APUSH DBQ Essay Isabelle Krzycki Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States and

the only president in this nations history to have an era named after him. Andrew Jackson was a president who cared for his people and did only what he felt was necessary to protect the liberty of his people. Jackson acted as the first common man president rather than a king. He was the champion of the people. He selected officers best suited to fill the duties and serve their country. He enforced the Indian Removal act only to help gain land for the individual states, and enforced laws to strengthen the nation as a whole. In Jacksons First Inaugural Address in 1829 he said, I shall endeavor to select men whose diligence and talents will insure their respective stations able and faithful cooperation, depending for the advancement of the public service more on the integrity and zeal of the public officers than on the numbers. (Doc. C). Jackson was a president who was a common man who tried to the best of his abilities to help his people. He strived to select men who fit for each area of his cabinet that could help assist him in unifying this great nation. In the Indian Removal Act Jackson forced many American Indian tribes off their lands including the Cherokee. All the tribes had fought back and resulted in a lot of bloodshed but the Cherokee had taken a different approach at trying to keep their land. They had taken their case before the Supreme Court. The case was entitled Worchester vs. Georgia (1832, John Marshall), which says, It established tribal autonomy within their boundaries, i.e. the tribes were distinct political communities, having territorial boundaries within their authority is exclusive. (Doc. F). John Marshall, the Supreme Court judge basically had ruled that they had the authority to establish tribes and retain

their land. The court had ruled in their favor of retaining their land. Jackson was persistent though in driving them out of their lands as well, regardless of what happened in the court. In President Jacksons second annual address in 1833, he said, the consequences of a speedy removal will be important to the United States, to individual states, and to the Indians themselves.(Doc.E). The Indian Removal Act was enforced by Jackson only to put things to rest that needed to be put to rest and to strengthen everyone as a whole. Jackson claimed that it even helped the Indians as well as the people. He said, It will separate the Indians from immediate contact with settlements of whites, free them from the power of the states, and enable them to pursue happiness in their own way. He took into consideration the effects of the act on all parties. He did it only to strengthen everyone especially his people in the hopes to strengthening and unifying the United States as a nation. The Indians did have to travel a great ways, some as many as a thousand miles and some had to do it in the winter, this is known as the trail of tears. The farthest ways away was South Carolina and had to travel all the way to the Indian lands which were near Arkansas.(Doc. G). Jackson was a man who took great care in bettering the United States but was not afraid of telling the people what would happen if they all didnt do their duty as a whole to help as well. In 1830 Jackson is quoted, If it be expected that the people of this country will be reckless of their constitutional obligations, prefer their local interest to the principles of the union, such expectations will end in disappointment, or if not be so then the world has little to hope from example of free government.(Doc. I) In 1833 the force bill was enacted which gave Jackson the authority to use whatever force was necessary to enforce federal tariffs. The force bill says, the union

must be preserved.(Doc. J.). It was enacted to stop such states from feeling they couldnt pay taxes or just nullify laws when they felt it was convenient. It was a compromise of the tariff issue that had been going on. In the source King Andrew Political cartoon of 1832, its a picture of Jackson proposed as a king. But thats not right, why would he do all these things because he was a king. He worked in joint cooperation with Congress and his formal cabinet. A monarch or a king has absolute power. Jackson did not do that, he did what he felt was right and was in support of a free government.(Doc. L). In a Hero of two wars: Battle of New Orleans, 1815 and War of 1812 and The Seminole Wars, 1817. It shows Jackson as a hero, this was before he was ever president. He was indeed a war hero before he was elected as president and helped him gain presidency. He showed his courage and valor in support of his country before he even ever became the president of the United States.(Doc. A) Andrew Jackson was a great man, a great president, a common man, and a champion of the people. He did what he felt was right even in the face of adversity. He did what was best for the people and for the strengthening of everyone as a whole. He selected officers best suited to serve, enforced and enacted laws to protect everyone, and reminded the people of their obligations and duties as well. He did all those things, but he was not a king, anything but that. He was far from being a king. He supported the idea of a free government.