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how democratic was andrew jackson essay
how democratic was andrew jackson essay
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Andrew Jackson is without doubt one of the most influential, controversial, and scandalous presidents that held the office. His ideas created the Democratic Party. His creation of the Democratic Party escalated tensions in Washington D.C. and across the political landscape. These actions led to the creation of an opposing second party. His extreme policies and loose interpretation of the US Constitution affected expansion, commerce, and politics of the nation domestically as well as in the international arena. Andrew Jackson’s loose interpretation of the Constitution is validated by his statement “Each public officer who takes an oath to support the Constitution swears that he will support it as he understands it, and not as it is understood by others” (Veto Message of the Bill on the Bank of the United States). Andrew Jackson gained tremendous power for the executive branch and was instrumental in the westward expansion of the nation. His aggression and firm reigns over the nation’s affairs unified the nation through his views of manifest destiny. He is also coined as the poster boy for the common people. Although Andrew Jackson had numerous accomplishments he was not the leader he claimed to be in terms of protecting states’ rights and being the common mans representative.
Being a man of the people implies that you are looking out for the sole interest of the common man. Andrew Jackson thought only short term when it came to the needs of the common man and the nation such is the case in his actions concerning the national bank which proved to be economic suicide.
Jackson had attempted to pursue the founders’ vision of creating a nation free from debt or centralized finance which would give the people more control of th...
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...Legal News and Legal Resources. N.p., 13 January 2006. Web. 26 Nov 2011. .
"US Supreme Court Cases & Opinions." US Supreme Court Center. Justia, 2011. Web. 13 Dec 2011. .
Jackson, Andrew. "Farewell Address." 14 Mar 1837. Address.
Jackson, Andrew. "Proclamation Regarding Nullification." 10 Dec 1832. Address.
Jackson, Andrew. "Veto Message of the Bill on the Bank of the United States." Veto Message of the Bill on the Bank of the United States. Washington, 10 July 1832. Address.
Walter, Coffey. "AMERICAN HISTORY UNCUT Exploring facts and exposing myths in the quest for liberty." ANDREW JACKSON AND THE NATIONAL DEBT. N.p., 17 01 2011. Web. 1 Dec 2011. .
One of the Jacksonian Democrats’ attempts to reduce the influence of the rich was by vetoing the charter to the Bank of the United States. Jackson stated his reasons in Document B mainly as a precaution of...
However, Daniel Webster in his response to Jackson’s veto message (Document C) refuted Jackson pointing out the personal interests Jackson vested in this political decision. Jackson a big supporter of the expanding west wanted easily accessible credit to allow for faster speculation of land which the Bank of the United States failed to provide. Jackson was spurred to fail the re-charter of the Bank to solidify his support within the South and the West and to issue a backlash to nemesis Henry Clay who had proposed the re-charter of the bank and had prevented Jackson from obtaining presidency in 1824 by supporting John Quincy Adams. Although, Jackson justified his veto of the Bank of the United States as a action meant to uphold the Constitution in reality it was used to politically secure
The validity of President Andrew Jackson’s response to the Bank War issue has been contradicted by many, but his reasoning was supported by fact and inevitably beneficial to the country. Jackson’s primary involvement with the Second Bank of the United States arose during the suggested governmental re-chartering of the institution. It was during this period that the necessity and value of the Bank’s services were questioned.
Andrew Jackson, revered as the first common man to become President, symbolized the average citizen having the opportunity to climb the ranks within America 's democratic system. However, the profits of Jackson 's administration succeed in concealing his immoral procedures and behavior. Jackson 's methods worked accordingly to the reasoning of the father of political science, Machiavelli, who said, “The end justifies the means”. He achiev...
