Andrew Jackson: The First Modern President

Andrew Jackson has been considered the first modern president because, he significantly contributed to the expansion of the office, he was considered the first popularly elected president, and, throughout his presidency acted his role as a populist. Jackson's Presidency was the beginning of the modern presidency, one in which the powers that the president holds while in the office of the grew immensely. Jackson was the first President to introduce the spoils system, the system in which when a political party wins an election the party members are given government jobs to as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party. From this, patronage - present on a state level, became more powerful on a national