Andrew Jackson Dbq

Andrew Jackson: More Than a Common American Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, remains one of the most controversial figures in American history. Some accounts portray Jackson as a heroic and courageous man, who proved his mettle in various military endeavors, most notably the War of 1812. Others, however, judge Jackson more harshly, as they are deeply offended by his actions regarding Native Americans during his presidency. Andrew Jackson presented himself as a man of the people and his politics strengthened a nascent American nationalism. Jackson, born in 1767 in the Carolinas a few months after the death of his father, enlisted in the Revolution at the young age of thirteen. He was captured by British troops at
Jackson was actually a demagogue in the sense that he told the people what they wanted to hear. Pessen comments “Always aware that the ordinary man had the vote, the politician ‘tried to identify himself with the common people, to wear old clothes, to claim a log cabin origin, and conceal his superior education’” (Pessen 166). After Jackson would hand out cheap whiskey at his rallies, he would speak grandiloquently of “the sovereign people”. Although Jackson ran without a platform, he won the Election of 1828 because the common man admired him. Hofstadter explains, “Up to his inauguration Jackson had contributed neither a thought nor a deed to the democratic movement, and he was elected without a platform” (Hofstadter 71). The main themes of Jacksonian democracy thus far were militant nationalism and equal access to office. Jackson was a simple, emotional and unreflective man with a strong sense of loyalty to political supporters and
He was admired by many Americans, even by some of his staunchest opponents. Some will say that the true measure of a man is by the words of praise that his opponents bestow upon him. Senator Daniel Webster, his political opponent, defended Jackson during one of the toughest crises that the Jackson administration faced. Jackson not only guided the nation through the Bank War and the Nullification Crisis but also helped strengthen a growing sense of nationalism amongst the American people with whom he identified. While this was an Era of Reform, Jackson chose not to speak or address certain issues during his time in office such as slavery, rights for free blacks and westward expansion. Congress even placed a moratorium on the issue of slavery as Jackson felt the nation was not prepared to address the growing concern. He frequently used his executive power to veto and he was known to take issues personally. Andrew Jackson’s celebration of the common man was a chimera. Although he may have been a demagogue and a ruthless person, he made the common man believe he held an importance in society and that almost any qualified individual could become president of the United