An Opinion on The Justifiable Actions of Andrew Jackson as The American President

In the viewpoint of an American, I believe that the actions Jackson took were justifiable. Without his effective dealings with the Native Americans, we might not have as much land as we do today. He also fought against the Second Bank of the United States along with other banks and moneymen for the sake of the poor people of the United States.

Yes, he did take land from Native Americans which can be viewed horribly. In the viewpoint of a bystander, it would seem like the Colonist came to America to steal land from the Native Americans. But this is not the point I am arguing today. Jackson was known by his second name "Sharp Knife" which he got during the war of 1812. He courageously took charge during multiple battles with the Native Americans along with opposing powers in the United States, the big defining battle that won him his nickname was the Battle of Horseshoe Bend where the "Red Sticks [were] shattered, 800 to 900 of them killed" (Ripper, 2008). With the Red Sticks being one of the main Native American forces opposing the United States in the time, their defeat led to heavy land loss to the Americans. In total "thirty-five chiefs signed away millions of acres. Only one of those chiefs was a Red Stick. The rest had been Jackson’s allies in the war, allies whom Jackson now betrayed" (Ripper, 2008). Not only was Jackson taking land from the Red Sticks but also his allies in the war who fought alongside him. To Native Americans struck heavy, knowing that they would have to relocate even further due to this. To the average American in the time it was revolutionary, and many adored Jackson due to this. The United States at the time was still small and was trading and stealing land from the Native Americans in the hope of westward expansion. The United States today would not have been as big as it is if the war of 1812 did not go in the United States' favor. Jackson then continued his fight against the Native Americans as a major general, one of his big victories which was the Battle of New Orleans, "Jackson followed through on old grievances and designs: punishing the Spanish and their Indian allies and taking Florida for the United States" (Ripper, 2008). During his second term as president. he expressed that his hatred towards the Native Americans surrounding his land, which led to him enforcing the removal of Native Americans, specifically the Cherokee from Georgia and forcing them westward. Marshall's Supreme Court ruled against it but "Jackson would not enforce the Court’s ruling" (Ripper, 2008), controversial as it was, it led to more land being a part of the United States, once again expanding the United States to the benefits of the citizens of the United States.

Jackson's actions he took against the Bank of the United States also proved to be beneficial. In "1819, a year of bad banking—a bad year for just about everybody" (Ripper, 2008). Due to this the Bank of the United States tried to limit the flow of money, they started taking actions like calling in the notes from other banks to regulate its value. Jackson believed that the federal government should not interfere with state affairs more than needed. During Jackson's second term as president, he essentially killed the Bank of the United States by removing the money and putting it in smaller banks giving more control to the states. He also believed there were some reasonable uses of federal power, "during his second term in office, he had to face down the rogue state of South Carolina when it tried to nullify a federal law" (Ripper, 2008). They were trying to nullify a law believing it was more beneficial to New England merchants then it was to them. Jackson had to threaten "South Carolina with federal military intervention if it did not relent and obey federal laws" (Ripper, 2008), due to them being persistent about nullifying the law. He did all these in the belief that it was detrimental to the United States which led to him interfering with what he thought was wrong.

To Native Americans in the time, Jackson did horrible stuff, especially with the removal of the Native Americans from their land. It was beneficial to the United States and its citizens, as it opened more opportunities to people. He also went against the supreme court and many federal laws, also vetoing a bill killing the Bank of the United States, all because he believed it was beneficial to the people of the United States which made him loved by the common folk. Speaking in an American's point of view, he helped the United States greatly and his actions were justifiable in their eyes. My question would be "How else has the United States (or people in general), make choices that would be beneficial to them but disadvantageous to others?"