Andrew Jackson’s a name that stands out among all the other men that have stepped foot in office and accepted the responsibility of leading our country. His face is seen by millions on the twenty dollar bill on a daily basis, and this recognition was well deserved. As the 7th president of the United States of America he made many strives and carried a strong desire to benefit the “common man” while still serving the good of all.
His beliefs regarding the power the president should hold affected all of the presidents to come. The Founding Fathers had intended for Congress to lead the nation, while the president, on the other hand, would act more as a law enforcer than anything else. Andrew Jackson disagreed with that vision, feeling that the president should hold much more power in the government. He made sure to expand on it during his two terms in office, for when the time came, one of his first actions were to fire a handful of federal government workers and replace them with people he saw fit. That was the first time a president had ever done that, to the extent that he did, and he didn’t stop there. Over the span of his presidency he vetoed of total of 12 bills, more than any president before him.
Andrew Jackson passed the “Tariff of 1828” that’s purpose was to protect industry in the North. Although it had protected the North, it actually harmed the South at the same time. The South had to pay higher prices in result of the tariff, and also received less money for the crop they depended on so much: cotton. The South, of course, despised the Tariff and it started to press the issue of sectionalism. The state to take action, though, was South Carolina. They passed the Nullification Ordinance in November 1832, which said...
... middle of paper ...
...government, he was undoubtedly an excellent military leader and an excellent leader of our country— a natural born leader.
Works Cited
"Andrew Jackson A Brief Biography." Jackson's Duel with Charles Dickinson. GMW, n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2013. .
"Andrew Jackson." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2013. .
Case, Steven. "ANDREW JACKSON." Jackson, Andrew. NCpedia, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2013. .
Sidey, Hugh. "Andrew Jackson." The Presidents of the United States of America. By Frank Freidel. N.p.: Diane Pub, 1994. N. pag. The White House. Whitehouse.gov, 2006. Web. 28 Sept. 2013. .
Somervill, Barbara. Andrew Jackson. N.p.: Capstone, 2003. 8+. Print.
He was the first president to be chosen by the people and his background was not that of a typical president. He was not born into a rich family. Jackson favored the general public rather than the wealthy. His election shifted the balance of power from the wealthy East Coast, to farmers and small businesspeople in the west. Jackson vetoed more bills than all previous presidents did in an attempt to help the common man.
As the author of Andrew Jackson and the Search for Vindication, James C. Curtis seems to greatly admire Andrew Jackson. Curtis pointed out that Jackson was a great American general who was well liked by the people. As history shows, Andrew Jackson had his flaws; for example, he thought the National Bank of the United States was going to kill him but he was determined to kill it first. He resented the Bank because he thought it was the reason for the Panic of 1819. Andrew Jackson was elected to the presidency in 1824 after first being nominated in 1822. He was sixty-one when he was elected the seventh president of the United States.
South Carolina’s decision to invalidate the federal law and deem the tariff unconstitutional was the first blatant disregard for the centralized government. The United States, under Jackson’s presidency, did not unite and support one another in the face of the economic tariff and hardships. Instead, the states nullified (South Carolina in particular) and the individualistic ideals and motivations of the states were exposed. State opinions, such as that of South Carolina were focused solely on their own personal benefit and how they would survive the hardships of the tariff. During the Age of Jackson, there was no unification between the states. The ideals of Jacksonian America were flawed by the growing sectionalism and individualistic ideals. The total equality and unification that Jacksonian America attempted to create was no longer an option. Jacksonian America failed, and in result, did not promote the unified democracy in the United
This helped manufacturers from New England, and led to a crisis known as the nullification crisis. Vice President John C. Calhoun of South Carolina argued that states had a right to nullify this law. Many southerners were against tariff because they feared that if the federal government could do that, they could end slavery as well. They hoped to stop this by nullifying the tariff law because it would weaken the federal government. President Andrew Jackson defended the tariffs, and Congress listened to Jackson, and passed another tariff law. After that, South Carolina became fed up and threatened to secede. Eventually, the two sides came to peace and ended the
Andrew Jackson was the 7th president of the United States and represented the common people. He did many things that he believed helped the people of the United States, but in fact were unconstitutional. In my opinion Andrew Jackson acted like a king. Some of the damaging events of his presidency include the bank war, the trail of tears and the nullification crisis.
