Drawing on a wide range of sources, this book exposes Andrew Jackson's failure to honor and enforce federal laws and treaties protecting Indian rights, describing how the Indian policies of "Old Hickory" were those of a racist imperialist, in stark contrast to how his followers characterized him, believing him to be a champion of democracy.

Early in his career as an Indian fighter, American Indians gave Andrew Jackson a name—Sharp Knife—that evoked their sense of his ruthlessness and cruelty. Contrary to popular belief—and to many textbook accounts—in 1830, Congress did not...