Allie Friedman

Ms. Snyder
S.S.-Period 1
February 25, 2016
Andrew Jackson: Tyrant or Democrat?

Of every President the United States has had, Andrew Jackson was the closest to a
tyrant. Jackson became a lawyer at age twenty one, and then was Commander of the U.S.
armys Southern District. He was elected to be our seventh president in 1828 and chose to
get all of his decisions from his friends that were not in office. Because of this, people see
Jacksons presidency as a tyranny. A tyrant is dictator who uses power in an unjust
manner. On the other hand, a democrat is a ruler of a democracy and is one who is for the
people. Andrew Jackson was a tyrant during his presidency because of all of the
unconstitutional decisions to issues he encountered, like the Bank War, the Nullification
Crisis, and Indian Removal.
The Bank War proves Andrew Jacksons tyranny because it caused his attempt to
start a class-war. The first bank of the United States was decided unconstitutional, and
expired in 1811. A second National Bank was created in 1816 because we needed
another stable money supply. Jackson saw this bank as unconstitutional as well, so he
wanted it closed. In a reelection, Jackson ran against Henry Clay to become president, but
Andrew Jackson still won. As President, Jackson abused his power and cut off all of the
funds to the bank to kill it. When the bank finally closed, he tried to turn the poor
against the rich through his Bank Veto Message. Rest is heldby our own citizens,
chiefly by the richest class. (Source C). This means that most of the involvement in

government is done by the well-born. Since the poor arent involved, Jackson attempts to
turn the poor against the rich to involve them. he manifestly seeks to inflame the poor
against the richturning them the prejudices and resentments of other classes (Source
D). This is Daniel Websters reply to Jackson saying that he is jealous of the rich and
tried to start a class war. Andrew Jackson attempted to make the poor revolt against
the rich. This is an overextension of his power and is only one reason why he is a tyrant.
The Nullification Crisis shows Andrew Jacksons tyranny because he threatened
to kill a man if anyone disobeyed his law. In 1828, congress passed a law that raised
tariffs to encourage manufacturing growth. Northerners were split on the idea of
supporting it, Southerners opposed it and Westerners strongly supported it. The law about
the tariff was unconstitutional, but Andrew Jackson was passionate about obeying it. If
even one drop of blood is shed in defiance of the law, I will hang the first man I see from
the first tree I can find.(Source E). Jackson is saying that if anyone disagrees with him,
he will kill a man. This is taking advantage of the presidential powers because he has a
very short temper. South Carolina also believes that these acts were unconstitutional.
. . . People of the state of South Carolina . . .declare that the several acts . . . by congress
are unauthorized by the constitution(Source F). South Carolina disagrees with congress
and believes that the seventh president is unconstitutional. Andrew Jackson lost his
temper and said he would kill a man if someone went against his law. His actions were
not democratic and were certainly not for the people, making him even more of a tyrant
than before.
In the issue of Indian Removal and the Trail of Tears, Andrew Jackson was a
tyrant because he organized the westward expansion before he was out of office. In 1814,

Jackson commanded the U.S. Military to defeat the Indian tribes to make them sign a
treaty to move West. Eventually, all of the nations moved west, but some fought wars
before doing so. They were sent on the Trail of Tears when Jackson was no longer
president. Martin Van Buren continued on Jacksons plans for the Native Americans to
move westward. The Cherokees were arrested and dragged from their homes(Source I).
They were taken and made to move west just to walk for over five months. Can it be
cruel when this government offers to purchase the Indians land, give them new and
extensive territory, pay the expense of his removal, and support him for the first year in
his new hom?(Source G). Jackson thinks he is being a hero by making the Native
Americans move west. But, the rode to the West was torturous, and that is why, even if he
may not have thought so, Andrew Jackson was a tyrant.
From a different perspective, Andrew Jackson could also be viewed as a
democrat. Because of his involvement with the common people, Jacksons presidency
could be seen as a democracy. The bank of the United States controls and owns
everything of the foreign and domestic exchange. More than one fourth of the stock is
held by foreigners, and the rest is held by the well-born citizens. This means that there
was very little involvement from the lower classes. Because of this, Jackson tries to
involve the poor, by turning them against the rich. In doing this, he sees himself as a hero
because he believes he is getting rid of a corrupt organization. But actually, all he is doing
is starting a class war and creating a corrupt organization. His message extends the grasp
of the chief executive over every power of the government(Source D). Daniel Webster
believes that Jacksons actions are, in fact, evil instead of democratic because they cause
the liberty of the country to be in danger. So, some people may see Andrew Jackson as a

democrat, but based on his actions toward the upper class, and event the lower class, he
is, in fact a tyrant.
During Andrew Jacksons presidency form 1828 to 1830, he was a tyrant because
of all the unconstitutional decisions he made, along with the dictatorship towards the
citizens of the U.S. Because of Jacksons decisions in the Bank War, Nullification Crisis,
and beginnings of Indian Removal, our country had limited natives and several attempted
national banks. Andrew Jackson changed the United States and his tyranny will never be
forgotten.