This blog post will be a reflection on your reading of pages 385-395 in the book... this section primarily deals with Andrew Jackson's rise to power and some of the first issues he faced during his tenure in office. For this assignment, you are to post two comments... one will be an answer to the question, and the second will be a response to your classmates. When responding, of course be thorough and specific in what you refer to.
After reading this section, explain whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: Andrew Jackson routinely fulfilled the image of a 'common man' in his actions as President. Cite at least two or three examples in your answer.
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ReplyDeleteAndrew Jackson definitely seemed like a 'common man' as President through his actions, words, and visual presentation. This helped him gain popular support before his election, and was exemplified in his positions on crucial controversies during his presidency. Although he did not keep all of his promises as President, he did act in the best interest of his "fan base", the Southwest. The people in this region were opposed to the national bank, and so Jackson did as well (at least outwardly). This caused Jackson to issue anti-bank legislation, such as the Specie Circular. Unfortunately, this action was one of the major causes for the Panic of 1837, which caused a depression.
ReplyDeleteOne issue during the Jacksonian administration was that of nullification. Southern states wanted to have the right to nullify federal legislation, namely tariffs on trade. Tariffs hurt the Southwest, while helping the Northeast. However, in this case Jackson did not support the South and actually almost sent troops to South Carolina to enforce the tariff bills. These examples show how at some times Jackson supported the 'common men' that represented the Southwest, while at others he did not. I believe that although Jackson seemed like a common man and attempted to represent strength (not intellect) during his presidential campaign, in actuality he was an incredibly smart president who masked his own opinions to help keep the Union intact and support the American people as a whole.
Andrew Jackson started off with the image of a 'common man' when he was first elected President. His election was "the rise of a common man" since many western farmers and workers voted for him, and for a short period of time he acted like it. But as time went on I feel like his actions in office were not exactly those of a 'common man.' For example, the Indian Removal was called unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but Jackson ignored the Court and had a reputation as an enemy. Also, he destroyed the Bank of the United States, which hurt the people of the country greatly. This was a bad decision on Jackson’s part. It caused a huge economic issue in the country.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with the idea that Andrew Jackson acted as a "common man" during his presidency. To me, a common man is a man who makes mistakes and is not always perfect. During his presidency, Jackson often contradicted himself. However, being that he was a "common man", Jackson owned a large plantation with slaves and had long been allied with the hard money and creditor interests in Tennessee politics.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, Jackson was inconsistent in his states’ rights. He was willing to use armed forces to quiet the nullification forces of South Carolina; however, later he allowed Georgia to ignore Supreme Court orders related to the treatment of the Cherokee Indians. Because Jackson was often a contradictory figure, I do not believe being a "common man" was to his advantage.
I think that Courtney brings up a good point about Jackson's impressionistic "common man" persona. Since Jackson mostly favored policies that benefited the common people, such as farmers, he was pretty much against merchant classes. Destroying the Bank of the US was one of Jackson's most well known acts against eastern bankers. These men were hated by the western farmers, as Courtney said.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, I believe that throughout his presidency, although he did not always make the most beneficial decisions for the US, this in reality is what made him a "common man". Being a common man does not mean Jackson was not smart, because as Zak said, Jackson was a very intelligent man. However, sometimes his decisions were not accurately planned out.
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ReplyDeleteMost presidents attempt to be the everyman, the fallible hard worker, the Doug Heffernan of politics. They get training on how to speak and lecture in simple ways that appeal to the "middle class," by the far the largest class because everyone seems to think they're a part of it. The majority of voters, after all, are just common men, or at least see themselves that way. Jackson's appeal to them was not unconventional or unique, but it is a formula that has worked for dozens of our state's leaders.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, while he seemed a common man with his political image, he was quite the opposite. He was a perpetually furious, belligerent man who did not always follow orders as a General (the common man follows orders and respects authority; rarely does he go out of his way to slaughter men, even if they are enemies). He destroyed the economy in one fell swoop. His inexplicable hatred of the Bank led to what normal people refer to as bad times or a recession, and his decision to get rid of it was a highly contentious and selfish act.
