King Andrew Jackson: A True Democracy?

Superior Essays
The year is 1824. The presidential election is underway with four candidates fiercely competing for the top spot. Andrew Jackson led the popular vote with 158,000, then John Quincy Adams with 114,000, Henry Clay with 47,217, and William Crawford with 46,979. However, despite being more than 40,000 votes ahead of the nearest candidate, Jackson lost the election to Adams because of corrupt dealings in the House of Representatives. Jackson seethed with anger; he felt the voice of the people had been silenced. He vowed to bring real democracy to the country and for the next four years prepared for the election of 1828, which he won. Many people question whether or not Jackson achieved his goal of introducing a real democracy to America. Jackson advanced democracy in the …show more content…
One of the most common complaints is that he ruled as a monarch; ignoring the Constitution in order to benefit himself and his supporters. Document E of the Jackson DBQ is a political cartoon that portrays Jackson as a monarch who abuses his veto power. “King Andrew the First” did actively use his veto power causing less to get done in the US government; however, one shouldn’t judge Jackson by quantity. He had sufficient reason for many of his vetoes. In his Bank Veto Message to Congress, Jackson writes, “I sincerely regret that in the act before me I can perceive none of those modifications of the bank charter which are necessary, in my opinion, to make it compatible with justice, with sound policy, or with the Constitution of our country” (DBQ 117). For the entirety of the message, Jackson continues to clarify his reasoning behind the bank veto and it actually makes sense. Jackson was also accused of being a supporter Indian Removal because he gave the Indians the option to either conform to white civilization or leave their homelands. One Indian responded to Jackson’s proposal with the

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    He was worried about the Bank's defendability. In 1832, Jackson vetoed the bill to recharter the Bank of the United States because he felt that the bank was a threat to their economy and to the people of America. This shows Andrew Jackson’s economic nationalism because he is trying to preserve the economy. Jackson took further action in 1833 by taking away federal funds from the Second Bank of the United States and moving it to the capital into loyal state…

    • 1584 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One, in particular, happens to be his decision to veto the bill rechartering the national bank. Jackson argued that the bank was unconstitutional and gave too much power to congress, “It is to be regretted,” he said, “that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes” (Doc 2); therefore he distributed the funds to individual state banks and made it more fair for the common man. However, this settlement, along with the Species Circular, also enacted by Jackson, progressed the nation to the panic of 1837. This was a financial crisis, corrupting the economy, the state banks, and businesses that eventually lead the nation to major depression.…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One can say he was very democratic. His intentions were to go to any length to please the majority of the American people, though Jackson for the most part demonstrated democratic concepts, often times he would stray from them, crossing the line of democracy. Understanding Andrew Jackson and democracy is important today because the significance of the policies mentioned and others that Jackson had have impacted America in a big way. We should care about this because it set the foundation for the balancing of power within the social classes and voting…

    • 1021 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Andrew Jackson ran again four years later becoming the seventh president serving from 1829-1837. Jackson won by the popular vote, representing the common man. He was the first "self-made man" to become a president. He formed his own party, being the first democratic president. Jackson had his own personal interpretation of the constitution, reflecting on the behalf of the people.…

    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Yet some people didn’t favor him for some of his actions towards the country He created a spoils system, Indian Removal act,and demanded a strong presidency which he wanted take part in . The first of the many act’s that was committed by Andrew Jackson was the Spoils System,putting…

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Regarding the Bank Crisis, Jackson had a plan to destroy the bank and hated paper money as it created a stable currency. He vetoed the bill authorizing the bank and then, to jeopardize the bank he took all of the government’s money…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Is Andrew Jackson a Hero, or a Villain? “One man with courage makes a majority. " This quote by Andrew Jackson perfectly portrays the life, the character, and the overall Presidency of Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson became the seventh President of United States of America on March 4, 1829 and served two terms until March 3, 1837. During this time frame, Mr. Jackson completely revolutionized the Presidency of the United States by winning the popular vote, and by being the direct representative of the common man (Frey, Marc and Todd Davis the New Big Book of US presidents, Philadelphia:…

    • 1458 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Jackson was a well known president, and very good at his job if it was something he wanted to help with, and support. And if he didn't then he ignored the fact that it even…

    • 387 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Andrew Jackson didn’t like banks or banks and thought they…

    • 1161 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This action caused the Indians to suffer, and many of them died along the way. Jackson’s message to congress regarding the Indian removal explained that many Indian tribes were becoming extinct and asked congress to consider setting aside territory west of the Mississippi specially for the Indians (Doc. J). This proposal was used to solely benefit the eastern territory to benefit farmers and working men by opening up lands. Jackson benefitted himself economically at a cost, which was removing the Indians from the territory without their consent, proving his egotistical behavior. Correspondingly, responses from the Cherokee tribe verified Jackson’s injustice.…

    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In the 1828 Presidential election, Andrew Jackson was the only person running for office who had fought for his country. His military experience set him apart, so he won the people’s vote in the 1828 election. In his book The Jacksonian Era, Robert V. Remini writes, “Because of this colossal victory the American people could deny Jackson nothing—including the presidency.”…

    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    politics. He was nominated as a principle candidate from the Democratic party, Tennessee legislature in the Presidential election of 1822. He ran over the presidential election and was also successful in wining the election for U.S. senate for the next year as well. In the election of 1824, Andrew Jackson was successful wining the popular vote which later on threw the election to the Representatives as no any single nominee gained a maximum Electoral College vote. Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House of Representatives supported Andrew Jackson 's primary opponent I.e. John Quincy Adams who won the presidential election later on.…

    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the 1820’s and 1830’s, America was experiencing many changes both as a country and politically. The revolution within America, with the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828, brought many changes in the government. Jackson and his supporters, the Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. Although Jacksonian Democrats failed to perform as guardians of the constitution and individual liberty, they were able to show support and solidify political democracy and the equality of economic opportunity. Jackson was considered as a strict interpreter of the constitution and was thought to have interpreted the constitution in the basic basis that it was created to be.…

    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In Jackson’s veto message, he rejects a bill that rechartered the Bank. Jackson’s argument was that the Bank gave privileges and unfair advantages to the wealthy. He also opposed foreign ownership of stock. Not only this, but he also questions the constitutionality of the Bank. Jackson later warned that banks and corporations would steal citizens’ liberties away from them in his Farewell Address in 1837 (Jackson).…

    • 1108 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    From George Washington to John Quincy Adams, the president had always been an aristocrat, until Jackson. Jackson was a military hero from Tennessee known for his rough and tumble personality. He became notorious for hanging two British officials in the Seminole War against the Secretary of War’s commands. His truly American personality earned him the name of the “people’s president”. He won the 1828 election by a landslide.…

    • 1664 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays