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Andrew Jackson March 15, 1767 Waxhaw region- June 8,1845 Nashville, Tennessee Political Party: Democrats Vice President: John C. Calhoun (1825-1832) Martin Van Buren (1833-1837)

Slavery in Andrew Jackson’s presidency was fairly evident. As a man from the West, he did support some views of the South, including their stance on slavery. Jackson himself was a wealthy slave owner. In 1831, Nat Turner, a Virginian slave, began a rebellion. Him and other slaves went from house to house killing the white people whether they owned slaves or not. The rebellion was over in less than two days, but it ignited a fear in the South. The administration did not interject in this event but it brought to light the slavery issues in the South. The southern states did tighten up on their slaves restrictions.
 * Thematic Context **

Towards the end of his presidency, Mexico allowed Americans to colonize the Mexico territory, furthermore known as Texas. The Mexican government strictly stated that there will be no slavery in the area. since they emancipated their slaves in the 1830s. American settlers discarded the Mexican’s rules and proceeded to bring their slaves to the area. This caused an issue with the Mexican government and their dictator, Santa Anna. As a result to the rebellious attitudes of the Americans, Santa Anna took away the locals right and started an army to suppress them. The Texans declared their independence in 1836. After the war Santa Anna was captured and forced to sign a treaty allowing Texas to be its own nation. Jackson gave recognition to the now Lone Star Republic and this began the debate of allowing Texas into the Union. If they were to be admitted then it enlarge the slave population in the United states. This did put pressure on the administration, but Jackson was nearing the end of his second term so this issue was passed to the next administration.

Andrew Jackson was the major favorite in the election of 1824. Having lead the army in successful wins in the war of 1812 and played up by the Democrats as the “common man”, Jackson won the election by a landslide. As president, Jackson accomplished a lot. He managed to promote the power of the states and westward expansion. Unfortunately, some of his decisions did not properly represent the people in a positive way. The removal of Native Americans and the beginning of sectionalism tainted his presidency and the administration. Therefore, Andrew Jackson deserves a grade of B.
 * Thesis **

Andrew Jackson’s main goal was to use democratic influence in his decisions and to represent the common man. His idea of the spoils system allowed the average man to hold higher positions in the government. He believed that if they did then the people would more influence on the federal government. The idea itself was good, but it was incredibly risky. It allowed illiterate people to rise above the masses and represent the people. But it also allowed thieves to work in the treasury department. Though the spoils system made Jackson look extremely trustworthy it also made him look naive. Another goal of Jacksons was to get rid of the Bank of the United States. In the West and South, the plantation and farms over speculated and cause the Bank to foreclose homes. Jackson distrusted the Bank of U.S and believed that since it was a private institution that it only benefited the elite. When Henry Clay pushed the recharter of the second Bank of U.S. Jackson vetoed it and with that he took out a large sum of money and redistributed it to “pet” banks in the west. This resulted in Specie Circular, buying land with gold and silver, putting more people in the West on the streets. Jackson and The Indian Removal Act opened up area in the South for farmers to further cultivate the land. HIs administration did accomplish their goals, but at an emotional and monetary loss.
 * Goals **

Andrew Jackson had a few ups and downs with Congress, but they generally worked together fairly well. The majority party in both the House and Senate were the Democrats. Jackson was a firm believer in states rights and representing the common man and did not like a strong federal government. He instituted the “Spoils System” and got the common man some direct power in the federal government. Jackson also managed to give more land in the South and expand West at the same time with the passing of the Indian Removal Act. Jackson set his mind on giving Georgia that land and wouldn’t stop at anything to get it. He did not enforce John Marshall’s Supreme Court ruling that the Georgia government couldn't take that land.With his party being the majority in Congress, the Indian Removal Act was passed and put into effect immediately. He forced the Natives to leave their ancestral lands and migrate to the Northwest. The numbers of deaths during this migration was overwhelming and brought out opposers of the Jacksonian democracy. Though this did help the Southern farmers, it displaced thousands of Native Americans and stripped them of their land and beliefs. Henry Clay was very adamant on rechartering the second Bank of the United States. After he pushed it through Congress, Jackson vetoed it. Jackson disliked the national bank and instead funded “pet” banks. Andrew Jackson did veto the Maysville Road Bill, which lost him some supporters in the west.
 * Jackson and Congress **

Jackson and his administration made the decision of sending troops into South Carolina during the Nullification Crisis. This was a good decision because it showed that Jackson was not going to be pushed over by the states and that he has the final decision. John Quincy Adams signed in the Tariff of Abominations during his presidency. This got the South all riled up because the tariff helped those in manufacturing and was more of an expense to those in the South. When Jackson became president he wrote another tariff in effort to make a compromise. The South still upset threatened to secede from the Union. Jackson got permission from Congress to send troops to collect import duties. This resulted in the Tariff of 1833 where a compromise was reached. Jackson used his federal authority to bring the states back together in some sort, but it also alarmed even more ideas of sectionalism.
 * Positive Decision **

Andrew Jackson and his administration made a negative decision in the Indian Removal Act. The state of Georgia wanted the land where the Native American’s were living so that they could expand their plantations. This issue was brought to the Supreme Court in Worcester v. Georgia. John Marshall ruled that Georgia had no control over the land that the Native Americans resided on. Jackson and his administration passed the Indian Removal Act, overriding the Court’s decision. Jackson forced the Natives to leave the land that they have lived on for thousands of years to move to the Northwest. This migration caused a shocking amounts of deaths. Every one in four native american died along this trek. It is now referred to as the Trail of Tears. Jackson had many options to give the Georgians more land, but he chose to forcefully evict the Native Americans off their land. Jackson now had a cultural genocide on his hands.
 * Negative Decision **

Jackson made the decision of recognizing Texas as being independent from Mexico. This was an influential decision because the issue of whether or not to admit Texas into the Union overflowed into following elections. Jackson’s recognition started a chain of powerful decisions that would give America even more land. It also showed that those people that Mexico allowed from the U.S to colonize could represent the government. The democratic views of the government was replicated in Texas, showing that Jackson’s decisions had an effect outside of the United States.
 * Influential Decision **

America was better off with Jackson as president because his way of attempting to represent the common man worked in some ways. The spoils system may not have worked completely but it show that the lower class (majority of the population) could work in higher positions. Without Jackson’ s interest in the Mexico territory, later presidents may not have had the option of purchasing any land in that area. His forceful and strong-willed personality overruled the Supreme Court and removed the Native American’s from the South. Jackson made his mark on the United States with both the positive and negative things he did. His decision’s helped give the common man more representation in the government and showed that the federal government is not weak. Jackson did,however, forcefully take land from the Native Americans and put federal funds into risky banks. All in all, Andrew Jackson deserves a total grade of B.
 * Conclusion **

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