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(EQ1) How dramatically did President Jackson change the balance of power between the three branches of government?

Did he dramatically expand the power of the executive branch?

By ignoring many of the typical customs that tied down presidents both before and after him, President Andrew Jackson seized control of the executive branch of government and expanded its dominance to all areas of life. Jackson would often first act and then find legality and Congressional blessings later. Jackson clearly took on new ground for the executive branch with his bitter war against the Bank of the United States, the Nullification Crisis and the Trail of Tears. Stemming from a personal spat with the Bank chairman (presumably because of loans made to anti-Jackson politicians), Biddle, Jackson was vehemently opposed against the rechartering of the Bank of the United States as well as feelings that it was a tool to oppress the poor. Jackson had been hailed a man of the common people and could not afford to alienate the group. However, Jackson did not find exceptionally scrupulous ways of removing the Bank. Jackson removed two different Secretaries of the Treasury until finding one that would succumb to his will and remove funds from the federal bank. These funds were then deposited in state banks (pet banks), which would eventually turn into wildcat banks and cause a financial disaster. The Nullification Crisis of 1832 was another clear expansion of Presidential power. After withstanding considerable insurrection by South Carolina over the Tariff of Abominations Jackson began a more direct and violent manner to quell the uprising. Threatening the governor and the use of federal troops, Jackson stated more power than was allotted by the Constitution. Jackson proceeded to push the Force Bill into Congress, authorizing his use of troops, should the situation have escalated. Eventually, South Carolina backed down from its decidedly sectional ideology and no blood was shed, but a new precedent was set for the President; the

ability to act first and then find justifications. Luckily, later Presidents would see the egregious error in this system and would move to fashion their approaches in a more open way. With the Trail of Tears, President Jackson clearly violated the Indians rights and the constitution. First ignoring morality, Jackson then proceeded to refute Worchester v. Georgia. Jackson then passed the Indian Removal Act, which was in line with his ideals that he had pushed fervently both before and during presidency. The flagrant violation of the rights of members of the United States is frightful and helps evince that Jackson would strive to expand the Executive Branch to extreme measures. Through different measures President Jackson expanded the power of the Executive branch and seemed to only accept the existence of other branches of government for superficial legal purposes. His strong arm approach and tactics of negotiation certainly merit him the ominous name of King Andrew.

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