Andrew Jackson survived the first presidential assassination attempt when both pistols misfired at point-blank range. Born into poverty on the Carolina frontier, Jackson rose through duels, military glory at the Battle of New Orleans, and a fierce appeal to ordinary Americans shut out by political elites.

This episode examines how Jackson destroyed the National Bank, redefined executive power, and mobilized a new democratic movement — while confronting the devastating cost of his Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears.

• The double-misfire assassination attempt that shocked Washington in 1835
• How Jackson’s victory at New Orleans made him a national folk hero
• His war against the National Bank and the financial panic it triggered
• The human toll of Indian Removal and its lasting impact on Native nations