Andrew Jackson, one of the most controversial presidents in history, was elected in 1828, beating his opponent John Quincy Adams. Jackson won in what is referred to as a landslide, since he beat Adams with an electoral vote of 178 to 83. The American people overwhelmingly trusted Jackson, which is evident based on the amount of support Jackson gained from voters. So, therefore, from his win, Jackson was expected to serve according to the oath he swore at his inauguration stating that “he would preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” However, many Americans, past and present, speculate whether or not Jackson upheld his responsibilities as president. Andrew Jackson, by his actions while president of the United States, …show more content…
Jackson disliked the National Bank because he believed it would “make the rich richer and the potent more powerful” (Jackson). Jackson also was not fond of the idea that a quarter of bank stocks were held by foreign investors, leading them to be successful based off the bank’s success, not Americans. Last, Jackson deemed the National Bank unconstitutional. Jackson concocted a plan to destroy the bank which consisted of Jackson ordering his Secretary of Treasury to withdraw all the money from the bank and putting it into State “Pet” Banks. With the National Bank in loss of money, they recalled the loans, but the people who withdrew the loan were not in the financial place to repay the money quite yet. In effect, hundreds of businesses closed and devastatingly hurt the American economy. “The growing speculation over the purchase of land using paper currency, led President Jackson to try and slow down the economy by issuing an order which forbade the Treasury to receive anything but gold or silver in payment for public land” (“President”). With this, land was not bought as often and Jackson took the specie from the National Bank and put it in his pet banks, which began to suffer, as well. As the economy utterly crashed, America entered a five year depression called the Depression of 1837. Again, Jackson failed to live up to his oath because in destroying the National Bank, he did not “promote the general welfare” of the American
During his second term, in the spring of 1833 after being distracted by the Nullification Crisis did he again focused on destroying the Bank. He withdraws the government’s money from the bank and was places in the state banks on September 25, 1833 by the ordered of the Treasury in the beginning of October. Biddle, in effort, countered that the Bank will ceases the offering loans nationwide which cause the nation to a near-panic since the state banks were unable to meet the demands of their loans. Despite that, Jackson becomes even more determine to stop the Bank. He pushes toward the use of “hard” currency in 1834.
Jackson’s battle with the Bank created an economic crisis for the nation by causing inflation and, consequently, unemployment. To begin, in 1832 President Andrew Jackson transferred funds from the Bank of the United States to state banks because his party disagreed with the existence of a national bank. One of the reasons Democrats disliked that the Bank of the United States was that they thought it did not give out many loans, to purposely keep the value of money low. However, they were mistaken. When state banks gained the funds, they began giving out a lot of loans.
Andrew Jackson hated the National Bank just like Thomas Jefferson however he took it to a whole other level. Jackson - “He believed that an economy built on credit was inherently unstable and a person who made his money through speculation rather than the production of something real—like a crop or a manufactured good—was less independent and less virtuous. He believed that an economy that rested on the circulation of paper—inflated bank notes, stock certificates, and bonds —was unstable and morally suspicious.” Jackson’s opposal and killing of the National Bank caused an economic depression within the States. The Panic of 189 - “Banks throughout the country were unable to make good on customers' claims for specie and were forced to close their doors.
Jackson did not trust banks for many reasons, one being because he wanted actual money and not paper, another was the Panic of 1819 when the economy collapsed and many families lost their jobs and homes. With these reasons adding up, Jackson did not want a National Bank in America, so he vetoed to better America in his vision. Henry Clay tried to trap Jackson when he did this, trying to make him look wrong for this veto, which angered Jackson greatly. Clay then gathered his supporters and created the Whig party to stand again Jacksonian principles. The Whigs favored Congress over Executive branch which is why they had so many supporters upset from Jackson’s veto.
Jackson in general is unfavorable to the idea that foreign stockholders will not be reported to the secretary of treasury, therefore they will not be taxed and subsequently be worth more than their American stockholder counterparts. But most of all, Jackson highly opposes the federal bank because it violates the ideals the country was made of. Those ideals of equality, are not present in the proposition. In the following quote by Jackson, it is evident that he opposes the new charter because the bank has personnel he deems to have special interests. “It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes.”
