Evaluating Jackson
Discussion Topic
For many people, Andrew Jackson symbolized a new era in American democracy. He championed the "common" man and introduced broad cultural and political reforms that addressed the plight of the average citizen. During the Jacksonian era, Jackson and his supporters fought to democratize political participation and economic opportunity.
But some might call Jackson a despot instead of a democrat. He ordered the removal of Native Americans to reservations, defied the rulings of the Supreme Court, and suppressed states' rights during the crisis over nullification law.
In your postings, answer these questions:
- How democratic was the Jacksonian era? To what extent did the political reforms of the time increase democracy, political participation, and economic opportunity?
- How democratic was Andrew Jackson himself? Some critics have accused him of behaving more like a king than a president. Did Jackson have too much power? Did he abuse his presidential powers?
- Which of Jackson's policies and actions fostered democracy and which didn't? In your answer, you might discuss Indian removal, the debate over the Bank of the United States, Worcester v. Georgia, the crisis over nullification, or other issues and events during Jackson's presidency.
Scoring
This discussion is worth a maximum of 15 points. You'll get 10 points for your first post. Your instructor will give you another 5 points if you post a follow-up comment or question that furthers the discussion.
Original:
ReplyDeleteThe Jacksonian Era was democratic to an extent. President Andrew Jackson believed in individual liberties, in which regular people in the United States were suppose to hold the power. President Jackson also favored a “hands off” economic policy. Jackson did not have too much power, however the powers that he did have, he abused, specifically with the Indian Removal Act. The Indian Removal Act was designed to relocate all Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River, west. According to the Supreme Court the American Indians did not have to move their tribes because there were basically a separate entity, with their own rules and regulations. However, President Jackson, not liking the ruling, decided not to enforce the decision.
Original:
ReplyDeleteThe Jacksonian era was democratic because it allowed more people to vote and enabled individualism. The political reforms include more white male who paid taxes to vote and a different outlook of politicians; economic flourished with a high demand for cotton from foreign nations. Andrew Jackson himself was not really democratic, although he was said to represent the common man, he opposed federal aid to local areas. He did abuse his powers by not helping local areas, which mainly support the common man. The debate over the bank of the united states was seen more democratic because it allowed for congress to have stable currency and wealth. but the Indian removal act, was not democratic it violated Indian territory and caused thousands to relocate.
To shevana:
ReplyDeleteAfter just reading your response, you made me change my outlook on Jacksonian Era. He was democratic but to an extent as you said, he was not completely democratic. But I do agree with your outlook on the Indian Removal Act, it was seen as not democratic and almost an abuse of power by not enforcing the supreme court decision.
Original:
ReplyDeleteAndrew Jackson did try to practice deomocracy but he limited his democratic ventures to certain topics. He definitely was a man of the people, in fact, that was the basis of his popularity in the United States. However, Andrew Jackson definitely abused his power with the Indian Removal Act because while he was looking out for the interests of the people that wanted to settle in the land east of the Mississippi River, he did not have to advocate the remooval of the Indians.
To Naomi:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the basis that Andrew Jacson was seen as democratic in some ways such as his actions concerning the National Bank and how he was seen undemocratic in other ways such as the Indian Removal Act. Jackson definitely abused his presidential powers in the removal of the Indians.
To Naomi & Jasbir
ReplyDeleteIt may sound strange, but based on your interpretation as well as mine, Andrew Jackson was a huge contradiction. He preached democracy but ruled like a dictator. He was supposedly a “common man” but did not enforce or regulate laws that did not suit him.
Andrew Jackson was a firm believer in voix popula, voice of the people, as well as individual liberties and individualism. But during his Presidency Jackson also believed in the power of the presidency. Jackson was not a believer in Congress and acted more as a King then a President. This is clear through his actions with regard to the Native Amricans. Jackson ignored the Supreme Courts decision in Worchester vs. Georgia and forcably removed the Native Amerians from East of the Mississippi to West of the Mississippi.
ReplyDeleteJasbir and Shevana: Jackson was a man of the people, but in some ways the people wanted the removal of the Indians to West of the Mississippi, and that is exactly what Jackson did. Although the Supreme Corut ruled otherwise, the will of the people was to remove the Indians
ReplyDeleteThe Jacksonian Era showed certain elements of a democratic political view because Andrew Jackson was a man of the people. He strictly focused on individual liberties and rights. Although his policy may have been seen as Democratic he as a President abused some of his powers. He focused on the power of the Presidency in contrast to the power of the Congress. When Jackson ignored the Supreme Courts ruling on the Indian Removal Act and removed the Native Americans, Jackson was abusing his power as President and acting in a very non Democratic way.
ReplyDeleteThe Jacksonian era did have Democratic qualities, as he stressed individual rights and state banks over a national bank. However, Jackson himself was more tyrannical than democratic, as he made constant use of his veto power to pass his own agenda despite the views of Congress. One famout example of Jackson showing his tyrannical ways was when he ignored the ruling of the Supreme Court in Worcester v. Georgia, and forced the Native Americans out of their homelands and made them move West.
ReplyDeleteTo Xander:
ReplyDeleteAlthough Jackson believed in voix popula, doesn't his ignorance of the actions of Congress counteract the voice of the people?
Original:
ReplyDeleteAndrew Jackson was highly motivated by the rights of the people and individualism before he was elected president , overall he performed his duty as president in a manner that possible stunted the growth of an individual by taming their rights. In some cases Andrew Jackson dispensed his power very similar to the behavior of a King or dictator. He vetoed the nullification bill as well as was highly motivated to move the Native Americans past the Mississippi River westward.
Jackson did indeed have too much power, either he had too much or he used and abused the power that he had.Jackson was a Monarch and a king under the guise of being a Democrat. He was not for the people and he sought out to complete tasks in his own way.
ReplyDeleteThe response of my peers Shevana and Naomi have substantiated my assessment in Jackson and I completely agreed that he was a ot less than a democratic representative
ReplyDeleteJacksonian democracy promoted the strength of the presidency and executive branch at the expense of Congress, while also seeking to broaden the public's participation in government. Jacksonians believed in enfranchising all white men, rather than just the propertied class, and supported the patronage system that enabled politicians to appoint their supporters into administrative offices, arguing it would reduce the power of elites and prevent aristocracies from emerging. They demanded elected (not appointed) judges and rewrote many state constitutions to reflect the new values. In national terms the Jacksonians favored geographical expansion, justifying it in terms of Manifest Destiny. There was usually a consensus among both Jacksonians and Whigs that battles over slavery should be avoided. The Jacksonian Era lasted roughly from Jackson's 1828 election until the slavery issue became dominant after 1850 and the American Civil War dramatically reshaped American politics as the Third Party System emerged.
ReplyDeleteTo: Tara
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and your statement about the Jacksonian Era and how it showed certain elements of a democratic political view because Andrew Jackson was a man of the people. He advocated for the security and the rights of the common man. I agree with his rather drastic and extreme endeavors like his defiance of the National Bank because in my opinion, he had the common man's best interest at heart.