Isn't the normal American selfish, though, making him just like the average one? Yes; we live in a competitive capitalist society where selfish thoughts are encouraged from birth. But this selfishness usually stems from the desire of gaining something. Jackson's destruction of the Bank did not actually acquire him anything and hurt his countrymen. That's not selfish, that's stupid.
One could argue that acting foolishly makes him just like the common man, but personally, I do not think the average American would have gone to such extremes on emotions -- they certainly would not now. He should have realized the consequences, but didn't because of his extraordinary anger -- which really separates him from most other people in history, notable or common.
When Andrew Jackson stared off his presidency he was not expected or seen as a different president. The westerners and farmers who voted for him during the election called it “the rise of a common man”. Little did the people know, he was the opposite of the “common man” He did not follow orders or do exactly as he said he would. He ignored the Supreme Court when it came to the Indian Removal being called unconstitutional. As well as destroying the bank of the United States, he made a lot of bad decisions that caused economic problems for our country and make him seem like the typical selfish man.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Peter on his third paragraph. I agree that in that time it was a competitive capitalist society where selfish thoughts were encouraged. The point Peter brings up is when Jackson destroys the Bank it did not benefit him in anyway and just hurt his country and made him look like a selfish person.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pasha. When he ignored popular opinion, he destroyed any hope of being a 'common man,' and his unusual hatred of Native Americans, while understandable, is not common by any means (even taking into account he warred with them).
ReplyDeleteIn the 1828 election it was Jackson that had majority of the southerners vote; that is 8 out of every 10 votes.They voted for him in hopes to return to republican fundamentals as Jackson was a Tennesee planter himself. The characteristics of Andrew Jackson, by themself, help support why he should be considered a "common man". Other actions support this title aswell.
ReplyDeleteJust as any other "comman man" would do, one will try to use their function as easy access to more power. Take a teacher, for example. The fact that they are put in the position to be able to tell students when and what to do, they use this to their benefit. Teachers, being the "comman man" relate to Andrew Jackson. His introduction of the spoil system during his presidency became predominant on a national government level rather than just the state level.
The Indian Removal Act proved that Jackson went against what even the Supreme Court said. Having some followers turn against him for this was another example of him acting as a "common man". Some considered him an enemy when he ignored the decision of Georgia taking over Cherokee land as unconstitutional. This repuatation that Jackson gained from this was one of the rule of law and a friend of local.
However, the fact that he was this "common man" figure, his presidency was not beneficiary. Very hypocritical acts were done throughout his presidency; most importantly the nullifacation and tarriff issue. This was a time when Jackson went against the south in which was being harmed by the tarriff issues. The Tarriff was harming the south and benefitting the north yet Jackson almost sent troops to enforce this.
Hypocritical yet Jackson claimed it accomplished what he wanted during his presidency.
Peter brings up a solid point about how his actions were like the "common man" yet Jackson was actually the opposite. His personality assisted in the destruction of the economy thru his hatred of the Bank. This act proved that although he seemed much to be the "common man" he really was completely the opposite.
ReplyDeleteWhen first becoming President I believe Andrew Jackson started off on a basis of a “common man”. Being known as a “common man” led him into having more power from the people since they like him. Although he showed that he was literally a “common man” when first starting off that he made a few errors here or there but it wasn’t too horrific. However, an example of a mistake he made was obliterating the United States Bank, which obviously caused a major effect on the country. It was a big downfall in the economic field of the country and led to a panic.
ReplyDeleteAnother example would be that Andrew Jackson was very hypocritical. As known from the reading, the south was in majority of Jackson so they mostly went with everything he decided. However, Jackson went against the south in the tariffs. He raised them higher and supported the north. The tariff affected the southern states because they had to pay higher taxes on imported goods, which upset them greatly.