But at the time Jackson's position on the Bank was not antagonistic. He was concerned about the Bank's constitutionality and the general stability of paper money in place of gold and silver. But soon after that happened Jackson started to dislike the bank even more. He started by doing strong attacks against the Bank in the press. Then Jackson vetoed the Bank Recharter Bill.
All his attacks caused brutal reactions of his political enemies and even claim that the president destroyed the national stability and the American economy. Regardless of all of the reactions, Jackson still remained remorseless and eventually vetoed the renewal of the Bank’s charter in 1832. Jackson intended to conclude,”Equality of talents, of education, or of wealth cannot be produced by human institutions”(Source 4). He believed that the rich and powerful are the only ones able to take advantage of the bank. Andrew Jackson wanted more benefits to the common people and get rid of the things that divided the elites and
Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States, is often remembered for his controversial policies and actions during his presidency. One of the most significant criticisms of his presidency is his role in the forced displacement and relocation of Native American tribes through the Indian Removal Act and he tended to use brute force to enforce unconstitutional laws. Many viewed him as a king-like figure; this led one to think that this made him a better president, but in actuality, this turned Jackson into a monarch-like president. Andrew Jackson played a devastating role in the forced displacement and relocation of Native American tribes through the Indian Removal Act. This act, signed into law in 1830, authorized the federal government to negotiate treaties with Native American tribes living in the southeastern United States, which would exchange their land for territory west of the Mississippi River which can be seen in Doc 8.
“Americans are not a perfect people, but we are called to a perfect mission.” Andrew Jackson was a president of the people, and now resides on the 20$ bill. After growing up in poverty, he joined the local militia Citizens came from around the country to witness his inauguration. After the war, he practiced law and opened his own plantation, and then proceeded to enter politics. His administration made huge progress for the United States.
Bank; Jackson declined it because he despised the idea of a bank that the bank belongs to the government. Since Jackson was at war against the bank, it was the worst in his eyes. Jackson did not dislike all banks, but he thought the U.S. bank was corrupt ("The War Against the Bank."). Jackson liked hard money, gold or silver instead of paper money. Nicholas Biddle was the leader of the bank when Jackson became President, and Jackson disliked him because he was from a rich family, and did not earn his way.
Andrew Jackson, president from 1829 through 1837, was considered to be the most controversial president in the US. In determining whether Andrew Jackson was a champion for the common man, one must look at the extent of which his actions benefited or threatened the common man. Economically, Jackson was irresponsible in handling the bank. Socially, he tyrannized the people. And politically, he caused corruption in the government.
In this attack, he moved about 20% of United States’ money into private banks. These banks were known as ‘’pet’’ banks because they politically supported Andrew Jackson. This causes what we know as The Bank War. Andrew Jackson enlarged credit by doing away with the bank. Andrew Jackson then moved the money from those banks into the private ones that only supported him.
He mistrusted paper money greatly, as well as believed in power to the common people. Andrew Jackson feared the Bank’s power. He was afraid of the Bank becoming stronger and lending that power to the elite without holding accountability towards them, something he believed great powers should have; accountability. Jackson specifically stated that he believed the Bank made “the rich richer and the potent more powerful.” Jackson liked the so-called farmer’s economy since it motivated people to be hardworking and independent.
Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States. He was a president who cared for his people and did anything to protect the peoples liberty. Jackson acted as the “common man” president rather than a king. Jackson had a well known distrust and dislike for the elite class that had typically held positions in office up until his presidency. While he was the was a president who tried to the best of his abilities to protect the right of the "common man", on the other hand he abused his power during his time because he wanted to be the center of government.
This was five years of the First National Banks charter had expired. The bank allowed less debt to be owed in the United States. But Jackson decided that the National Bank was unconstitutional and did not follow the lines of the constitution. Therefore President Jackson decided that he would cancel the National Bank. This meant that there would be more debt put onto our government and our taxes would increase.