Andrew Jackson
Events of the Jackson Era
Killing the National Bank
Andrew Jackson wanted to get rid of the National Bank. He called it a tool for the wealthy. Jackson continuously made large withdrawals from the bank and deposited in various state banks. Without money, the National Bank had to close.
The "Spoils System"
When Andrew Jackson was running for president, he offered rewards to the people that supported him. The reward was usually a government job. More people voted for Jackson in the hopes of getting one of these jobs. This system also helped him keep supporters for any other time he campaigned.
The Nullification Crisis
The tariffs of 1828 and 1832 hurt South Carolina's economy. South Carolina relied on imported goods because they had little manufacturing being a farming based state. They believed in states rights and believed they could nullify these tariffs. South Carolina threatened to secede from the Union if Jackson interfered. A bill called the Force Bill was passed and that allowed Jackson to use the military to get a state to pay it's taxes. Jackson also threatened to hang an influential congress man from South Carolina. The conflict was solved by the tariff of 1833 which lowered the tax on imported goods.
Political Cartoon Analysis
The above cartoon shows Jackson standing confidently while the pillars of a bank crumble. This cartoon represents Andrew Jackson getting rid of the National Bank. The comman man supported this action as is represented by the happy looking man behind Jackson. One banker is portraid as satin meaning that Jackson did not like the bank (niether did the cartoonist).
Comment 1
I think Andrew Jackson cheated in his ellection for president! He made bribes to the people that supported him. Giving away government jobs for a vote should not be allowed in politics. It makes it unfair for any opposing campaigner. Experienced government workers had to have been fired for Jackson to give away jobs. The Spoils System should never have existed!
Comment 2
I think Andrew Jackson was right to destroy the National Bank. As he stated "the national bank is a tool for the wealthy". That bank did not support any common people. The bank only made wealthy people more wealthy. Go Andrew Jackson. I'm Glad he slew the National Bank!