I agree with Alynn when she said “Hypocritical yet Jackson claimed it accomplished what he wanted during his presidency.” This is very true because Jackson was very hypocritical yet he did what he needed to do in order to get things accomplished while he was in office. I also agree with Alexandra in the point she brings up that, “throughout his presidency, although he did not always make the most beneficial decisions for the US, this in reality is what made him a "common man." I believe that is true because all the mistakes he made and all the good things he has done made him get described as a “common man”. It is right to say he wasn’t perfect but he wasn’t a failure, so the description of a common man fits Andrew Jackson perfectly.
ReplyDeleteDuring the election Andrew Jackson did seem like a "common man" to the people. Most of Jackson's support came from the South because he was a military hero but he also talked about returning to republican ways. I believed that Jackson tried to relate to the people to gain more votes in the election. This strategy worked for Jackson in a short term way but in a long term way his power broke down when he began to make poor presidential decisions. In the Indian Removal Act Jackson went against the decision of the Court because they originally did not agree with his idea.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that Jackson fulfilled his image as a "common man" throughout his presidency and his actions. I believe that Jackson's struggle to gain and maintain power gave away his disguise as the common man. Jackson really was a hypocrite especially when he went against his original supporters in the South when he enforced the Tariff Issue.
Brielle makes a great point when she states how Jackson made a few minor mistakes in the beginning of his presidency but nothing major yet. He gave away his presence as a "common man" when he hurt our economy by getting rid of the United States Bank. I agree that Jackson was extremely hypocritical during his presidency because many of his decisions went against the Southerners during the Tariff Issues. Jackson should not have made higher taxes on imported goods on the Southerners. This makes Jackson look like he favors the North more then the South, which was the exact opposite of what it was during the election.
ReplyDeleteAs other stated Andrew Jackson was known to be a common man. This status caused him to have the to have an upper hand with the people and he was more popluar for being a common man. One of his mistakes during the start of his presidency was the United States Bank. This caused a huge break in the economy and distress within the people. Jackson was constantly contradicting himself sometimes supprting the south and then supporting the north. Both had very different opinions but he did this well without really being notcied for it. However the south became upset when he supported the north in the tariffs because they had to pay higher taxes, this one no good for Jackson.
ReplyDeleteAs many presidents, Andrew Jackson wanted to put on this appeal to the people that he was a "common man". When, behind doors, he was the complete opposite. He was ignorant, and did not follow orders. Not to mention, the economy went from win to fail in a snap.
ReplyDeleteJackson was a hypocrite. He hated the banks, and when he presented the "Indian Removal" which was unconstitutional- according to the Supreme Court- He let what they said fly right over his shoulder and he lived on. When he destroyed the Banks, because of his hatred towards them, he made him self portray more as an enemy towards the people. This is because, he created what is now called a recession.
These are of many difficulties Jackson faced during his Presidency. He was- in a way- the "Common Man" in the way he was ignorant, and only wanted his way, because he believed what he wanted was the right thing. What man does not believe that? Many of you could argue this back and forth, but right then and there your proving this point.
I agree with what Peter is trying to prove, as well as Alynn. He's an ignorant hypocrite, who destroyed the country in one snap of a finger. Especially how Alynn pointed out how Jackson took this time to use his power to his advantage. He destroyed the economy- putting us in a recession. He also created the Indian removal and did not listen to his superiors, the Supreme Court, in how it was "Unconstituational" also, it in my opinion was a disgrace to man kind.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pasha when he brings up the point that Andrew Jackson did not always follow through with what he would say. By stating various things that he would accomplish, Jackson gained numerous supporters. Not following through with what he promised was when people started to get annoyed. This ongoing problem proved to be something significant during Jackson's presidency
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alexandra that a comman man cannot be perfect, but does what he believes is right on the most part. This described Andrew Jackson thoughout his years of being a President. At his inauguration on March 4, 1829, he made the impression of being a calm, collected, and productive comman man as he arrived in his black suit and tie. His inaugural address was vague, however the point was made clear that he promised change. He pledged to have proper respect for state rights, reform civil service by replacing unfaitful officers, and to retire national debt through faithful economy. This way, he flattered the popular majority.
