Andrew Jackson focused his political career on bettering the state of the common white man. This had both positive and negative implications on the course of history. He transferred power from the elite few back to the people, but he also enacted racist ideologies that took land from the Native Americans and tabled the slavery issue to benefit the southern white man's way of life. Depending on which group of people you ask, Andrew Jackson was either greatly loved or fiercely hated.
When historians research past presidencies, they attempt to analyze whether a president was a success or a failure and whether the presidency had more of a positive rather than negative impact on the course of history. Andrew Jackson's presidency is challenging to categorize because it is neither wholly positive or negative. He was loved by most of the people for diffusing power away from the elite and back to they majority. (1) Yet he enacted controversial policies concerning the Native Americans and refused to discuss important issues like slavery that ended up polarizing the nation. However, he worked throughout his presidency to give political power back to the people and weaken the corrupt governance of the country by the Washington insiders.
Coming into the presidency as a beloved war hero from the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson was considered a man of the people. He was not the typical Washington insider that made up the political ranks. Instead, he was a frontiersman who thrived on adventure and overcoming opposition. (2) His everyday man status was carried with him into the presidency, which influenced his decisions and policies.
When determining the attributes of an effective leader, one must take into account both personal and political qualities. A successful president should be a good communicator, follow through on promises, fight for the American citizens, and know when to work within the political system and when to exert executive authority. Andrew Jackson exhibited these qualities when he fought against the second Bank of the United States, added tariffs to foreign goods during the Nullification Crisis, and created the principles that would later be the foundations of the Jacksonian Democracy.
Coming into the presidency as a beloved war hero from the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson was considered a man of the people. He was not the typical Washington insider that made up the political ranks. Instead, he was a frontiersman who thrived on adventure and overcoming opposition. (2) His everyday man status was carried with him into the presidency, which influenced his decisions and policies.
When determining the attributes of an effective leader, one must take into account both personal and political qualities. A successful president should be a good communicator, follow through on promises, fight for the American citizens, and know when to work within the political system and when to exert executive authority. Andrew Jackson exhibited these qualities when he fought against the second Bank of the United States, added tariffs to foreign goods during the Nullification Crisis, and created the principles that would later be the foundations of the Jacksonian Democracy.
I was born for a storm, and a calm does not suit me. (3)
This PBS documentary highlights the conflicting views that historians have on Jackson's legacy.
Project by Brittany Thurman, Ali Herdina, and Landyn Harris