ANDREW JACKSON

Power and Authority

Who is Andrew Jackson?

He became the 7th president of the United States He was elected in 1828 Jacksons popularity quickly grew because he was seen as the champion of the people because he grew up poor and as a middle class citizen Jackson was a general in the war of 1812 and played a crucial role during the battle of new Orleans

The Presidency
Andrew Jackson helped expand white male suffrage Jackson called for rotation in office, which is the rotation of governmental officials to prevent corruption. Although he supported rotation in office, he also used the spoils system

Spoils System
The spoils system is the process of giving governmental positions to friends and supporters to create a government loyal to him

Nullification Crisis
South Carolina wrote a document titled South Carolina Exposition and Protest in response to the tariff of 1828 They were protesting the collection of the tax on imports. Within the document eight reasons are listed for their nullification of the tariff.

Reasons
Congress was given powers by the people but with limits so that they do not violate the Constitution. The power to tax imports is not specifically given to Congress and does not benefit all people. South Carolina feels the tariff was passed to benefit manufacturers only. Regulating commerce or trade could lead to government control of all aspects of domestic industry.

Reasons (cont.)
Tax on imports does not necessarily limit foreign trade or benefit US agriculture or manufacturing. The power to protect manufacturers is not specifically given to Congress, so it violates the 10th Amendment (powers not specifically given to federal government goes to the state). The tariff is unequal and is an abuse of government power. South Carolina is dependent upon agriculture and trade, therefore if the tax makes producing crops unprofitable, the state will collapse.

National Bank
He played a main role in the destruction of the National Bank of the United States. He vetoed the renewal of its charter in 1832 and withdrew federal funding from the bank the next year completing the destruction

Indian Removal
Andrew Jackson also implemented a policy of Indian Removal; forcing Native Americans off their land and onto land further West that frontiersmen had yet to get to. The Supreme Court declared Indian Removal illegal, as the Indians were not actually part of the United States but was their own nation.

Indian Removal (Cont.)

One particular instance of Indian removal is known as the Trail of Tears, which forced many Southern Indians off their land very suddenly. The Native Americans were not prepared for the harsh relocation process and 4,000 of 15,000 Cherokees alone.