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ANDREW JACKSON Democrat Born March 15, 1767 Died June 8, 1845 7th President from 1829-1837 Vice Presidents John C. Calhoun (1829-1832) Martin Van Buren (1833-1845) Andrew Jackson won the presidency due to his western values and un-aristocratic image. Meaning he was a “People’s President”. However, in the end did Jackson really fulfill his promise to the American people? In review of his presidency, I believe that Jackson really deserves a C for his Presidency. Some of his decisions were personal and not constitutionally based. He also was labeled a monarch for his actions with congress. All in all, Jefferson changed America’s history in a variety of different was. To fully understand Jackson, we must first look into his past. Jackson grew up on the North Carolina and South Carolina border. He was a misfit and got into fights and cared more about them than his education. The Revolution hit him hard. Fighting in the back country of the Carolinas made him an orphan and veteran at the age of 15. Eventually, he moved to Tennessee out west (which was a major effect on his election). Years later, the War of 1812 came about and Jackson was dispatched from Tennessee leading 2000 men where he earned the title “Old Hickory” because of how he shared his troop’s provisions. In March of 1814, Jackson led his troops into Creek Indian territory and completely annihilated them, in response to their attack on an American Fort. A short while later in 1815, Jackson led 7000 men in New Orleans where they overran a British attack. With these heroics, Jackson earned the citizens of the United States’ respect. Jackson’s major goals as president were to settle the relationships between the states and deal with the Indian boarder lands and territory. To begin with, Jackson helped to settle the states problems and unify them in quite a few ways. He didn’t agree with the sectionalism the country was displaying, so he was very much for the creation of national roads. He used the “Nullies” of South Carolina to display the united military force the country could have. Also, he used acts such as The Indian Removal Act of 1830 to both unite the country and deal with the Indians. By removing the Indians, he made room for the country to grow and dealt with the Indian problem at the same time. Jackson didn’t have the greatest relationship with congress. This was mainly due to the fact that congress was mainly Democratic-Republicans. The greatest example of this poor relationship is definitely over the Bank in 1832 when Henry Clay and Daniel Webster gave congress a bill to re-charter the bank. The bill was created to get Jackson in trouble no matter what; if he signed it, he would alienate his supporters out west and if he didn’t, he would lose the next election because he would alienate his wealthy supporters. It was immediately vetoed, but it was not constitutionally based. This veto ultimately destroyed the bank at that time. Also, Jackson’s passing of the Tariff of 1828 (or better known as the Tariff of Abominations) didn’t sit well with some state legislatures, especially South Carolina’s and other states in the south. Jackson’s relationship with congress wasn’t the best, but he still got things done. Jackson’s decision with the most positive outcome was the Nullification hurting the south’s wool trade), Jackson reacted quickly to keep the state in check. He threatened to send an army down to South Carolina to find and hang John C. Calhoun who was the leader of the Nullies. Also, he asked Congress reduce the tariff. Congress eventually succeeds, and they write up the Compromise of 1833 which promised to lower the tariff over a period of nine years. Jackson successfully stopped the nation from entering a civil war and settled things with the South and South Carolina. The worst decisions on Jackson’s part would have to be the Trail of Tears and destroying the bank. First off, by Jackson signing the Indian Removal Act, he killed thousands of Native Americans on their way to the territory. In the end, he uprooted over 100,000 Native Americans. The Trail of Tears also sparked a Seminole uprising in Florida which killed 1500 American soldiers and thousands more Native American soldiers. Also, when Jackson destroyed the Bank of the United States, he set off a chain of booms and busts in the nation’s economy. These events eventually led to the Financial Panic and crash of 1837. With no central source of monetary control, the nation’s economy was bound for failure. This all sparks the further push westward and, in turn, driving the Indians from their land, as well as the establishment of the Federal Bank. Jackson’s presidency was a controversial one. He did very much abuse his power by not sticking directly to the Constitution in all affairs, but he still led the nation through some tough times. Even though when he left office the country wasn’t in the best, he still helped shape American history for the better. This is why the Jacksonian presidency deserves the grade of a C.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Kennedy, David M. //The American Pageant//. Boston:  Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Print.

"American President: Andrew Jackson." //Miller Center of Public Affairs//. University of Virginia, 2010. Web. 14 Oct 2010. <http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/jackson