion of the common man. In 1834 Johnson became mayor and the following year was elected to the Tennessee state legislature.