Did you ever know that Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States, was the first commoner ever to be elected president? Before he was elected in 1828, his supporters helped him win the nation’s voters. They helped him create more of a democratic type of government. A good democracy consists of a strong leader who is organized and fair. A strong leader makes decisions with the help of the other branches and the votes of the people. Also, a strong leader should promote peace and stability in the government. Many common people supported, elected, and named Jackson a man of the people. Andrew Jackson was known to have a temper and he always wanted to fight for what he thought was right. He sometimes rarely listened to other ideas and opinions about certain conflicts in the government and country. Andrew Jackson did not promote democracy well. This is true because Andrew Jackson took away some equal rights and he didn’t follow the checks and balances when it came to making important decisions. …show more content…
According to “The Trail of Tears,” Andrew Jackson enforced the Indian Removal Act which ordered the U.S army to force American Indians out of their land. The Indians had no say in this even if they started adapting to American life. They were forced to walk many miles until they reached Oklahoma. Many of them suffered from certain illnesses or they died along the way. Many civilians living in the United States were ashamed of what was happening, but Andrew wanted to fight for what he thought was right. According to “Jackson Battles the Bank,” Andrew Jackson also took away some rights when he fought the national bank by himself. Jackson believed the national bank was used to benefit the rich. The government and civilians should have voted on that decision. Instead, Jackson did everything by
The era of Andrew Jackson which was nicknames the era of the “common man” certainly lived up to its name. As the seventh President of the United States, Jackson had a major effect on the life of the common man, in such a way that the life of the common man would never be the same again. Jackson’s aim, after the manner in which he was defeated in the Presidential Election of 1824, despite receiving more popular votes than John Quincy Adams who took on the office, was to reduce the power and the authority of the elite. When he came into power after the 1828 election Jackson began to carry out his proposals. Jackson expanded the voting right to all men, in accordance with the Declaration of Independence of 1776 which declared that “all men are created equal” instead of just the elite.
One example of this is that he believed the people should be the ones to directly elect the president. As stated in the source: Robert Remini, Andrew Jackson and The Course of American Empire, Vol. III, 1984 “He proceeded from the idea that all offices - whether appointed or elected - must ultimately fall under the absolute control of the people. Appointed offices should be rotated, preferably every four years. Elected offices must be filled directly by the people.
The founders of the United States did their best to create a government that would not allow erroneous decisions to greatly harm the nation. They set a percent of presidents being politically sound and well-known; their beliefs for how the nation should be handled were essential to their campaign. President Andrew Jackson, however, did not follow this system, instead winning primarily by his personality and popularity amongst the common American. While his actions in office often appeared to be for the people, most had a hidden selfish side to them that he easily covered up. With the election of 1828, Jackson radically changed American politics, focusing them more on public appearance and personal character than on intelligence and political views, making personality just as, if not more important than the actual politics of a political term.
Andrew Jackson was seen as a common man the voice of the people by some. By others he was King Andrew, trampling the constitution and instigating tyranny. Jackson’s presidency impacted democracy, through his use of the veto power, and his claim of Clay creating a “corrupt bargain”, which is not a turning point for a rise in democracy despite him giving white male suffrage. During Jackson’s use of executive power weakened voice of the people.
Under influence of president Andrew Jackson, the congress was urged in 1830 to pass the Indian Removal Act, with the goal of relocated many Native Americans in the East territory, the west of Mississippi river. The Trail of tears was made for the interest of the minorities. Indeed, if president Jackson wished to relocate the Native Americans, it was because he wanted to take advantage of the gold he found on their land. Then, even though the Cherokee won their case in front the supreme court, the president and congress pushed them out(Darrenkamp).
But some people think differently. Therefore, Jackson is undemocratic because of the number of slaves he had at the time he was president, the Native Americans, and he thought national bank was unconstitutional. Jackson used slaves for much of his adult life, for helping.
Andrew Jackson presidency focused a lot on small government and pleasing the common man. He attempted to shut down national banks to make government smaller. Jackson also enforces things like the Indian Removal Policy, which strengthened the bond between Jackson and the common man. Jackson was the first and only president to make the country debt too. All of these impacted are government today very much as well as other governments around the world.
Andrew Jackson was one of the greatest presidents who made very difficult decisions for our country. Although his choices were not always the popular decision, he made choices that were always promoting democracy. The things that make a good democracy are: giving people a say in government, having a good leader that you can trust to make wise decisions, peace and stability between each country and other states, and having equal power in the government (checks and balances). Andrew Jackson came into office with a popular vote and great support. His supporters viewed him as a man of the people.
Andrew Jackson, being a tyrant, abused his power in his time of presidency. He was the 7th president, but before Jackson’s presidency, he had no political experience. One of the only things that really qualified him was the hardships he went through when he was younger. His father had died while Jackson was young and Jackson received the reputation as a “self-made man”, or an independent man.
Also he wanted the offices that are solely to benefit the people so that no man has more rights than another. Finally, Jackson was not democratic because he wanted the Indians to move out of his land. So he decided to have the U.S. Soldiers move them west into the Indian territory.
Andrew Jackson has been remembered as a ground breaking president, even being put on the $20. President Jackson was a controversial figure, doing many popular and unpopular things in his time. Although he is remembered as a hero from the war of 1812, he also caused the Trail of Tears and tried to destroy the National Bank. As a result, Jackson should not be put on the $20 bill. His actions have caused many misfortune showing that villains do exist.
He showed unifying leadership during the Nullification Crisis and the Tariff laws of 1828 and 1832, he showed a generous approach of governing through the “Kitchen Cabinet” and the “Spoils System”. Lastly, his concern for economic equality was shown through the veto of the Second Bank of the United States Recharter and his concerns for the common men. All of these qualities that Jackson had shown during his presidency are why Andrew Jackson should be remembered as a hero of the common
To become president Jackson had to exploit his opponents, and bribe his supporters by allowing them to maintain government positions. Once Jackson became president he exceeded his presidential powers through unconstitutional means. Andrew Jackson was a lying, unconstitutional, racist murderer who covered up his evil deeds by stating everything he did was for the well-being of the United States. Many citizens of the United States sided with
There is a saying in Africa, “Don’t make decisions about us, without us!” Andrew Jackson did not talk to the Indians before he made a bad decision which cost the lives of 4,000 Indians and dislocated 46,000 others. At the same time, the settlers weren’t happy with the Indian Removal Act process, it was too slow for them. “The policy was enacted with remarkable speed, but not fast enough to satisfy whites in the South and Southwest.” (p.331) Jackson's Democracy was always cast for the benefit of white men, it didn't even include white
Jackson did not know how to hold his tongue and got to fight often but, at age 17 he became more responsible and got a degree in law. Was Andrew Jackson a minute of people was he a dictator? I believe Andrew Jackson was a dictator because of the fact that he appointed Samuel Swartwout,