Andrew Jackson - 1

Andrew Jackson - 1

The Age of Jackson
Did Andrew Jackson create a broader democracy and freedom for Americans during his presidency? How could he have, when there was only one group of people benefiting? You cannot have a broad democracy if not everyone has a voice. He determined who mattered and I do not believe that is fair or in any way, beneficial to America.
Andrew Jackson was popular in the west and the south. He was a friend of white settler’s and the common white man. He took a hard stance on Indian policy. The Cherokees were only one of the tribes who in my opinion, suffered from Jackson’s poor decision making during his presidency. The Cherokees adopted the ways of white people so they would be left alone. Georgia placed them under state laws; they annulled Cherokee laws, they annulled their right to make laws at all. They legally defined Cherokee’s as; “tenants on land, belonging to the state of Georgia”. This was a major problem because it was the federal government that had authority over Indian tribes, not state governments. However, Georgia ignored this rule and made them follow state laws.
Jackson’s most important measure during his presidency was The Indian Removal Act; he sided with the south authorities. He appears to be a friend of the Indians but he was not. He had no regard for their rights or feelings. Jackson advises them to move beyond the Mississippi River or submit to the state laws and he provided no federal protection for the Indians that were being harassed by state agents who wanted them to move. Later, Jackson sent in the army, but that was only to round up and force out Indians that were not complying. The Trail of Tears was such a sad and horrible period of time, as many as one fourth of all Indians that moved, died of hunger and mistreatment.
Cherokee Nation took the state of Georgia to federal court in 1831, for violating the constitution. Georgia’s treaties and their forced removal were all unconstitutional. One of the most important...

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