ReplyDeleteHowever, he did not always completely stay up to his word. There was tension about the guarentee on replacing unfaitful officers. He appointed Samuel Swarthout as the collector of the port of New York, who stole 1.2 million and ran away to Europe. This displayed that Jackson made a blunder in choosing an officeholder, and needed to rectify it.During his eight years as President, he removed around 1 in 10 executive appointes wirh well-educated and wealthy replacements.
Also, the Indian Removal was uncostitutional. He knew that he could not remove the Cherokees and other Civilized Tribes from state governments, so he decided on a risky approach. His offer of removing them to land west of the Mississippi violated the Supreme Court's decision and gained him a reputation as being an enemy. However, it did show that he was committed to state (not much federal) power.
Overall, Jackson did not lead the best terms in office. He made the mistakes of hiring the wrong man and being too stubborn, however, he did not mess up everything. He did replace appointes and respect state rights in some ways, as he promised. As being a common man, he did not think about his decisions with as much thought as he could have, and tended to be rash with anger. He neither destroyed the country nor fix all problems; this is what made him average. Andrew Jackson was a comman man with faults.
I agree with Alynn. She brings up the point that Jackson was hypocritical, but at the same time, he got want you wanted done during his time as President. I also agree with Alex when she says that a common man is a man that makes mistakes. In that case, Jackson can be considered a common man, since he did make a decent amount of mistakes during his time in office.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Zaks about tariffs. The fact that he did not favor the South shows that he looked at an issue without being biased. It is important for a leader to look at both sides of an issue, not just one. The end of the nullification crisis was an example of one of Jackson's strengths during his presidency.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, Andrew Jackson did play his part as the common man through his presidency. Even though he replaced the intelligent people in his cabinet with mainly his friends, that was something a common man would do. Jackson only wanted to flatter the popular majority of the people, so he only chose people that he knew supported him. The South, for example, loved Jackson because of his reputation from the war. However, when he turned his back on them and raised the taxes, the Southeners had every reason to be upset. Because of Jackson, the economy suffered greatly from the recession.
ReplyDeleteIn Conclusion, Jackson was a lot like the common man. He made mistakes just like any average person and made his decisions based on popularity.
In his actions as President, Andrew Jackson did not fulfill the image of a ‘common man’. For him to be a common man he would need to follow orders and do as everyone else did. History shows us this is not what he did. He removed the bank on his own personal decision which caused unstable economic times. Jackson also followed through with the Indian Removal Act even after the Judicial Branch deemed it unconstitutional. Jackson did not do as the common man would have, and he won his place in office as a common man. I believe he never intended to be a common man once he reached office but only to win spot itself.
ReplyDeleteBefore opinions can be made on whether Jackson embodied the ‘common man’, regional differences needed to be taken into consideration. Jackson preoccupied most of his efforts to gain approval in the south, portraying himself as a southern planter determined to give the southern states the same power as northern states. Therefore, in reference to his area of main concern, Jackson presented himself as the ‘common man’. Being a southern delegate that strongly believed in a democratic system governed by the majority and the of the interests of the states right compared to the nation won him the landslide election of 1824. Furthermore, as his private life was exploited in the presidential campaign, Jackson seemed to gain more support. Nonetheless, while Jackson did believe in a weaker centralized government compared to state jurisdiction, he additionally believed in a unified Union, leading him to propose the Force Bill. Jackson did however overlook the mistreatment of the Native Americans for the interests of the southern states and their growth. For the most part, Jackson’s imagine as the ‘common man’ didn’t last throughout his presidency and was primarily seen before assuming power.
