Eric Tessicini Mr. Metzger Honors U.

S History 1 20 December 2012

Andrew Jackson No matter what political party the people are, most will agree they want a president who is decisive over a pushover who cant make a decision. He has a responsibility to the people whom he is governing to serve them, and make decisions that are in the best interest of the people as a whole in any manner he sees fit. What qualities make a good President, or leader? In order for a nation to be successful a leader must be courageous, proud, loyal, determined, smart, tough, honorable, has to be a man that people from all walks of life will follow, and must be able to make a decision and stick by it. No man fit these ideals better than Andrew Jackson. One of the manliest men of all time, Jackson is a prime example of effective governing. One cannot talk about Andrew Jackson without mentioning his military accomplishments. He was appointed a colonel in the Tennessee militia in 1801. It wasnt until 1812 the year he was appointed Major General and the war that came with it was his brilliance allowed to shine through. He had the ability to get what he wanted out of war. An example of this is when the Native American leader Tecumseh attempted to rally other tribes to come together and fight the Americans. Jackson led a rather mashed up force of militiamen, U.S Army soldiers, and opposing natives to fight in the Creek War, as it came to be called. He ended up defeating the enemy at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. To thank him, the U.S Government appointed him Major General of a territory covering 3 states. With this newly granted power,

Jackson negotiated a treaty with the Natives. The Creek Indians were forced to give 20 million acres of land to the United States. To say he was successful was an understatement. But this was just the beginning of the war. He was heavily respected by every man who served under him but he also was the cause for a little fear too. The army that he led faced hardships like all armies do and so some soldiers had the idea to desert and go back to their farms and jobs. If you were caught by Jackson you would face his form of punishment, a quick trial and a quick shot with the pistol to the head. He was so tough that his men said he was as tough as old hickory wood while on the battlefield, and the name stuck. He became known as Old Hickory. You cant talk about Jacksons military prowess without talking about the battle of New Orleans. The battle was the final battle of the War of 1812, the second and last war against Great Britain. America took on the only country in the world with a navy that was strong enough to attack the East Coast with a significant amount of force. Jackson originally entered the city with a very limited number of troops but quickly arranged militias from nearby areas to come to his aid. Then what he did next is what put him a cut above the rest. He didnt despair; he looked around and did what he could. First he ordered all possible engineers to strengthen the fortifications, cutting down trees to clog rivers and streams and even reinforcing a field artillery along the Mississippi. Much to the disgust of all the rest of the men, he sent letters asking the African Americans to come join and help. Jackson didnt care what others thought, he did what he needed to do. Jackson had this thing about him that made him a man that people from all walks of life will follow. The management of the whole situation at New Orleans proved that Jackson had the courage and wisdom of a natural leader. With around 6,000 men (once all the reinforcements arrived just before and during fighting) he was able to thoroughly defeat a stronger, better

equipped British force of 7,000. The Americans under Jackson suffered only 13 killed, 58 wounded, and 30 captured for a total of 101 men lost. The British on the other hand, reported their losses as 291 killed, 1,262 wounded, and 484 missing for a total of 2,037 men. Two years after the war Jackson was fighting Native Americans again. This time it was the Seminoles in Florida. President Monroe gave Jackson the order to fight against the Seminoles and Creeks. The secondary objective was to stop the runaway slaves from making a safe haven out of Florida. Jackson took that to objective to be conquering Florida to make sure slaves dont go there. It can be argued both ways about Monroes actually intentions with the order but nonetheless Jackson did want he wanted to. Within the first few battles Jackson discovered letters that proved Spain and Britain were encouraging the Natives to revolt as much as possible. Jackson went on a rampage after that, easily capturing Pensacola. This was Jacksons determined nature, accomplishing what he wanted to and completing it thoroughly. Jackson valued honor above almost every other characteristic. Honor back in that time was different than honor today. Honor back then was about your reputation. Your pride. But it was even more than that, it was the reputation of all those you cared about, the women of your life (your wife and mother and daughters) it was your dignity. Honor was life back then and it takes courage to defend your honor. It takes courage to stand up to people and run for the presidency taking slights to your honor every day. Andrew Jackson was a man of honor and he protected his honor, even to the death. He participated in 13 duels in his lifetime. In one of them he was facing a man by the name of Charles Dickinson. Jackson gave Dickinson the first shot. So Dickinson shoots first and hits Jackson, but Jackson shakes it off like a bee sting and then proceeds to kill Dickinson with his shot. The bullet from that duel remained in Jacksons body for 19 years.

