President Jackson: The Common Man

What historical figure do you most identify with? The historical figure that I most identify with is the seventh president of the united states Andrew Jackson. He has inspired me in many ways and did amazing things when he was in office. One of the things that inspired me most about him was that when he was first born he lived in poverty and had nothing when he was a child.

While recounting many historical events in modern history, in which a group of innocent people were stripped of freedom, individual identity, and their role in humanity in general, most people today would automatically assume you were referring to The Holocaust. What if i told you that there is a lesser talked about event in which the devastating effects on a minority population go hand and hand, and at the center of this reprehensible affair? An american “hero,” Andrew Jackson. israelights driving out the palwstrinians “when we were commanded to drive pagen nations.” Andrew Jackson, probably most remembered for his war efforts and defeat of the british at New Orleans int the war of 1812, isn't exactly the ideal of a morally based man.

The one who made that change Andrew Jackson was a new type of president that made him different from his successors. Jackson movements to make the opinion of the people matter, he made more connections with the people that another president from the past. Jackson was a different president because he was not elected for his knowledge, but for his brave actions, and popularity in the states. Even though Andrew Jackson won popular vote in 1824, he was not elected president. He was a new kind of president that cared for the people, and not becoming president showed him that something had to be changed.

In the journal article “ Andrew Jackson versus the Historians”, author Charles G. Sellers explained the various interpretations of Jackson, from the viewpoint of Whig historians and Progressive Historians. These interpretations were based on the policies of Jackson. The Whig historians viewed the former president in a negative way. They considered him arrogant, ignorant, and not fit for being president. Sellers pointed out that it was not just because of “Jackson’s personality…nor was it the general policies he pursued as president”

The brief period from 1828 to 1840 saw the Revolution of 1828 bring Andrew Jackson and his concept of democracy to office. Jackson took control of politics and became a hero for the common men of the working and middle class. Jackson 's presidency was marked by many issues that had troubled his predecessors. Jackson had established a strong presence with the presidency making his opinion known is every social, political, and economic issue that arose. During Jackson 's presidency, the nation struggled with divisive social, political, and economic conflicts such as the occupation of Native Americans in the U.S., the Nullification Crisis, and the existence of the Bank of the U.S.

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. During Jackson’s use of executive power weakened voice of the people.

But some people think differently. Therefore, Jackson is undemocratic because of the number of slaves he had at the time he was president, the Native Americans, and he thought national bank was unconstitutional. ­­­­­­Jackson used slaves for much of his adult life, for helping.

During Jackson’s presidency he made all his decisions based off a Common Man. Jackson was a man of the people. Election of 1828, his come up, Jackson self-made, the idea of a common man.

Andrew Jackson presidency focused a lot on small government and pleasing the common man. He attempted to shut down national banks to make government smaller. Jackson also enforces things like the Indian Removal Policy, which strengthened the bond between Jackson and the common man. Jackson was the first and only president to make the country debt too. All of these impacted are government today very much as well as other governments around the world.

Coming into the courtroom I believe Jackson was a vicious president who just wanted to kill to get his way, but in the trial, I came to the consensus that Jackson isn’t always that angry old man people perceive him to be. Sure, he’s killed many people and could’ve possibly led to many more deaths, but his crimes against humanities was never fully brought to light. I believed, that prosecution proved that he was an immoral, violent and at times vicious president, but they never proved he committed a large enough crime to affect humanity. In the opening statements, prosecution called Jackson a president that failed to do his job.

Brittany Randall-Neppl APUSH Period 6 Mr. Kloster 12/19/2014 Andrew Jackson: Champion of the Common Man or Tyrant Andrew Jackson was born into a common life but overcame his mediocre beginnings to become a powerful politician; in 1828 he was elected president of the United States. However, he abused this position of power and made several choices that were detrimental to the welfare and rights of the American people. Jackson implemented the spoils system on a national scale and had unofficial members of his cabinet who did not have to answer to Congress. After South Carolinians were upset by the Tariff of 1832 he was angry toward those who did not agree with it. He also destroyed the National Bank and authorized the Specie Circular.

This title gave him a boost on reasons of why he should become president. Other than that, Jackson should not have been elected president, for he made many inexpert and wrong decisions such as the Indian Removal. Andrew Jackson was considered a tyrant because of his removal of the Native Americans, overuse of vetoing, and the general fact that he just

Also he wanted the offices that are solely to benefit the people so that no man has more rights than another. Finally, Jackson was not democratic because he wanted the Indians to move out of his land. So he decided to have the U.S. Soldiers move them west into the Indian territory.

Although many people believe that Jackson was a champion of the common man, I will tell you he is not. People say that Jackson helped cleanse the government from corruption and give more jobs to the common man. However, The government was not the only thing that Jackson cleansed. Jackson performed an act known as ethnic cleansing. If you haven’t heard of it that is probably because people want to erase it from our path.

During Andrew Jackson’s presidency, he was not the best president. Some might consider him the worst. Most of Jackson’s actions during his presidency were deemed unconstitutional and illegal but were allowed due to the people’s support for Jackson. His plans for America didn’t include women, blacks or Indians. Jackson replaced all the Cabinet members with his selection friends, also known as the “Kitchen Cabinet”.