Jackson: A Great President?
Using your notes, handouts, and textbook:
List at least 3 significant events from Jackson’s
presidency.
Evaluate if Jackson’s actions were a positive or negative
in each.
Decide if Jackson was a great president and worthy of
the honor of appearing on our $20 bill
Research and begin writing rough draft of your
argumentative essay
Let the
People
Rule
Nullification Crisis
Andrew Jackson:
‘A Great President’?
Bank War
Role Model
Treatment of
Native Americans
Reasons for Jackson Being a Man of the People
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•
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Role Model: Self Made Man (inspired others)
– Early Life (poor & orphaned) to Wealth (lawyer/real estate) & Fame (War Hero/President)
– Strong, Tough, & Determined
Let the People Rule
– Founded the Democratic Party
– Expansion of Voting Rights
– Spoils System: Gave ordinary Americans government jobs
– The Kitchen Cabinet: Kept Jackson informed of the nation’s mood
The Bank War
– Sought to make it easier for ordinary Americans to borrow $
– Believed the Bank of US was undemocratic: only helped the rich
– Believed the Bank was unconstitutional: only states could charter banks
– Supported by most Americans: Reelected
The Nullification Crisis
– Opposes States’ Rights to ban the tariff
– Showed that the U.S. is a nation of people not a collection of states
– Prevented a Civil War with his strong stance (Force Bill)
Reasons Against Jackson Being A Man of the People
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•
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Weakens the National (Federal) Government
– He put many who were unqualified in positions of power (spoils system)
– Government didn’t work properly & he needed the Kitchen Cabinet for Help
– Acted like a King/Dictator in many cases (made decisions by himself)
The Bank War
– Let a personal grudge with Biddle cloud his judgment
– Ignores the Supreme Court again (King Like)
– The closure of the Bank caused an economic depression (Panic of 1837)
Mistreated Native Americans, Women, & African Americans
– Doesn’t enforce Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of the Cherokee (King Like & impeachable)
– Supports States’ Rights in this case (hypocritical) compared to Nullification Crisis
– Supports the Indian Removal Act
– Causes the Trail of Tears & the Seminole War
– All were discriminated against & denied Civil Rights such as the right to vote
– Jackson personally owned over 100 slaves
– Some Americans (Abolitionists as well as JQA) tried to win rights for minorities