How Democratic was Andrew Jackson? Andrew Jackson may have possibly been one of the United States most popular presidents, not only because he was a president that didn't come from a rich or wealthy family, he came from a poor family. Jackson was a very hard working man who earned everything he had. Jackson also wanted to change the country as president, he wanted the people to have a voice. (Doc BE) Andrew Jackson came from a hard life to becoming president. In 1828 Jackson was elected president, and as president he ran two terms.(Doc 1) Jackson believed that the Supreme Court, the President, the Congress, and the National Bank should all be controlled by the people, this shows democracy which is government ruled by the people. (Doc BE) …show more content…
(Doc 8) One of biggest issues that took place during Jacksons presidency was the expanding of the US. During the expansion, Jackson had many land issues with the Native Americans and their land. (Doc 9) Native Americans refused to leave their lands and eventually states started making laws to make the Natives leave their home lands. Georgia had made a law to make the Cherokee Indians leave their land, but this law went to court before it was pursued. (TB pg. 363) After the law left court, Georgia could no longer pass laws against the Cherokee Indians. (TB pg. 363) Some wonder how democratic was Andrew Jackson? Jackson wanted the power to come from the people, and power of the government that comes from the people is the definition of democracy. So Jackson was democratic, he may not have been the most democratic president, but he was definitely a democratic president. I think that Andrew Jackson, in many ways can be considered a democratic president by his actions that took place during his presidency. The first time that he ran for president, he lost the electoral vote, but won the popular vote. The second time he ran, his campaign theme was that he was “for the people.” This was the message that the American people liked and it helped him win the presidency. He continued to try to carry out that promise throughout his presidency. (Doc
Jackson’s version of democracy was in fact a democracy. He was not a very wealthy man, he owned a home and some land. Which was more than could be said about most Americans at the time. About ten percent of the Americans living there at that time owned enough land to vote. There was a law, stating that only white males with a good portion of land could vote in the presidential election. Andrew Jackson thought this system was so unfair, he created a new way to govern the citizens of the newly formed United States.
In conclusion in many political, economic, and geographic ways Andrew Jackson was democratic throughout his life. Andrew Jackson supported the people and their rights through the many events that happened in his political
“It sows...the seeds of jealousy and ill-will against the government of which its author is the official head” (Daniel Webster’s Reply to Jackson’s Bank Veto Message - July 11, 1832). He is refusing to acknowledge that the government can do any good, and that the power comes from the people; however, the government officials have been elected by the people. “consequence of denying the government the service of an elite bureaucracy in order to serve some idealistic democratic principle” (excerpt from The Life of Andrew Jackson). Democracy is when all people have a fair and equal say in government. In Jackson’s attempts to fulfill his idea of democracy, he was ignoring the peoples representation in government, which was how he got elected in the first
Jacksonian Democrats believed that they were protecting individual liberty, political democracy, the equality of economic opportunity, and upholding the rights of the Constitution of the United States. In my opinion, the Jacksonians were, to some extent, guardians of the United States. However, the Jacksonians did have their flaws.
During the administration of Andrew Jackson, the United States was a nation of change both politically and socially. American society was a society of opportunity. Americans felt that, given a chance, they could make a better life for themselves. This was the era of the common people, the era of democracy. Andrew Jackson appealed to the American people because he stood for values many regarded with favor. However democratic Jackson may seem, he was more tyrant-like than any of his predecessors. His major offerings to the nation included majority rule and a popular presidency, however offered no benefits to women, African Americans, nor Native Americans. Jacksonian Democracy was
Jackson was the most democratic of any president at that time to come to power. In practically all areas of political application there was the existence of liberal thinking. This was especially apparent in his previously mentioned appointment of officials. Jackson considered the roles of officials fairly simple and could and should be carried out by all people not just the members of the socially and intellectually elite. The belief of complete equality is with out a doubt Jacksonian. Despite this already democratic view, Jackson took it one step further and appointed the illiterate and plain incompetent members of society to office.
