Essential Question Before the 1800s, life for those that were not white, male, landowners was relegated to subservient, oppressed, and immoral positions. As the early 19th century played out rights were expanded to non-land owning white, males. However, slaves and women still held roles of intense pain, degradation, and suffering. That is until the Antebellum reform movement gained momentum. This movement spread intense passion among abolitionists and women's’ rights activists across the country. During this time period many women began to speak out against their “masters” in the form of husbands and the second class treatment they received. Educated abolitionists and slaves, such as Frederick Douglass made their voice heard and considered …show more content…
During Andrew Jackson’s presidency, the Antebellum reform was in full swing. While that particular movement was a display of true Mass Democracy, what Andrew Jackson’s presidency stood for was not. He spread his imperialist, oppressive ideals, and passed one of the most egregious acts in America’s history, The Indian Removal Act. He also abused excessive presidential power over the courts and foreign nation he was meant to serve. Lastly, his irrational fiscal policy lead to a massive economic depression, further marginalizing the population he was supposed to serve. While Jackson may have served the needs of the white, males, Jackson did not allow any Democracy or rights among the Indians that have been so long oppressed in the American system. The refusal to abide by official treaties and the blatant defiance to the Supreme Court’s decision to make the Cherokees a sovereign nation. Additionally the mass suffering experienced by men, women, and children alike on the Trail of Tears is not something that even crossed Andrew Jackson’s mind. “”Many of the aged Indians were suffering extremely from the fatigue of the journey...several were quite ill. Even aged females, apparently nearly ready to drop into the grave””. (Trail of Tears). This cruel, forced journey just to gain land for the country is a dictator-like action that disregards basic human rights. An era of “Mass Democracy” …show more content…
His consistent vetoes, such as vetoing the 2nd Bank of the United States, proved he that he did not care for the voices of the people he represented or for the democratic process the country had put in place. The spoils system that Jackson utilized only further proves the irony in his one-sided logic. He rewarded those that blindly supported him and shut out the representation of those against him. He also brutishly disregarded key Supreme Court Rulings that were meant to regulate and interpret Federal law. Worcester v Georgia fairly decided that the United States should recognize the Cherokee Nation as sovereign nation due to its signed treaties, however Jackson directly rejected this notion and immediately sent the Cherokee Nation out of Georgia and onto the cruel Trail of
This made Jackson have to make an ultimate decision, either he should support the tariff or if he should not. He thought about the union and if the south secedes, then it would not be called The United States. Furthermore, Jackson was known as the common man, which
A man of the people, a hero, and a fighter for his beliefs, Andrew Jackson is the emobidment of democracy itself. Although there is great debate in regards to Jackson's presidency, it would only be fair that due to his actions he should be uphead as one of America's greatest presidents. Jackson had a very strong opposition to the Second National Bank of the United States and for that reason he vetoed the renewal of 1832. His reasons were both political and economic. On the political side he believed that "shareholders used the bank's control of much of the money supply to benefit themselves.
President Jackson was named the president of the “common man,” However, the only way this statement is true, is if the “common man,” was a white man. President Jackson was a bigot, he said he was the president of the common man, but his actions differed greatly. Hence, the saying actions are louder than words, and President Jackson's actions truly were louder than words. In fact, he promoted slavery by removing American Indians off their land, so that he could get cotton land for white Americans. Also, He violated the first amendment by ordering Southern postmasters to stop the delivery of anti-slavery literature in the South.
Andrew Jackson is known for being a major advocate for the superfluous removal of the Native American tribes. Jackson was being oblivious when he decided that he should ignore the treaties signed with the natives. The president was exhibiting selfishness and naïveté by confiscating the lands of the natives, to which they rightfully owned. Jackson had forced the “five civilized tribes,” which were natives who had adopted their neighbor’s ideas. These tribes were forced to make a long and perilous journey to the west of the Mississippi River.
Andrew Jackson served a remarkable presidency and boasted many social and economic changes. In the wake of those changes Jackson worried about the central government's propensity toward abuse of power and the accumulation of power in the hand of a small political and economic elite (Latner). He was really focused on the balance of power in the government. He was a popular spokesperson among the majority of the united states. (Trail of Tears).
The era of Andrew Jackson which was nicknames the era of the “common man” certainly lived up to its name. As the seventh President of the United States, Jackson had a major effect on the life of the common man, in such a way that the life of the common man would never be the same again. Jackson’s aim, after the manner in which he was defeated in the Presidential Election of 1824, despite receiving more popular votes than John Quincy Adams who took on the office, was to reduce the power and the authority of the elite. When he came into power after the 1828 election Jackson began to carry out his proposals. Jackson expanded the voting right to all men, in accordance with the Declaration of Independence of 1776 which declared that “all men are created equal” instead of just the elite.
Jackson, like the common man back then, supported slavery. He killed, and took the land from millions of Native Americans and push them west. This was known as the Trail of Tears, the saddest time in history of the Native Americans. He vetoed the re-charter of the Bank of the United States by abusing
In “The Nullification Crisis”, Jackson proves to the people that he is a strong leader because he nullified the federal law. Jackson was a strong leader who wanted America to be a united nation under the Constitution, which would help keep democracy strong. In “The Trail of Tears”, Jackson removed the American Indians out of their territory to make more room for agriculture in the United States. This was an unkind act towards the American Indians, but he was right in his thinking because if he did not expand the United States to have that land, the United States would not be the united nation it is today, with its vast territory. Because Jackson showed his strong leadership and unity of the United States, that can conclude that Jackson promoted democracy during his presidency of the United
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.
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.
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.
Andrew Jackson, being a tyrant, abused his power in his time of presidency. He was the 7th president, but before Jackson’s presidency, he had no political experience. One of the only things that really qualified him was the hardships he went through when he was younger. His father had died while Jackson was young and Jackson received the reputation as a “self-made man”, or an independent man.
Jackson ignored the Supreme Court. He continued forcing indians out the west. This journey is known as the Trail of Tears. One-fourth of indians died from this journey. Just because Jackson was put on the $20 bill doesn’t mean he did not do bad things.
One of the biggest thing that Jackson had done as a president was in 1832. Jackson vetoed a bill that would renew the second bank charter early. Jackson stated “I will kill it!”. He said this because he didn’t like the bank at all and he believed that it made the rich richer and the poor poorer. He said in his veto message “It is easy to conceive that great evils to our country and its institutions might flow from such a concentration of power in the hands of a few men irresponsible to the people.”
Andrew Jackson disobeyed a direct order from the Supreme Court, which it means he was above the law. I really wonder how Americans tolerated him, at that time, he was cruel to the Indian common man. Because of him, the Native Americans have the worst end of the Trail of Tears. They are the ones who are forced out of their traditional homes and sent away on a journey of pain and death. Those who had fallen ill, most of the time died, and those who had the will to move on were able to make it to the end and start new lives.