Jacksonian Frq

Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States (1829 – 1837), was a president that let his personal problems affect his presidency. He would tie his personal life into his decisions on political affairs. Sometimes he would make political decisions for the good of the people, but sometimes he would do it only for his own desire to crush his enemies. Jackson believed that federal power was the ultimate power, and his supporters used their powers inconsistently and unfairly, giving him the nickname, King Andrew I. One issue that Andrew Jackson let his personal feelings affect his decision on was the decision to re-charter the second national bank of the United States. As President of the Bank of the United States, Nicholas Biddle occasionally argued with Andrew Jackson over the function and power of the Bank. However, Jackson saw banks and paper money as potential threats to American people. Biddle, on the other hand, believed that a strong central government could regulate the economy and increase American prosperity. Eventually, Nicholas Biddle, began to attempt to maneuver support for a re-chartering of the Bank of the United States in 1832. The charter wasn’t up until 1836, but Biddle felt that he couldn’t afford to wait until then and suffer through the uncertainty of it not being re-chartered at all. However, Jackson knew that Biddle had an alliance with Jackson’s enemy, Henry Clay and it gave him more of a personal reason not to approve the re-chartering of the bank. The feud led ultimately led Jackson to veto the Bank’s bid for re-charter. Jackson’s political reason was because southerners and westerners opposed the bank because they wanted greater supply of money in circulation. They also resented the national bank’s control over state banking. To Jackson and many of his followers, the Second Bank of the United States had symbolized privilege and the power of special northern interests. Jackson believed that the bank only helped the rich get richer