Jackson was a strong opponent of the unequal and aristocrat dominated economic structure of most of America. He was very against the Bank of America because he believed it to have a monopoly on banking and felt that it was owned and run unjustly by wealthy aristocrats who were not always Americans (B). It must also be noted however, that while the Bank of America was undoubtedly corrupt (Nicholas Biddle is known to have given sums of money to close friends, and was also known to regularly bribe newspapers and similar media.) it also did what it was supposed to do very well. It provided money and credit to many of the lower classes that Jackson defended, and also was the source of much economic growth. As a result of this veto Jackson established pet banks in many Western areas to try to appease his main group of supporters and build up the rivalry between the agrarian South and West and the industrial North (C). Many immigrants found that one of the first things they discovered upon entering America was a sense of economic equality and lack of poverty, which are exactly the things Jackson was working towards (D). The case Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge decided that a charter given a person or group to do a service does not allow that group to have complete rights over this service. This decision supports the Jacksonian Democracy ideas that the rights of the community are more important than the rights of business (H).
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.
Andrew Jackson was like no other president before him. The previous presidents had one thing in common, they were all part of the founding fathers or in John Quincy Adam’s case was the son of a founding father. However Jackson was a plantation owner from the west who had no connections with the government. He also had different views from other presidents that made his presidency unique. Two things that separated Andrew Jackson’s presidency from previous presidencies were he reached out to the common people and he was disapproving of the Bank of United States.
Andrew Jackson began a whole new era in American history. Amongst his greatest accomplishments were evoking the "common man" to be interested in government and tailoring democracy to satisfy the same "common man's" needs. Of course, Jackson could not go about making such radical changes without supporters, but that never surfaced as a problem. Jacksonian Democrats, as they came to be called, were great in number during the 1820's and 1830's. They advocated all of the issues that President Jackson did, and did so with great vigor. They thought of themselves very highly because they recognized their responsibilities as American citizens. They realized that as political leaders they had a true purpose- to protect and serve the American people. The Jacksonians justified their view of themselves in their sincere attempts to guard the United States Constitution by both promoting equality of economic opportunity and increasing political democracy, but they had their downfalls with issues of individual liberties.
The presidencies of Andrew Jackson and Thomas Jefferson were based on similar political philosophies. Both men believed in the common man having a voice in government, and opposed too much power being given to the federal government. Both were educated men, with an extensive knowledge of the law, who believed that an agricultural based economy was the key to Americas economical growth. However, since they were both planters who owned slaves, and Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, it was obvious that their philosophy of defending the common man did not pertain to minorities. Jefferson was raised on a wealthy tobacco plantation, and Jackson, although born poor, was raised by a wealthy uncle after being orphaned at the age of fourteen. Even though they grew up in a wealthy lifestyle, they both opposed the corruption of a government that did not have the individual states needs at heart. Although there was controversy on their somewhat racist beliefs, their accomplishments during their presidencies set a precedent for a fair and democratic government that restrained the power of the wealthy and elite. (Boyer, et. al., 2008)
Andrew Jackson also known as, “The people’s choice,” was a self made man. He represented the South and the Western frontier expansionism. He was a strong military leader, a superior Court judge, and an Indian fighter. Jackson represented the common man. The United States of America benefitted greatly from the actions of Andrew Jackson.
view supporting those ideals and it comes as no surprise that Jackson stressed them in his veto message of 1832. Yet, paying attention to the message in context lends a lot of support to the view that Jackson was a true democrat and a true protector of the common man. Established in 1816, the Second Bank of the United States had, by the 1830's, become a tool of the rich Northeastemers that failed to respond to the people and states' needs.
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
The issue of whether or not America should have a National Bank is one that is debated throughout the whole beginning stages of the modern United States governmental system. In the 1830-1840’s two major differences in opinion over the National Bank can be seen by the Jacksonian Democrats and the Whig parties. The Jacksonian Democrats did not want a National Bank for many reasons. One main reason was the distrust in banks instilled in Andrew Jackson because his land was taken away. Another reason is that the creation of a National Bank would make it more powerful than...
The election of Andrew Jackson in 1828 brought a new wave of political ideas, especially since he created the Democratic party and their symbol. Jacksonian Democrats saw themselves as guardians of the Constitution, political democracy and individual liberty (aka social freedoms). I believe that this was not the case for the decisions made in Jackson’s presidency, and he was more of a “King Andrew” than a man of the common people.
Andrew Jackson was undoubtedly a man of the people. 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's 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.