Andrew Jackson
A Presidential Zero
'King' Jackson
Andrew Jackson has frequently been compared to a King. Many say he abused his presidential power and often extended it beyond its limits. Jackson exercised the Presidential Veto more than any other president. Was he doing his best or satisfying his own desires?
The Spoils System
The spoils system is when political supporters are rewarded for their loyalty with government jobs. Jackson participated in this system and people were given jobs in the government that many were not qualified for. Doing this gave him an advantage by creating more positions that were on his side and would agree with him, therefore allowing for him to get away with more things.
Natives
In 1830, after gold was discovered in Natives territory, the Indian Removal Act was passed through Congress. After the Cherokees heard about this they pleaded a case with the US Supreme Court. They were civilized people, not savages like many Europeans believed! In the Worcester vs. Georgia case, Supreme judge John Marshall ruled that the Cherokees were a civilized nation and couldn't be forced off their land by the Americans.
Jackson, however, stated 'its his ruling, let him enforce it.', and told Georgian state gov't to 'light a fire under the Cherokees' and force them off the gold rich land. And they did just that! They forced them to travel all the way to Oklahoma through a path called the Trail of Tears. It is called that because thousands of Cherokees died along the way.
Killing the National Bank
This political cartoon shows Jackson fighting a multi-headed monster that represents the US National Bank. This may have been one of the few good things he did during his presidency. He refused to renew the charter for the bank because he felt that the bank only hepled the rich and wealthy and harmed the 'common man'. After the National bank 'died', the state banks had more money and were able to help everybody, not just the high-class.
Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil, and the Presidency