The White House and the Common Man

Andrew Jackson was referred to as "Old Hickory." He campaigned on representing the "common man" as president. 

As a young man, he was considered 'mischievous.' He enjoyed cockfighting and brawling. He frequently misspelled the same word twice in the same letter and had poor grammar.

He lived by the maxim, "Give no insult, and take none." He bit off his opponent's ear during one of his fights. The "common man" was pleased by this behavior in his day.

In the 1828 presidential election, he defeated New England Puritan John Quincy Adams.

His supporters flocked to Washington, D.C., on Inauguration Day, and he invited the throng of shopkeepers, clerks, hobnailed artisans, and laborers to the White House. They accepted the invitation. Destruction of China and muddy boots on the furniture, and Old Hickory's ribs to almost crack were the result.

How can the White House be cleared of this mob of supporters? On the front lawn, tubs of lemonade and whiskey were provided. The "common man" swiftly made their way from the White House to the lawn. After the doors were locked, Jackson left through a side door and stayed in a hotel room for his first night as president.