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(March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) Party: Democratic Party Terms of Office: (1829 – 1832, 1833 – 1836) Vice President: John C. Calhoun and Martin Van Buren
 * __ Andrew Jackson __**

Andrew Jackson deserves a D for his two terms in office. The only positive contribution he made during his term was to eliminate the national debt. However, this contribution was heavily outweighed by the bad decisions he made. For example, he supported the Spoils System. He also passed the Indian Removal Act of 1830 which resulted in the Trail of Tears.

Jackson had a humble background that probably helped get him elected in the election of 1828. Andrew Jackson’s father was dead before Jackson was even born and his mother died when he was 14, leaving him orphaned. Jackson had two brothers, but they both died during the Revolutionary War. Jackson had some schooling as a kid, but he did not really like it that much. As a result, he had poor spelling and faulty grammar for his entire life. Jackson was a messenger during the Revolutionary War and a major general during the War of 1812. During the First Seminole War he invaded Florida, a Spanish territory. Jackson served in the House of Representatives for the state of Tennessee. He also served in the Senate; however, he was so impatient with the slow speed of congress that he resigned after only five months. Jackson was also elected Justice of the Tennessee Superior Court. Jackson went on to become senator again, and again he resigned. This time Jackson resigned so that he could focus winning the presidency during upcoming election of 1828.

Andrew Jackson was successful in winning the election of 1828 and was reelected in 1832. Some of his goals were to pass a protective tariff and establish a program for internal improvements. Andrew Jackson wanted to make sure that the government was administered for the people, was regulated by the people, and secured rights for the people. Jackson was successful with his goal of passing a protective tariff. He passed a moderate tariff in 1832. The southerners in South Carolina got upset and nullified the tariff, meaning they considered the tariff null and void in their state, and threatened to secede. Jackson proclaimed that what the people of South Carolina were doing was treasonous. Jackson also got permission from Congress to use armed force to collect the duties. The disaster was ended with a compromise, the Tariff of 1833. Jackson’s goal of passing a protective tariff had been achieved. Jackson’s goal of establishing a program for internal improvement was accomplished. In 1830 Jackson vetoed the Maysville Road bill. He vetoed it because the highway would be in Kentucky and would benefit only Kentucky not the entire country. Jackson felt that to give only Kentucky federal funds would be unconstitutional. However, he did support the extension of the National Road and was able to achieve his goal in that way. The National Road benefitted many states. Some people called President Jackson King Andrew because of how much he used his veto power. They thought he was trying to oppose Congress. People thought that Jackson acted more like a dictator or a King than the president of a democratic nation. He was also criticized for his use of the Spoils System, in which his supporters were compensated with government jobs. In these ways he failed at making sure that the government was administered for and regulated by the people.

The Democrats, Jackson's party, were the majority in Congress during Jackson’s first term as president. However during his second term the National Republican Party gained control of Congress. Then in 1834 the Democrats regained control. Although Jackson’s party dominated Congress for most of his presidency, President Jackson did not have a very good relationship with Congress. He spent most of his time trying to obstruct them. Congress only passed one major law, which was the Indian Removal Act of 1830. During his time as president, Jackson vetoed 12 bills.

The most positive thing that Andrew Jackson did as president was eliminate national debt. Jackson eliminated the national debt by closing the Second Bank. He also issued the Specie Circular that made all public lands be paid for with gold or silver. This action eliminated credit. He was the only president to ever do this. However, even though he paid off the national debt it led to the Panic of 1837. As you can see, even the most positive thing that Jackson did had bad consequences. That is why he deserves the grade of a D.

The most negative thing that Jackson did was the way he handled Indian policy, including the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the Trail of Tears. Jackson was able to convince Indian tribes to abandon 100 million acres of Indian lands and start over in the west. Jackson also supported Georgia in removing the Cherokee Indians from their home; despite the fact that the Supreme Court had ruled that the Cherokee nation was a distinct community and that Georgia had no control over them. Jackson had federal troops lead about 15,000 Indians from Georgia to Oklahoma. One out of every four Indians died during the trip. The path became known as the Trail of Tears.

Jackson increased the power of the executive branch in our government. The Supreme Court ruled that the Cherokee nation was a distinct community and that Georgia had no control over them. Jackson flagrantly disregarded this ruling and allowed Georgia to forcibly remove the Indians. The Cherokees were taken on a forced march from Georgia to Oklahoma on Trail of Tears. Jackson increased the power of the executive branch by vetoing so many bills passed by Congress. His veto of the renewal of the bank charter was the first veto made by a president simply because they personally disliked it. This increase in executive power may not be a good thing but it did effect the future presidents.

Jackson deserves a D for his two terms in office. He deserves a D because of the way he treated the Indians and the kingly way he wielded his executive powers. The country was not better off after Jackson’s presidency. He stopped South Carolina from seceding, but it was because of the tariff that he had passed that had made them threaten to secede in the first place. The country was not really worse off because of his presidency either, although the Native American would probably disagree. That is why Andrew Jackson deserves a D for his two terms as President.

Bibliography: Degregorio, William A.. // The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents, Seventh Edition (Complete Book of Us Presidents) //. 7 ed. Fort Lee: Barricade Books, 2009. Print. "Wapedia - Wiki: History of the United States Congress." // Wapedia //. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2010. <[]>.