History Research- Andrew Jackson

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Andrew Jackson – Democracy President and Indian Removal Act (1830)

Le Hong Quan

US History I
Instructor: Hoang ThachQuan
17 November 2011

Andrew Jackson (1767 –1845) was the seventh President of the United States (1829–1837) and he was one of the most popular and controversial U.S. presidents in American history. Andrew Jackson's election to the presidency in 1828 created a new era with political and economic opportunities for the "common man." He also became the father of the Democratic Party and achieved fame as protector of the common man. I think we couldn't deny that Jackson was still a human being; he couldn’t be perfect in every single thing. It's the reason to explain for what he did during his life, Jackson was considered as a hero, and also was he thought to be a villain in the eyes of many people. Although the fact that he raised the era of “Jacksonia Democracy” and he was appreciated as the representative of the entire generation’s ideology, he was the one who separated classes and discriminated brutally those not seen as true Americans. The relevant examples were the events in 1800s, notably Indian Removal Act. It raised a question whether Andrew Jackson was a democratic president. I think he had a good democratic ideology for the United States but his action as well as his wrong decision opposed his thought. Besides, Mr. Meacham (an author of American Lion Book) recognized “the tragedy of Jackson’s life is that a man dedicated to freedom failed to see liberty as a universal, not a particular, gift.” The role of Andrew Jackson’s presidency in affirming the new democratic politics Andrew Jackson grew up with a harsh childhood that he did not have parents and his literacy was sporadic. In his young life, he worked as a lawyer in Tennessee and a soldier when war occurred between the United States and Britain. Jackson became a famous military hero from his glorious victory in the war of 1812, especially from his win the experienced army in New Orleans in January, 1815 and “he would become America's most influential–and polarizing–political figure during the 1820s and 1830s”. Moreover, he was different from his predecessors for being elected by popular vote. This proved that Andrew Jackson's strong influence on American politics had been pervasive prior to his time in office and it continuously spread out. A new era of American politics that followed the era of Jeffersonian democracy began with president’s role which made a bright situation and greater democracy for common man. His policy got first succeed which helps expand the right to vote for all white men and end the property qualifications for voting. Before Jackson's time, public officials used their own judgments rather than the expectation of many voters. However, under Jacksonian Democracy, their acts depended on the petition of people. During the two terms, he tried to expand the presidential power by using the veto which changed both the American politics and society. Jackson was the rare one that used his power as the chief executive in fighting against Congress. And these actions were said to be very aggressive. However, these policies were to describe himself as a president with a strong and stubborn style. For instance, having the national bank demolished was a very important milestone in Jackson's career. The reason why he ended the US bank system was that it took the role as a monopoly over foreign and domestic. Besides, he disagreed with the fact that these banks just cared about the interest of the rich, and truly to say they were held to serve the richest class in society. It could be seen that Jackson's decision to demolish these banks faced many arguments from only the richest class. And Daniel Webster through his letter also suggested Jackson about the risk to jeopardize people's liberty when practicing his act. He stated that “it wantonly attacks whole classes of the people, for the purpose of...
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