Jacksonian Democracy DBQ

The role of the President of the United States of America is defined by those who have held the office. The vagueness of the Constitution has allowed the power of the office to grow and shrink with the personal differences of the men who have held the position. The presidency is not just effected by those who hold the position, the institutional environment and the society of the time also take a massive role in determining the power and effectiveness of the presidency. Theodore Roosevelt and Andrew Jackson are two of the most influential presidents because they were adored by the people. Roosevelt and Jackson both stretched the power of the presidency in ways that were never envisioned by the framers of the constitution.

The Jacksonian Era was the time period of Andrew Jackson’s presidency. This began in 1828 when Jackson was elected president. The era is sometimes described as a time when the United States experienced the “democratization of politics.” In a democracy every citizen has an equal say in the government's decisions and actions. Some people of this time period believed that Jackson is notable for democratizing the United States during the Jacksonian Era. Others, on the other hand, believe he was far from accomplishing that. Politics are a way that expresses how the Unites States was not democratized during this time period. Jacksons animosity towards the Indians exposed his undemocratic actions during his first years of his presidency. However,

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 promoted democracy well. This is true because he kept peace and stability between the nation and he provided people equal rights.

The time has come to make a judgement of the great Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States from 1829~1837. Although some people didn’t like Jackson very well due to very few of his decisions, he made many good decisions during his presidency. Andrew Jackson should be remembered as a hero of the common man due to his unifying leadership, generous approach of governing, and concern for economic equality.

Andrew Jackson was a tough man. He even went by the name of ‘Old Hickory’. Andrew Jackson was a terrible president, but also a good president. There are many reasons why Andrew Jackson was a bad president. These are only the few reasons that we all already know or they are major events stated in US history. The reasons are, he abused his veto power, caused The Trail of Tears, and The Bank War.

The rise of Jacksonian democracy have influenced the United States in the years of 1820s to 1830s. As a veteran of the war of 1812 and also known for being a common man his popularity has given him a spot in office. With the use of the spoil system he has given government jobs to loyal supporters which has also lead to the creation of the kitchen cabinet. Making extreme decisions like the Indian removal act, many have question his authority but are unable to do anything. Jacksonian democrats viewed themselves as guardians of the Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of opportunity. Although they represented and became the voice of the common man events like the Indian removal act have made them choose unconstitutional

Throughout the early 19th century, changing politics and an evolving society in America impacted all classes of people, specifically the white working class. Jacksonian Democratic ideals was influenced by the working class, and the white working class benefited from President Jackson’s decisions.

Ever since the Constitution was written, there have been many interpretations of the phrase “all men are created equal”. Does that include every human, or just the white man? The seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, and his party, the Jacksonian Democrats, proclaimed themselves to be defenders of the Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. But during the Jacksonian Era, only white males could vote. Additionally, the Jacksonians violated the basic rights of Native Americans by kicking them off of their own land. Also, they ignored the laws of the Constitution on multiple occasions. Even though the Jacksonians did uphold the ideals of equal economic opportunity to some extent,

President Andrew Jackson was a very popular president and did a lot of things during his presidency. But in my opinion, I think he was not democratic because he wanted everything done his way or no way, like during the Indian Removal act in Document 10. He wanted the Indians land so he had his soldiers move them \west into the Indian territory.

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

Andrew Jackson was the 7th President of the United States. His face appears on the $20 dollar bill but there is discussion of removing him and replacing him with another well known figure. Looking back through the history of his time did Andrew Jackson do more harm than good. He was born March 15, 1767 in a log cabin on the frontier between the Carolinas. He was a “common man” so the common folk loved him. He was born during the time of slavery and Native Americans. The rules of today’s society were not in play yet.

Jacksonian Democrats beliefs are more similar to the Populist party’s beliefs than different in political, economic, and social ways. Their limited differences are based on the time periods and problems they faced respectively.

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.

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.