Good and Bad

1. Good and Bad Modeling the Age of Jackson Prompt

2. Jackson Prompt • Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, Individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. • In light of the following documents, and your knowledge of the 1820’s and 1830’s, to what extent do you agree with the Jacksonians’ view of themselves?

3. Model 1 Economically Jackson believed that the bank of the United States was a horrible monster. In document B Jackson discusses that the “great evils to our country and its institutions might flow from such a concentration of power in the hands of a few men.” This shows that Jacksonians did not like the idea of a big bank and that it was evil. Since most people thought that a few people should not control the countries wealth, Jacksonians wanted to stop them and declared that what they were doing was unconstitutional. This killed the bank making Jackson look like his old war hero self.

4. Model 1 Economically Jackson believed that the bank of the United States was a horrible monster. In document B Jackson discusses that the “great evils to our country and its institutions might flow from such a concentration of power in the hands of a few men.” This shows that Jacksonians did not like the idea of a big bank and that it was evil. Since most people thought that a few people should not control the countries wealth, Jacksonians wanted to stop them and declared that what they were doing was unconstitutional. This killed the bank making Jackson look like his old war hero self.

5. Model 2 Economically Jacksonians believed that they were protectors of the constitution and the everyday man. During the Bank War, Andrew Jackson felt that men like Nicholas Biddle were putting to much power and money in the hands of the elite. Since Jacksonians believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution, the idea of a national bank was considered to be unconstitutional. Jackson felt it necessary, as president, to use his constitutional right to veto the recharter of the Bank of the United States in order to destroy it. (Document B) Through this he was able to cripple the bank and set the stage for a showdown between him and the newly developed Whig Party. Although men like Daniel Webster from the Whig party looked upon Jackson’s veto as a danger to liberty, (Document C) Jacksonians looked at it as his mandate for the upcoming presidential election. In the election of 1832, Andrew Jackson was overwhelmingly reelected over Henry Clay and the Whig Party reaffirming the Jacksons stance on the bank and defending the rights of the people.

6. Model 2 Economically Jacksonians believed that they were protectors of the constitution and the everyday man. During the Bank War, Andrew Jackson felt that men like Nicholas Biddle were putting to much power and money in the hands of the elite. Since Jacksonians believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution, the idea of a national bank was considered to be unconstitutional. Jackson felt it necessary, as president, to use his constitutional right to veto the recharter of the Bank of the United States in order to destroy it. (Document B) Through this he was able to cripple the bank and set the stage for a showdown between him and the newly developed Whig Party. Although men like Daniel Webster from the Whig party looked upon Jackson’s veto as a danger to liberty, (Document C) Jacksonians looked at it as his mandate for the upcoming presidential election. In the election of 1832, Andrew Jackson was overwhelmingly reelected over Henry Clay and the Whig Party, reaffirming the Jacksons stance on the bank and defending the rights of the people.