This era in American History was dominated by the visions of two presidents, Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Each articulated policies that attempted to transform America into a society that reflected their interpretations of the meaning and expectations of the American Revolution.
President Jackson’s crusade to extend the blessings of democracy to the “common man” helped articulate a burgeoning notion of what today we refer to as “The American Dream.” However, Jackson’s vision was certainly limited in its application as the expansion of “Jacksonian Democracy” for some citizens often came at the expense of others. Highly controversial in his time, Jackson’s legacy is still very complicated and continues to be the source of much debate amongst historians. In your analysis of these documents, please address the following four (4) questions in an essay with a MINIMUM length of Two (2) FULL Pages:
1. Do you agree with President Jackson’s conclusions of the necessity for an Indian Removal Policy? Why or why not?
2. Do you agree with President Jackson’s assessment of the faults of the Bank of the United States and its supporters? Why or why not?
3. Is President Jackson’s arguments against South Carolina’s attempts at nullifying federal laws persuasive? Why or why not?
4. Based upon your reading of these documents, can you better understand why President Trump might try to model himself after President Jackson? What positive trait(s) of Jackson can you envision Trump attempting to emulate? What are the potential dangers of President Trump linking his administration to that of President Jackson?