Homework Help: Social Studies: People: Andrew Jackson

How did Andrew Jackson become a national leader? What kind of leader was he??

In the 1820's Andrew Jackson was voted as president. Mostly the common people from the frontiers had voted for Jackson. Since Jackson was from the frontiers and the common people were from the frontiers, the common people gave him loyal support. He was a self-made man and had no fear. Andrew Jackson was a very effective president because he paid attention to the people and helped our nation prosper. Jackson had to face a major problem when he was in office dealing with the Bank Of the U.S. Jackson and the Westerners did not like the bank because they thought it was too powerful. They wanted to be able to take loans from banks, which the Bank Of The U.S. did not do. A senator named Clay wanted to renew the bank charter because he thought more Americans favored the Bank, thus he would get elected in the election of 1832. But Jackson vetoed the bill of renewing the Bank. Jackson said the bank was unconstitutional and said that the federal government also had rights to charter banks besides only states. Jackson won the election and it proved that more people preferred to have no Bank Of The U.S. Instead Jackson used pet banks, which many people owned shares in. He did not want government money in the Bank. This action shows that Jackson was very daring and he fought for rights that he and the common people believed in. Also, he took note of the people in the West's opinion along with his, to veto the bank charter.

Jackson also had to confront another problem while he was in office. South Carolina did not want the high tariffs the Congress had passed. Then they replied back by passing the Nullification Act, which said that taxes in 1828 and 1832 were against the law. Then it threatened itself to secede or take itself out from the Union. Then Jackson passed a compromise bill that Clay had said would be good. It said that there would be lower taxes. Also, Jackson got a force bill, which let him enforce the law and use the army. Then South Carolina agreed to the lower tax and got rid of the Nullification Act. "Because of the President's strong leadership, the Nullification Crisis passed" (American Nation 300-1). Jackson paid attention to the people of South Carolina and lowered taxes because they were going to secede from the Union. This proves that Jackson was an effective president that heard the people first. He wanted the nation to stay together instead of ripping apart. After Jackson took office, Georgia started saying that it had the right to take Cherokee Indian land. The Cherokees said that the federal government protected their property and could not be stolen. When the case went to the Supreme Court, Marshall said that the Cherokee could keep their land. Then Jackson supported states' rights and said that Georgia could have Georgia from moving Indians. Then he said that he would not protect the Cherokee's with federal law. This was called the Indian Removal Act. This once again shows that he went for the people's rights and "let the people rule" (American Nation 295). Jackson did many things during the years of his presidency to try to improve our nation. He vetoed the bank charter, lowered the tax so that South Carolina would not repeal from the Union, and let Georgia take land from Indians. He tried to please the people as he thought they were the ones who should rule. He was a very brave president who took chances so that the nation could thrive from his actions. Jackson was a strong leader who had a powerful personality.

Homework Help: Social Studies: People

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