Andrew Jackson was elected by popular vote and became the seventh president of the United States in March 4, 1829.[1] In his presidency, I have known and perceived that he has done few of great actions. But in my opinion, I would not claim that he was either a good or bad president because I learned about his attainments in life, being a president, a fighter in wars, etc.; however, I have also learned some of his unimpressive performance that led to some people who did not find it convenient.
He made the Native Americans feel unwelcomed in their own country by taking their land and shipping them off were they would not bother a white man. Jackson also changed the voting system to benefit his own needs while in office. He was also overwhelmed by the amount of power he possessed and eventually succumbed to the temptations of selfishness. Although President Andrew Jackson was certainly not democratic, he allowed future presidents to learn from his mistakes so that history does not repeat itself. His time as president offered guidance to the true democracy America uses today in its
Remini, Robert V. Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Freedom 1822-1832. Vol. 2. NY: Harper & Row, 1981. Print.
President Jackson singlehandedly led the destruction of the Native Americans with his aggressive actions and hostile decisions. President Jackson shirked his responsibility to protect the Naïve Americans of the United States by ignoring the Supreme Court’s decision, promoting legislation to bring about the separation of Native Americans and whites, and his decision to involve United States Armed Forces against Indian Tribes. If it was not for President Jackson’s actions, the future of the Native Americans would have been different or at least
Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States and was one of the most controversial presidents ever. Jackson initially gained national fame through his role in the War of 1812, where he led a victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans. Three year laters, Jackson invaded the Spanish-Florida territory which directed to the Adams-Onis Treaty. Although Andrew Jackson proved to be a great military strategist, his unneeded hostility, which was brought out in the Spoils System, the Indian Removal Act, and the ongoing feud with the National Bank, ultimately classify him as poor president.
Andrew Jackson may just be a former president to many people, but when viewing the political history of the United States of America, it is apparent that Andrew Jackson’s legacy has been affecting the United States from before his presidency, and it continuously effecting this country today. Some key parts of Jacksonian Politics are Jackson’s platform and his log cabin appeal. Jackson built compassion in voters by fighting for his country during the War of 1812, by having the common man log cabin appeal, and by fighting the common trend of the wealthy benefiting the wealthy by standing up for the greater good of common men. To fully understand Jacksonian politics you must understand the timeline in which he held presidency, as well as the
Andrew Jackson is one of the most controversial presidents. Many regard him as a war hero, the father of the Democratic Party, an inspiring leader, and a spokesman for the common man. While there is plenty to praise about the seventh president, his legacy is tarnished by his racism, disregard for the law of the land, cruelty towards the Native Americans, and ruthless temper. Jackson was an intriguing man who was multi-faceted. One must not look at a singular dimension, and cast judgment on him as a whole. To accurately evaluate one of the most complex presidents, it is crucial to observe Jackson from all possible angles. Prior lifestyle, hardships in life, political ideology, lifestyle of the time, political developments, and his character
He won popular vote and the electoral vote, but lost in the House of Representatives (192). He may have lost, but he and the Democratic Party began to campaign for 1828 (192). The election of 1828 was one of the most “vitriolic” and personal campaigns in history (193). Every questionable thing in from Andrew Jackson’s past was brought back (193). From his actions during the Indian wars to his marriage to Rachel (193).
To some people Andrew Jackson is remembered as the, metaphorically speaking, “People’s King” and is accused of dictator-like political moves. However, Andrew Jackson was quite the contrary, he was exalted amongst the people for being the new era of democracy: instilling a political revolution, the protection of the American people, and social equality among the masses. Therefore, Andrew Jackson was a precedent of democratic rule in the United States.
4.”Miller Center.” American President: Andrew Jackson: A Life in Brief. N.p., n.d. Web . 02 Mar. 2014