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The Great Impact On American History

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Throughout United States history, several presidents have stood out for making a big impact on shaping the foundation the nation was built on. Thomas Jefferson was elected as the nation’s third president in 1800 and served two terms (249). Andrew Jackson was elected as the nation’s seventh president in 1828 and also served two terms (349). Both presidents ultimately held the same ideals. Jackson actually considered himself a Jeffersonian Republican, although Jefferson did not particularly like Jackson (332). Jackson’s party title changed because the political party system during his election consisted of his supporters, who called themselves the Democratic Republicans, the Democrats, or the Jacksonian Democrats. The opposition called themselves the National Republicans (324). Both presidents were their party leaders. These two presidents were similar in their ability to make a big impact on American history. Jefferson and Jackson were more alike as presidents than they were different through their actions to support an agrarian republic, their desire to uphold states’ rights by shrinking the federal government, and their belief in a strict interpretation of the Constitution. One of the many similarities between Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson was their vision for an agrarian society. Jefferson believed that large, crowded cities would create tyranny and destroy the Union (216). Jackson was from the backwoods of Tennessee and supported those living in the remote areas.

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