JACKSON = ZERO
JACKSON IS A LOSER AND NATIVE AMERICAN ABUSER
ABUSE OF POWER
- Jackson was nicknamed "King Andrew the FIrst" because of his abuse of power as president. Sometimes he acted more like a king than a president.
- Jackson used the power of his presidential veto to control which bills were made into laws. He had no respect for the opinions and decisions of Congress.
- He rewarded all the people who supported him during his presidential election campaign even though many people thought it was a violation of the law.
- Jackson believed that Native Americans were savages that had to choose either to adopt white culture and become U.S. citizens, or move west to areas said aside for them. He used his political influence to pass the Indian Removal Act.
- He publicly humiliated his own vice president, John Calhoun, when they disagreed on South Carolina's nullification doctrine. Calhoun supported states' rights, Jackson supported a strong national government.
GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION
- While Jackson was president, he and the state of Georgia ignored a Supreme Court ruling that said only the U.S. government could make laws governing the Cherokees.
- Jackson used the "Spoils System" to bribe his way into presidency. Once elected, he replaced many government officials with his supporters.
- After Congress approved the rechartering of the U.S. Bank in 1832, Jackson used his presidential power to veto the law, which basically destroyed the national bank forever.
- When South Carolina passed the Doctrine of Nullification in response to the U.S. Government's Tariff of Abominations that raised taxes on imports, Jackson threatened to march an army in to South Carolina.
ABUSE OF NATIVE AMERICANS
- Jackson forcefully removed and relocated thousands of Native Americans from Georgia and Florida to land west of the Mississippi through his Indian Removal Act.
- Several thousand Native Americans died while moving west, leaving graves that marked their trail. Their horrible journey is known as "The Trail of Tears." They had to travel in the rain and snow without adequate clothing or supplies. The journey was called The Trail of Tears
- Jackson viewed Native Americans as conquered subjects living within the borders of the United States. He forced them to leave their homeland when gold was discovered on their land.
- Native Americans never got their land back. They were forced into exile to Nebraska and Kansas and were never able to return.
ANDREW JACKSON POLITICAL CARTOON
Jackson’s used the "spoils system" to reward his political supporters who helped him get elected. One of the first things he did as president was to fire dozens of federal government employees. Some of them had been there since the days of George Washington. He said "to the victors belong the spoils." In the cartoon, Jackson is shown triumphantly riding a fat pig, with his hat tipped in glory. Corruption in his office is represented by the words “fraud, bribery, and plunder” and a skeleton underneath the pig. The pig has dollar signs on it representing the misuse of government money.