American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician
1786 CE
to 1836 CE
David "Davy" Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) is a 19th-century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician.
He is commonly referred to in popular culture by the epithet "King of the Wild Frontier".
He represents Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives, serves in the Texas Revolution, and dies at the Battle of the Alamo.
Crockett grows up in East Tennessee, where he gains a reputation for hunting and storytelling.
After being made a colonel in the militia of Lawrence County, Tennessee, he is elected to the Tennessee state legislature in 1821.
In 1826, Crockett is elected to the U.S. Congress, where he vehemently opposes many of the policies of President Andrew Jackson, most notably the Indian Removal Act.
Crockett's opposition to Jackson's policies lead to his defeat in the 1834 elections, prompting his angry departure to Texas (at this time the Mexican state of Tejas) shortly thereafter.
In early 1836, Crockett takes part in the Texas Revolution and is killed at the Battle of the Alamo in March.
Crockett becomes famous in his own lifetime for larger-than-life exploits popularized by stage plays and almanacs.
After his death, he continued to be credited with acts of mythical proportion.
These led in the 20th century to television and movie portrayals, and he became one of the best-known American folk heroes.
