Andrew Jackson Hero or Villain
The Peoples President
1824 Election
In 1824 Andrew Jackson got more votes than John Quincy Adams but lost. He lost because Henry Clay got Congress to vote John Quincy Adams for President. Andrew Jackson at first was o.k. with the loss. Once he found out the John Quincy Adams made Henry Clay Secretary of State he felt it was a "corrupt bargain." In 1828 Andrew Jackson won because of the expanded Suffrage Act which let all white men vote instead of just wealthy white men.
Indian Removal Act
- Jackson wanted the Cherokee's land so he could sift for gold and grow cotton, but the Cherokee's didn't want to leave so they went to court and won. Once they won the Supreme Court said that Georgia could not deal with foreign affairs since it was a state but Jackson didn't care and got Congress to pass the Force Act which gave Andrew Jackson the power to force the Cherokee's out of their homes. He forced them to walk 2000 miles to Oklahoma, and over 4000 Cherokee's died on the trail. Many died once they got to Oklahoma because it was nothing like Georgia. The landscape was plains of grass and they were used to rich soil and green forests. The Cherokee's did not know how to survive and many died.
Battle of New Orleans
In the Battle of New Orleans young Andrew Jackson had 5000 soldiers and the British had 7500 soldiers. That did not stop Andrew Jackson and his men to fight. His soldiers were great marksman entrenched in the canal. The British were surprised and suffered many causalities. By the end of the battle the British took 2000 casualties and Jackson's army only had 800. Andrew Jackson became well known with America after the success of this battle. This notoriety helped him become President.
Political cartoon
In this cartoon Andrew Jackson uses the Constitution to destroy the 2nd National Bank. He thought it was only for rich and wealthy men and not for the every day American. As President in 1833 he abolished the 2nd National Bank. He changed all the money going to 2nd National Bank and gave it to smaller banks. This ruined the economy because the smaller banks didn't know how to handle that much money.
Re: Indian Removal Act
As Cherokee Indian I am greatly offended that you stole our land and killed our people. I witnessed an officer smashing a baby's head in because she would not stop crying. Many died along the Trail of Tears. We no longer can feed our families with this poor soil and barren land.
Re: Average American
As a poor farmer I love Andrew Jackson because he thinks of the average American first before the rich and wealthy ones. He also makes sure that the wealthy Americans don't have more power than the average American. Like the time he Abolished the 2nd National Bank because it was only for wealthy Americans. I also like that he was poor too and the fact that he has gone through some hard times unlike the other Presidents.