ReplyDeleteI agree with alynn how Jackson was very hypocritical, in regards to nullification and tariffs, which did not reflect his original ideals. Also, I agree with courtney how before Jackson’s presidency he was known as the ‘rise of the common man’ but this image faded soon after. Moreover, by destroying the Bank of the United States, Jackson left the nation in a weakened economic state.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Zak, in that Jackson was a fair President when dealing with North/South disputes. He tried to be the common man but knew that the right thing to do was follow through with the tariffs.
ReplyDeleteI definetly agree with Alexandra's earlier response. Being the "common man" that he was, Jackson made mistakes and sometimes contradicted himself. It doesn't make him a bad president and it doesn't mean he wasn't smart. He simply did his best. Even if his best wasn't always the right way to go.
ReplyDeleteJackson was in many ways a "common man" in both his actions and character. In many examples he in scene simply agreeing with and acting upon the people's views. The national bank idea that was proposed at the time was shot down by the people and therefore shot down by Jackson as well.
ReplyDeleteAs time progressed, however, it seemed as though his reputation as a "common man" had greatly altered. His decision making had changed rapidly and was seen in many examples, one of which was the Indian Removal, an act claimed to be unconstitutional but this did not deter him of his actions. In addition, his act of raising the tariffs to satisfy the northern states goes against his principles in terms of his support towards the needs of the south.
I really liked Pete's comment on the "common man" appeal of most presidents in that almost every president goes out of his way to act as a commoner but retaining that image for an entire term or even two is an accomplishment in itself.
ReplyDeleteI also liked what he said about the hypocrisy of Jackson's presidency. Jackson's commoner appeal did not last for long when he began acting against his own preachings. As said in class, Jackson can easily be classified as a "walking contradiction."
The common man of 1828 probably owned a large plantation with slaves, fought in duels or the war, and had a wife. This is exactly why Andrew Jackson was elected "by choice of the free people" in the 1828 election. He was a plantation owner and war hero that supported his people. Jackson first showed his common man figure on his inauguration day which, was just a few weeks after his wife had died. Jackson wore a black suit, tie, and armband to represent his grief for his wife. He spoke of proper respect, spirit of equity, caution, and compromise to a crowd of over 15,000 people who had come to hear him speak. In addition to this, Jackson also destroyed the Bank of United States. I believe he did this because he was in favor of low tariffs and opening up more lands in the west. Finally I believe he was a common man's leader because he was able to make mistakes such as hire the wrong man to become collector of the port of New York. However, In the end I do feel that being the common man helped him out and made people realize that the President can be just a normal person who, at some point may mess up.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nisha for the fact that Andrew Jackson was a comman man with faults. He was stubborn and made many mistakes. Although, Jackson was able to make good choices too by keeping his promises and paying back the debt. By acting as common man, he was able to keep his image and still make mistakes from time to time. In the end, Jackson did not ruin our country but also made good choices that benefited us for the future.
ReplyDeleteJackson, as a president, did not follow the role of a "common man". During his campaign he portrayed himself to be a common man. However after he became president everything changed. He did not do everything that he said he would do and he did not listen to anyone else. To be a common man you have to follow orders and follow through with what you say you will do. To me, as a president, Jackson was everything but a common man.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Zak on that Jackson was a common man when he set the tariffs. He was not biased towards the south during this. He knew what he had to do and he did it.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if though Jackson did not follow the role of a Common Man. His campaign and gestures and his persona reflected a common man, but his actions did not. For example he did not like banks for personal reasons. For only that reason he had brought the banking system to a standstill by pulling out all of his $. He did not take into consideration all the Common men whose busiensses and lives would be destroyed because of it. Also being a war hero, he had a hatred for Native Americans, he had many of them killed by force mass movements under harsh conditions. He raised tariffs which was not ideal to any man. All of this counterpoints whether or not he is a real common man, despite his plantation, wife and war history.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cj with his points that his motives were not taken out to be a common man and his role changed throughout his presidency as soon as his power came into effect.
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