Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), the seventh President of the United States, was born on this day in the Waxhaw settlement of South Carolina. His simple log cabin upbringing gave him the reputation of being a common man of the people.

“The great can protect themselves, but the poor and humble require the arm and shield of the law,” he once said.

At age 13, Jackson served as a messenger in the Revolutionary War, then practiced law in Tennessee, where he built the Hermitage, his sprawling cotton plantation. After serving in the House of Representatives and Senate, Jackson became a hero during the Battle of New Orleans, the final major conflict of the War of 1812.

“One man with courage makes a majority,” said Jackson, whose battle strength and toughness won him the nickname “Old Hickory.”

In his run for office, Jackson helped shape the Democratic Party, the longest-lasting political party in American history. Elected to the White House in 1829, he assumed greater leadership power than earlier presidents.

He used the veto freely and upheld federal authority over state governments. In creating a strong executive branch, he was the first president to hire and fire his own Cabinet.

“You must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessings,” he said.