Andrew Jackson: A War Hero

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Andrew Jackson overstepped his authority and abused the power of the executive branch. Jackson used his executive power to enforce the federal power of the laws that he chose to enforce while others he gave the states more power over enforcement. He also owned more than 300 slaves in his life time which he treated poorly and he acted like a friend to the Indians but then forced them out west. Jackson believed that extending the charter of the Second Bank of the United States was a form of blackmail toward his reelection and vetoed the bill, which later resulted in the Panic of 1837. Jackson might have been a successful war hero but his presidency was plagued with flaws that made him a villain.
As a war hero Jackson could be considered more of a hero. In the War of 1812, Jackson led the Tennessee militia through the Southeast and caused the highest death rate of Indians during the 1814 Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Also, during the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, he was able to convince Choctaw Indians and free African Americans to fight with him and proves America could win. In 1816, he further showcased his war heroics when he invaded Florida unauthorized and is able to get Spain to cede Florida to Spain. This further proves that during his presidency, Jackson was a villain towards the ideals of the citizens of the United States. In 1828, the Tariff of 1828 was passed which raised taxes on imported goods. The North supported the tariff, but the South saw the tariff as an attack on states’ rights. In 1830, there was a dinner in the honor of Thomas Jefferson’s birthday where those who supported the tariff attended along with those who did not support the tariff and those whose view on the tariff was unknown. Jackson’s stance was unknown until he gave his toast, showing he supported the tariff and was against the nullification of the tariff, he stated “our federal union, it must be preserved (PBS Documentary, Andrew Jackson – Good Evil and the Presidency).” South Carolina was not pleased with the president’s stance on the matter. South Carolina nullified the tariff and threatened to secede from the nation. South Carolina seceding from the nation would have destroyed the union and taken with it the liberty the United States fought to receive. Jackson had a violent response to the South Carolina’s threat of secession, “deluge with blood-the protection of that glorious flag (Jackson, Nullification Proclamation),” showing what Jackson would do to preserve the powers of the national government, while decreasing the power of the states laws. Jackson had a different response to the supreme court decision in Worcester v.
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State of Georgia, which stated that the state of Georgia did not have jurisdiction in the Indian territory. Jackson’s support of national law was not present with this ruling, he did not see the ruling as valid and stated “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it (Foner, 386).” This resistance was seen when Jackson removed federal troops from protecting the Indians when miners illegally crossed the Cherokee Border. Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act, which would force the Indians to move to the west. When the Indians ignored the removal, United States troops moved in on the Cherokee to enforce the law. The removal was seen as inhumane and many died in what would later be known as the Trail of Tears. Jackson also owned more than 300 slaves and saw himself as a god among the slaves. He treated his slaves very poorly and was seen as being extremely brutal towards them as seen in an advertisement for a runaway slave which stated, “Stop the Runaway. Fifty Dollars Reward… and ten dollars extra for every hundred lashes (Jackson, Runaway Slave Ad).” The ad shows how Jackson had no mercy for any of his slaves, especially if they tried to runaway. In 1832, Congress wanted to extend the Charter of the Second Bank of the United States. Jackson saw this extension of the bank a blackmail because if he did not sign the bill, he believed there could be oppression to his reelection. Jackson stated “The Bank, is trying

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