Henry Clay: The American System

Thomas Jefferson during his terms (1801-1809), Jefferson made on of the most controversial decision at that time, the Louisiana Purchase, he sent James Monroe in 1803 to help with the negotiation to buy New Orleans. Monroe was astonished to learn that France already offered to sell 828,00 square miles of Louisiana to the United States for $15 million (4cent an acre), by April 30 they sign a treaty to purchase the vast territory. Its legality was questionable, the constitution gave him no clear authority to acquire new territory and incorporate into the nation but it promised fulfillment of the dream of a continental nation reaching the Pacific Coast.

Thomas Jefferson, one of the greatest revolutionary thinkers that ever existed, believed in the power of rebellion. He reasoned that conflict between government and the people occurred naturally. Jefferson “ hold[s] it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing” because he believes it to be “as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.” This deep quote relates to the theme of conflict since conflicts between governments and their people lead to rebellions. Furthermore, this quote indicates that conflict plays an important role in society even at the national level. While many people do not consider the positive side of conflict, a wise Jefferson realized its power to prevent oppressive rulers from rising.

Andrew Jackson vs. Henry Clay: Democracy and Development in Antebellum America is a book written by Harry L. Watson. Harry L. Watson writes the different stances of the presidential race in the Antebellum Era in America. He is very unbiased in his writing, clearly stating each presidential candidate. Andrew Jackson’s beliefs are clearly democratic, meaning he believed that a growing wealth and power in the business community may erode the equality of ordinary citizens. This party was also known as the ‘Jackson Party’. Jackson was born in Tennessee, he supported the power of businesses, he was quite violent, but a great leader. On the other hand, Henry Clay was a part of the Whig party, sometimes known as the Republican party. He believed in the growth of the economy and businesses. His party

Change is relevant within every time period, however, very substantial changes took place in the Americas following the War of 1812. Future success of the American society was to be dictated by the support the federal government supplied to domestic manufacturing and infrastructure to make drastic improvements economically. The imposition of high tariffs, advancements in transportation and the development of the cotton gin are among the most important changes made in the United States during this time.

Whether Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Policies were ethical has come of debate from the time they were enacted and before. The time that Jackson was president has been fittingly named the Jacksonian Era. One of the iconic images of this era is a political cartoon that depicts President Jackson as “King Jackson the First” as he steps on the constitution and the Albany Plan of Union. I think that Jackson’s actions were not ethical.

During Andrew Jackson's presidency, he enacted an abundance of policies such as expanding voting rights, extending the country's borders, and the spoils system, which benefited the common man. The policy of expanded voting rights reflected Jackson's belief that the common white man should be more involved in the democratic process. The westward expansion brought new land, resources, and opportunities for the common man, but had an unfortunate outcome for the native Americans. President Jackson favored the spoils system, which was a system where he rewarded those who were loyal to him. Thus giving the position in government to the common man instead of the wealthy. Andrew Jackson was the image of the common man: he was a slave owner, fought in the revolutionary war, and participated in many battles, had a reasonable amount of education.

Andrew Jackson was born into a common life but overcame his mediocre beginnings to become a powerful politician; in 1828 he was elected president of the United States. However, he abused this position of power and made several choices that were detrimental to the welfare and rights of the American people. Jackson implemented the spoils system on a national scale and had unofficial members of his cabinet who did not have to answer to Congress. After South Carolinians were upset by the Tariff of 1832 he was angry toward those who did not agree with it. He also destroyed the National Bank and authorized the Specie Circular. Because of these infringements on the rights of the people, Andrew Jackson was not a champion of the common man; the nickname “King Andrew,” from his opponents was accurate.

Despite their differences and detestations against each other, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay were both political leaders who possessed similar characteristics and philosophies. In the book Andrew Jackson vs. Henry Clay , the author Harry L. Watson described the two leaders’ loathing for each other, but he also wrote about the likenesses and related circumstances that Jackson and Clay underwent in Antebellum America. Both men’s beliefs and philosophies played a major role in the formations of the two-party system. With their dedication of preserving the federal Union, both Jackson and Clay devoted themselves to the government and also influenced politics in American public life. One concept that is most notorious about them, however, is the fact that they wholeheartedly despised each other. Watson’s book further describes that Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay mainly had political differences, morals, and characteristics.

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.

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.

Andrew Jackson believed that he was a guardian of the Constitution .He was fixing the faulty interpretation of the constitution put forth by his fellow congress men. Jackson saw the banks as “monopoly of foreign and domestic exchange” he believed the wealthy people were using the banks to line their pockets with more money. One of Jackson’s opponents, Daniel Webster of Mass. . He believed that Jackson had no true facts on his assessment, in fact he saw the veto as alarming. In westers view, Jackson was using the constitutional argument to support his own grab for power. The Whigs, that where like the federalists that where years before them, viewed the national bank as both necessary and constitutional.

I believe in the 19th century that the American history was vindictive. Back then they denied the rights to black folk and they also attempt to use education to destroy the Native American culture. Also, in the 19th century, a major event in American history was the quest for democracy and equality. They were lynching and beating African American during Reconstruction and segregation period in the south. By reading this I understand how we have it easy than back then. Now we are able to go to school without the worries that something might happen to us.

A picture showing who won each state and the amount of electoral votes allotted to each state one and the first one

One of the main points of Henry Clay’s American System, the necessity of subsidies for internal improvements and protective tariffs, was a source of debate between Jackson and Clay. While in Senate Jackson voted for protective tariffs and internal improvement bills, but soon “became convinced that the internal improvement policies favored by his enemies were a species of corruption and an outrageous drain on the treasury” . When the Maysville Road project was proposed that would build a highway across Kentucky, Jackson was quick to veto the bill. He viewed the issue of the road as a local, not national issue, therefore making it unconstitutional. Clay, borrowing a line from Hamilton, argued the road was a national issue and cited the necessary and proper clause. Jackson argued that even if the Maysville Road was a national issue he would still have vetoed the bill because “the treasury was now exhausted and the road could not be built without an increase in the national debt” . In the views of Jackson, the national debt prevented true independence. His main goal was to reduce and repay the debt. As president he made

The American Revolution has been a lighthouse to many other revolutions and riots during history, but what started it all? When was the ideas of the American Revolution first planted into the young minds of our forefathers? And why do we even still talk about the American Revolution. To understand this, we have to go back to the year 1763. Otherwise known as the turning point in events that led to the American Revolution with salutary neglect through mercantilism, and colonial government, that helped give the colonies a small feeling of independence.