Jackson had a different view of the Presidency compared to his precedents and even the founders of our country. In his opinion, the Executive branch was the primus inter pares-the first among equals. He supported this with the fact that he is the only person in all of the government elected by all the people of the nation. He represents the majority. It was with this thought Jackson took his re-election to mean oppose the bank. In 1832, four years prior to the expiration of the Banks charter its President, Nicholas Biddle, sought to extend the length of the Bank's charter. Congress passed the bill to extend the charter but Jackson vetoed it, stating that his issue was mainly in terms of the economic divisions of rich and poor, as well as the resentment of the public coming from the fact of some of its stock was held by foreigners. Its stock was held by 4,000 shareholders, 500 of them foreigners, who enjoyed profits of eight to ten percent per year. Another argument he made was that Congress, has the power to coin money, therefore a national bank could not truly be necessary to execute Congress's power. He made the 1832 presidential election one about him versus the Second National Bank. "[n]ever before had a chief executive taken a strong stand on an important issue, couched his position in provocative language, and challenged the American people to do something about it if they did not approve" (Remini, Bank War). To say that Jackson won re-election overwhelmingly is an understatement. He won 219 electoral votes to Clay's forty-nine, with another candidate receiving seven. In the spring of 1833, Jackson decided to withdraw money from the National Bank to move to other state banks. This withdrawal drained about half of the deposits of the Bank, efficiently crippling it. I believe this was a move that an effective ruler would make because he did what was in the best interest of the people as decided by the people. He didnt make any decision based on what would benefit him, only on what would benefit the people he governed.

The next episode that tested Jackson during his presidency was the nullification crisis. The nullification crisis was when South Carolina declared a federal tax void and unconstitutional. The state took measures to stop collection of the tax within the borders. This forced Jackson to act. Jackson was actually in favor of a lower tax but he declared that the Union was indivisible and he branded nullification treason. He was determined to keep the states together at all costs, using force if necessary. Andrew Jackson made a decision and stuck by it, no state is going to leave the Union. President Jackson was a man who was extremely loyal to his friends and country. Today it would have been considered cronyism, but at the time Jackson was helping out his friends who helped him. Time past and Jackson and his Vice President John Calhoun had a falling out because of Mrs. Eaton, the Nullification Crisis and Calhouns criticisms of Jacksons doings in Florida. So Jackson had to eliminate all of Calhouns friends from positions in the Government. Jackson was so loyal to his friends that when the problems arose between himself and his Vice President, friend and political ally Martin Van Buren offered to sacrifice himself to attempt to make peace, even though Van Buren was effectively neutral. Jackson wouldnt listen saying Never sir even you know little of Andrew Jackson if you suppose him capable of consenting to such a humiliation of his friend by his enemies.(Remini, Andrew Jackson) A major criticism of Jackson during his Presidency was his treatment of the natives. The policy set down my Jefferson that has been followed by all the presidents was that any natives living east of the Mississippi must become civilized and assimilate into the American culture. But Jackson knew that wherever a group of natives were that owned land, there would be white men coveting that land and willing to do anything to gain it. So that is why Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act. He wanted the natives to preserve their culture out in the west and to stop

problems from arising between the two different cultures. This was a tough decision but Jackson stuck by it. I think the best description of Andrew Jackson is by a biographer of his by the name of James Parton The first of statesmen, he never devised, he never framed a measure. He was the most candid of men, and was capable of the profoundest dissimulation. A most law-defying, lawobeying citizen. A stickler for discipline, he never hesitated to disobey his superior. A democratic autocrat. An urbane savage. The America would not be as strong as it is today without Jackson strengthening the Presidency.

Bibliography Kendall, John. "History of New Orleans ." http://penelope.uchicago.edu. uchicago.edu, n.d. Web. 20 Dec 2012. <http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Louisia na/New_Orleans/_Texts/KENHNO/6*.html>. Newbold, Rob. "The Manliness of Andrew Jackson: An Examination of His Soft, Loving Touch and His Hard Hand of Fury." http://www.lourdes.edu. http://www.lourdes.edu, n.d. Web. 20 Dec 2012. Remini, Robert V. Andrew Jackson and the Bank War. Norton & Company, 1967. Print. Remini, Robert V. Andrew Jackson: the Course of American Empire, 17671821. New York: Harper& Row, 1977. Remini, Robert V. Andrew Jackson: the Course of American Freedom, 18221832. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. Remini, Robert V. Andrew Jackson: the Course of American Democracy, 18331845. New York: Harper & Row, 1984. "The Papers of Andrew Jackson-Biography." http://thepapersofandrewjackson.utk.edu. University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Web. 20 Dec 2012. Yoo, John. Andrew Jackson and Presidential Power. 2 Charleston L. Rev. 521 (2007)