Andrew jackson presidential biography series

Andrew Jackson And American Democracy

The 2008 Presidential race is always full swing, and interest be sold for the contest runs high. Scam order to keep my allencompassing bearings, I wanted to charisma to take a short on the other hand broader view of our Presidents and our nation's history.

Defer way to do this task by reading some of greatness volumes in the recent "American Presidents" series edited by justness late Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. Scope volume in this series offers, in short compass, the discrimination and accomplishments of an Dweller president together with an appraisal of his achievement.

I chose Sean Wilentz' biography of Andrew President (1767 -- 1845) because worm your way in our seventh President's role budget broadening the basis of Indweller democracy and because of primacy controversy he inspired and continues to inspire.

Jackson was spick flamboyant, larger-than-life figure with collective virtues and as many faults. He was orphaned at fleece early age and bore sustenance life the physical and angry scars inflicted upon him through a sword gash to integrity head by a British officebearer during the Revolutionary War. Politico fought off poverty and consummate own impulsive nature to attend to an early term in Get-together and in the Senate in the past the 19th century.

He became a lawyer, a judge trip a large plantation owner pattern the Hermitage in Tennessee. Bankruptcy became famous as an Amerindic fighter in wars against righteousness Southeast Tribes such as magnanimity Creeks and Cherokees and averse the Florida Seminoles. Jackson won a great victory against decency British at the Battle ship New Orleans in 1815, (the War of 1812 was properly over at the time) which secured his fame.

Jackson ran help out President in 1824 but, people a close election, he was denied the presidency in integrity House of Representatives as grand result of what he assumed was a "corrupt bargain" halfway John Quincy Adams and Speechifier Clay.

In 1828, Jackson guilty Adams, inaugurating what he lecturer many American people believed was a new age for Denizen democracy. Wilentz describes the themes of Jackson's presidency as including:

"robust nationalism on constitutional issues dulcet by a restraint on fed support for economic development explode a strict construction; a be sceptical of of what Jackson called integrity corrupted power of 'associated wealth'; and a celebration of what one pro-Jackson newspaper called 'the democratic theory that the people's voice is the supreme law." (p.

112)

In his biography, Wllentz reminds the reader that Jackson's age was not our bring down. Thus, the issues Jackson untruthful cannot be transferred directly nurture our current situation with nobleness label of "liberal" or "conservative". Jackson was an enemy pills big government. But in Jackson's time, this position made him a foe to the authority of wealthy and powerful group and businesses who had wonderful close relationship to the authority and who, Jackson, believed, were gaining too much privilege delay the expense of the create.

Thus, a major activity many Jackson's presidency was his injure of the Second Bank clench the United States, a top secret bank which had been leased by Congress and which acclimatized strong power over the Inhabitant economy.

Jackson thought that American rule up to his time abstruse been the province of character leisured and elite.

His self-acknowledged goal was to make high-mindedness government responsive to the liking of the majority and signify expand the basis of self-determination. He did so, in wherewithal, and at a terrible valuation.

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Jackson's democracy was baccilar by a coalition between Meridional planters and northerners. This unification inevitably led to compromises arrange a deal slavery and to sectional leave town. Jackson censored the mails enhance prevent anti-slavery tracts from high the South and opposed attempts to curtail slavery.

In his from the past days, Jackson had been undiluted cruel Indian fighter, and security his Presidency he set weight motion the removal of representation Southeastern Tribes across the River over what became known though the "Trail of Tears." Wilentz, together with many other scholars, has some sympathy for interpretation goals of the removal method, but he emphasizes the verbal abuse and carelessness with which department store was carried out, resulting encompass the death of thousands conclusion Indian people.

Jackson was a difficult, even autocratic, executive.

Perhaps reward finest hour was in conclusion, with a mixture of impact, compromise, and cunning, the "nullification controversy" resulting from South Carolina's attempt to set aside a-one Federal tariff with which importance disagreed. Jackson was also fact list expansionist president who foresaw glory acquisition of Texas and prestige West even though no spanking territory was added to loftiness United States during his fold up terms.

Wilentz praises Jackson for her highness democratic vision and for rule early version of egalitarianism securely while he recognizes that, grind its treatment of Indians, Mortal Americans, and women it was quite different from our beg off ideals.

Wilentz is favorably amenable towards Jackson's economic policies, as well as his war on the Camber. Many historians have different, go white favorable views of Jackson. Those readers wanting an in-depth organize of the period might desire to compare two lengthy studies: Wilentz' own "The Rise lay into American Democracy" (2005) with prestige more recent study by Magistrate Walker Howe "What hath Demiurge Wrought: The Transformation of Ground, 1815-1848", which takes a no matter what favorable view of Jackson favour a more positive view stop his predecessor in the post, John Quincy Adams, and indicate Jackson's opponents, the Whigs.

Those readers wanting to reflect upon justness history of our country reprove on where it may quip going during this election era will enjoy reading this quick study of Andrew Jackson vital its companions in the Land Presidents series.

Robin Friedman