Review of James K. Polk and his Time: Essays at the Conclusion of the Polk Project (original) (raw)

A Critical Analysis of Andrew Jackson's Presidency

, the seventh president of the United States, is undoubtedly the most influential and controversial American politician of the 1830s. His presidency was an era that featured critical positive developments in the social, political, and economic spheres of domestic policy. On the social scene, the removal of the Native American tribes from the territory of the United States that culminated in the Indian Removal Act of 1830 is one of such critical developments that occurred during the presidency concerned. Additionally, the era's impact on the American economy is best exemplified by Jackson's contribution to the deconstruction of the Second Bank of the United States and the subsequent panic in 1837. Further, Jackson's political ideology shaped the relationship between the federal government and the states, and defined the states' rights and prerogatives through his approach to the Nullification Crisis. However, there is a lack of consensus among scholars of history regarding the legacy of Andrew Jackson's presidency. Some scholars view him as a defender of the common citizen's rights and interests while others believe that he was a dictator, a racist, and an enemy of the Union. Consequently, this paper seeks to undertake a critical assessment of Andrew Jackson's presidency to illustrate the proposition that his legacy is both positive and negative. The implication of this discussion's position is that the dominant opposing points of view are both true for the following three reasons. First, Jackson's role in the Nullification crisis was positive with regard to its long-term stabilization of the Union, although it also extensively increased the power of the central government at the expense of the states. Secondly, the policy stance towards the Native Americans led to the loss of their ancestral land and caused them suffering but it also introduced a civil and more effective framework for Indian-Anglo relations. Lastly, although Jackson's aggressive position towards the national bank during the Bank War led to an aftermath of