1. Why was Andrew Jackson such a personally powerful embodiment of the new mass democracy in the 1820s and 1830s? Would mass democracy have developed without a popular hero like Jackson?

Andrew Jackson : Mass Democracy

Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States of America . Administration of Andrew Jackson seems to be rather controversial issue and a matter for debates . It is claimed that Andrew Jackson was such a personally that powerfully embodied the development of the new mass democracy in the 1820s and 1830s . Despite lots of controversy , Andrew Jackson was very powerful , self-confident and firm of purpose . He was true leader who always achieved what he wanted Actually , due to his decisiveness people saw that changes were possible

and they though Jackson was the only chance for better living (Zinn 1999

All these (even negative ) traits help him to promote and make people follow his ideas about mass democracy . Jackson announced that he was President for common people meaning that he was willing to improve the welfare of the nation . Furthermore , he tended to develop democracy by expanding and implementing new suffrage . Nevertheless , Andrew Jackson significantly differs from well-educated and intelligent ex-presidents of the country . And this difference , in my opinion , made him popular leader (Zinn 1999

But I think that mass democracy would appear even without Andrew Jackson . Many historians claim that he was tyrannical , selfish and egocentric thinking only himself and contradicting democratic values he promoted and proclaimed . For example , it is necessary to mention the removal of Cherokee Indians . I think that Andrew Jack was filled with prejudice and was racist in certain way . Jackson intensified the conflict between the Indians and Americans by invading their lands Jackson ignored the decision of the Supreme Court and gathered large army to oust the Indians from their houses and to make them move westward . Such behavior could hardly be called democratic . Summing up he was a true leader during 1820-1840s , but I don 't agree that he was a true democrat (Zinn 1999

References

Zinn , Howard (1999 .As Long as the Grass Grows or Water Runs : A Peoples History of the United States : 1492 to Present . New York City : Harper Collins

PAGE

PAGE 1...