Andrew Jackson

Presidency

What tragedy befell Jackson after his election victory but before his inauguration?

His wife, Rachel, died on December 22, and did not live to see her husband inaugurated as president. She suffered a heart attack, though Jackson believed that the cause of her death was directly related to the stress caused by newspaper attacks on her character related to the adultery charges from years earlier. Jackson never forgave anyone who said a cross word about his wife—when she was alive or after her death.