The second incident where Jackson stood by his solicitude for state rights was in the removal of the Indian tribes. Jackson has been associated mainly with his decision to support Georgia in its efforts to remove the Cherokee from their land, despite a Supreme Court ruling against the state. However his enthusiastic support for Indian removal was "undoubtedly one of the reasons he swept the southern states in the 1828 election" . Jackson had Native Indian policy on his mind from the beginning as he saw that Indians were subject to American sovereignty and that national security demanded they be removed. Removal to the West would increase the security of the US from outside attacks. Upon
The Jackson Presidency can be considered truly democratic by his actions that represent the will of the people, even if the will of the people disobeys the will of the government. Andrew Jackson was considered to be the people’s president. His economic background showed him to be someone who came from a poor family, thus making him relatable to the ‘common man’. Document one’s purpose is to display the number of presidential electors chosen by state legislatures. The previous election, before Jackson’s first term as President, shows five states had Presidential electors chosen by state legislatures.
How Democratic was Jacksonian Democracy? Society identified the United States as a representative democracy that elected officials to make decisions for the citizens. Several leaders in the course of history had tried to change America’s government. Andrew Jackson, one such leader, wanted a true democracy for his chosen people, the common men, which were white males only. He made several changes within the economy and politics that furthered his dream of freedom despite many being against him.
True democracy is where the will of the majority of the people is carried out. During his democracy, Jackson adopted the philosophy of listening to the people and carrying out their wishes. Jackson supported the “common man” and believed that people should have a say in who holds government offices, whether elected or appointed. (Document ). All
On March 4th of 1829, Andrew Jackson became the United States of America’s seventh president. From then through his two year term, there were many actions taken that some may credit as democratic or non-democratic. Andrew Jackson was originally a soldier before he became president. One of his biggest achievements was when he became a national war hero when defeating the British at the Battle of New Orleans in 1812. Andrew Jackson is democratic for three important reasons which had to do with politics, the national bank, and Native Americans.
Jeffersonian vs. Jacksonian Democracy Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson were two influential political figures in two very different eras. Each formed their own democracy that helped shaped the way people think about American democracy. Jeffersonian democracy was less radical compared to the later Jacksonian democracy. In the Jeffersonian democracy an eligible citizen was one that was average rather that rich and well born.
Andrew Jackson is arguably one of the most influential presidents in history. He believed that government had a social obligation to the people and that it was the most democratic branch. He was the first president to create a grassroots political
Jackson’s Presidency valued the common people, he started by demolishing the Bank of the United States. He vowed to destroy it, because he hated big banking. In his eyes, the Bank of the United States was overpowered and only benefitted the rich , “ viewing it as just another instrument for helping the rich get richer.” (Gormly 243) He also believed only states should have the right to own banks, but if the Federal Government owns a bank it is unconstitutional. When Jackson vetoed the bill and kept his promise, he gained more support from the people resulting in him being re-elected.
President Jackson was one for the people and knew what life was like for the average man because of what he experienced growing up. As a boy Jackson was poor and his father passed away before he was born. In the background essay it states, “He was so popular that he was still getting votes for the presidency 15 years after his presidency.” (background essay). This furthermore proves that Jackson was for the people because he kept getting votes this long. Also his childhood shows how a regular man can get authority no matter how bad things were. This shows why many people liked Andrew Jackson and thought of him highly. In excerpts of letters written by Andrew Jackson to his wife Rachel regarding their Creek Indian son, Jackson is trying to persuade his wife why they should take the son in. On December 19, 1813 Jackson exclaims, “He is the only branch of his family left, and the others when offered to them to take care of would have nothing to do with him but wanted him to be killed”(Doc M). This demonstrates that Jackson is showing a father side because he is letting this Indian kid stay with him as his son. Also by adopting the kid it illustrates that he is just like the common man. To conclude, Andrew Jackson was very democratic because of how he portrayed himself to the people and showed that he was just like the common