1. Andrew Jackson came to national prominence during the War of 1812. How did
the war change the perception of European countries in regard to the United
States?
The Battle of New Orleans was the first time the U.S. had beaten England
without the help of another major European power. The U.S. now was
viewed as a strong military presence in the world by European countries.
2. The 19th century is the century of American expansion. How did the War of 1812
contribute to this expansion? How might American history be different if the
British had won the war?
If the British had won, the U.S. would have been stopped at the Mississippi
River. The win opened up the areas west of the Mississippi.
3. It is said that Andrew Jackson changed American politics and government and
ushered in a new order. What is meant by a new order? How did Jackson's
presidency transform the American political system?
Jackson hand picked his personal advisors, made many decisions, and
worked hard to push through his own laws that he wanted. He also pushed
for a nominating caucus for individual political parties to avoid the same
problems as the election of 1824.
4. Historians believe that Andrew Jackson was the first modern president. What is
the difference between Jackson's presidency and the presidents that came before
him? How did Jackson implement the modern presidency?
Unlike the presidents before him, Jackson came into office with a plan of
things he wanted accomplished and he worked to make them happen. He
changed the role of the President into a more independent position that as
not dependent on the Legislative branch.
5. Andrew Jackson lost the election of 1824 even though he had the most popular
votes. John Quincy Adams became president by what many believed was a
corrupt bargain. What is the corrupt bargain? What differences are there in
presidential elections today that would prevent a corrupt bargain?
Henry Clay persuaded the House of Representatives to vote for John Q.
Adams to make him President. In exchange, John Q. Adams made Henry
Clay his Secretary of State. Presidential elections today have nominating
caucuses for each party in order to avoid the same situation, and rely
more on the popular vote.
6. The election campaign of 1828 was a particularly dirty campaign with both
candidates slandering each other. Compare the methods of discrediting a
candidate used in 1828 with methods used today.
You need to compare the race between Barrack Obama and Hilary
Clinton to the race between John Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson
7. Andrew Jackson was an extremely popular president with the common man. How
do you think Native Americans viewed Jackson?
Native Americans did not like Jackson. They named him “Sharp Knife”
for the way he would treat them. During his presidency, Jackson pushed
through the Indian Removal Act, which would lead to thousands of Native
Americans to be legally pushed off their lands.
8. Discuss Andrew Jackson's policies concerning Native Americans. Do you think
he was correct in his solutions to the Indian problem? If not, discuss alternate
solutions Jackson may have used.
Your own opinions!
9. How did the nullification crisis portend the coming of the Civil War?
Nullification, or the policy of allowing individual states to decide whether
or not they would follow a federal law led to an increasing idea of states’
rights over federal rights. This would lead up to the Civil War because
during the nullification crisis, the southern states used a threat of
secession from the Union if they did not get what they wanted, a tactic
they followed through with and started the Civil War.
10. What is the central issue in the bank controversy?
Jackson felt the Bank of the United States was unconstitutional. It was
corrupt and allowed for too much power to be put into the hands of only a
few. It was mostly a privately owned monopoly (meaning only one of its
kind). The federal government put money into the bank but did not earn
any of the interest. Biddle, the owner of the Bank of the U.S. said that the
bank was as powerful as the government.