Common Man and Contradictions: Political Battles During the Presidency of Andrew Jackson
Annotation
The election of Andrew Jackson in 1828 marked a change in American politics. For the first time a presidential candidate
had been elected west of the Appalachian Mountains, marking an end to the streak held by wealthy eastern
elitists. Jackson represented the emergence of a new middle/working class America. The war hero from the Battle of New
Orleans who did not have a college education, chewed tobacco, and dueled with pistols to defend his wife’s honor reflected
the ideals of the western portion of the United States. The appeal of Jackson to the ordinary man helped lead to the new
period known as “the common man era.”
As president, Andrew Jackson embraced the role of protecting “common men”—his decisions in matters such as the
rotation of office holders can be argued as being in their interest. By limiting a federal office holder’s tenure to one term,
Jackson could make room for another deserving candidate, promoting the concept that one man is just as good
another. However, some might argue that rotating office holders left room for government corruption, as party loyalty
played an important role in the replacement of office holders from previous administrations.
The elite of the nation, and especially those in D.C., saw this as a very significant and terrible turn of events. Indeed, they
often labeled his presidency as “the Reign of King Mob,” and referred to President Jackson as “King Andrew.” In groups,
we will analyze the political battles that Jackson engaged in during his Presidency, in an effort to ascertain whether or not
these nicknames were, on any level, justified.
Directions:
You will create short (ish) Power Point(ish) presentations on the political battles that were fought by Andrew Jackson
during his presidency. You will be working in groups, and will create your presentation on www.sliderocket.com. It is an
online alternative to PowerPoint, and will enable us to very easily insert a You Tube video, which is a requirement.
Requirements for PPT presentation:
1. Textual Evidence – your Presentation should have 3-6 text slides. The slides should not be
inundated with text, but what you say should elaborate on what is projected. The text on the slide
should be “talking points.” You are to present us with a thorough account of the event to which your
group is assigned.
2. You Tube Video – there are videos from You Tube that can be embedded on Slide Rocket. It is your
responsibility to choose a video that is accurate and entertaining. You are expected to correct any
slight inaccuracies, oversimplifications, or misleading aspects of the video. That is apt to be
necessary because the videos are a few minutes long and are intending to cover a complex topic. The
video should not be the crux of your presentation, but it can be an introduction, conclusion, or a
midpoint which leads to further elaboration – whatever your group deems most appropriate.
Day 1
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After the Introductory PPT, we will split into groups and begin our research. Your sources for this project are:
• your textbook
• You Tube (to obtain a video)
• www.sliderocket.com (to create a presentation – an online PowerPoint alternative)
• You will meet in a Titan Pad, and finish up your research. You are to be ready to create your presentation
next class.
Day 2
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You will use this entire period to create your presentation – no research.
Day 3
We will begin the presentations. Please email me the embed code to publish on the class website.
Group Topics
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Spoils System
Peggy Eaton Affair/Petticoat Affair
Nullification Crisis/Tariff of Abominations
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Bank War/National Bank Veto
Indian Removal