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Analyzing Andrew Jackson's Policies and Presidency

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Andrew Jackson's Policies and Presidency Andrew Jackson was the seventh president, serving from 1829-1837. Nicknamed "Old Hickory," he left an indelible imprint on the nation that extends beyond his face adorning the twenty dollar bill. Jackson split the preexisting Republican Party into the Whig and Democratic Parties, establishing the dual-party structure that exists today. He was the first president who came from a rural, deep Southern background (he was born in the rustic woods of South Carolina) and his impoverished country upbringing informed his presidential policies. As someone who also captained the premier national political position, Jackson is responsible for bringing the experience and voice of the common man to the federal government. This essay will explore three of the most salient aspects of Jackson's presidency: the Nullification Crisis of 1832, the National Bank episode of 1833-34, and the treatment of American Indians and slaves. At the time of Jackson's election, there existed a protective tariff that aided big businesses and domestic transportation initiatives. However, the tariff was met unfavorably by the South, which felt that the tariff's ultimate purpose was to strengthen the industrial north at the expense of the agrarian south. Jackson's vice president, John Calhoun, campaigned on behalf of the South and attempted to nullify the tariff law within the South Carolina state borders. His premise was based on a provision settled in 1798 declaring

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