Andrew Jackson: Champion of the Common
Man or “King Andrew”?
Key Tenets of Jacksonian Democracy
Belief in the common manRepresented the interests of the people, not
the special interests of the Eastern elite
Expanded white male suffrageNominating conventions replaced legislative
caucuses of party leaders
Supported patronage – the policy of placing political supporters in office“To the victors belong the spoils”
Jackson & the Bank
Jackson distrusted the BUS because he thought it was monopolistic
1832 Jackson vetoed a bill to renew the BUS charter, making him popular with the common people
Jackson & the BankAfter winning the 1832 election, Jackson set
out to kill the bankWanted to illegally withdraw federal funds &
redeposit the money into state “pet banks”
Bank Pres. Nicholas Biddle responded by raising interest rates & calling in loans owed by state banks
ResultsLed to an increase in the number of state
banks that issued their own currency Pushed the nation toward economic
instability & a depression in 1837