oo College Prep FormA |? Name: How Democratic Was Andrew Jackson? A Document-Based Question (DBQ) ly US History Ms. Walsh and Mr. Gomes ions: First, complete the guiding questions for the attached documents. You will have two days of class to do this. Next, we will use these documents to develop a thesis that answers the question, How democratic was Andrew Jackson? Historical Content: Most presidents make decisions that either do or not include the voice of all Americans. President Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) was no exception. To many Americans, he was the “hero of the common man.” To others he was no better than King George III of England, | Your task is to analyze these documents to defend your answer to, How democratic was Andrew Jackson? What is Being democratic meant that all branches of the government must follow and listen to the wishes of the People. Furthermore, a democracy is meant to support social and political equality for all Purpose: This assignment is designed to develop and assess your abilty to: * Analyze historical documents * Use the documents to craft a thesis statement * Defend your thesis with evidence from the text in the form of a five-paragraph essaymembers of te electoral college Sa States, Part 2.1976 Source: Adspied trom Mistrial StavbtCs of Ne Methods of Electing Presidential Electors: 1816 to 1836 ins reel rs 1818 1620S 182818281832‘ 1886 Ad in office New York L L L P P P (8344-1937 el Georgia L Lt L P P P pee UE hr lr oe ne ee sae rer oe ee Peer ear OGL OEE, EE, WA naar 1.) Whagis more democratic, a Presidential Elector chosen by “L.” or by “P”? Explain. 2) According tosis chaxh was the method of electing a president becoming more democratic uring the pines ies not fete idence for ouranswer] ~~ Uy Tooke FS ft wey was becoming more cemocmtic econ 1a, \eor “ie \O states ed Ale te eePender: Q\ pau te viding wtstions , a at Source: Reoried by pemission of PK. Yonge Libary of Florida History, Unversity of Ponca Hermitage, August 27th, 1822 Dv. Broncugh, Thaa the pleasure on last evening to receive your letter of the 22nd. lt affords me great pleasure to be informed of your Flattering prospects of success on your election (as Florida “Territory's first delegate to the House of Representatives)... If the soldiers shoulA be aduittred te vote you ave sate, the army will stick by you.... Under existing circumstances, it would be lmpolitic & unjust te make a property qualification. Residence alone, in justice to all, shoula be vequived. This is the only...rule that can ve established until your laud HHes are adjudicated, and your Vacant land...brought onto the marker. Then in your constitution you com adopt such qualifi- cations as you may think proper For the happiness, security, & prosperity of the state. Until then all freemen of six months vesidence should be entitlea to a vote... Andvew Jackson 1. What is Jackson's opinion on who should be allowed to vote in the Territory of Florida in 1822? 2. “Igthis a democratic view? Why of why not? suis a cemoceneniew’ Does it © ceed the Aiveot voice d wishes of te pee ple? Ann oR @ faronote suit tet man eauatity® lindoding equal oppurrnity)Document E 6 ‘Sour: Reed by peminon ol Leary of Cen, idograph, 182, LCUSZED 152 Note: Caron appear pretation 82 BORN TO COMMAND. oF VETO MEMORY. CELTASNOD NAGE 1 CVE 1. Does the cartoonist view Andrew Jackson as democratic or undemocratic? 2. What details does the cartoonist include to make his argument? Give at least threeDocument F ———— Source: James D. Richardson, A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1789-1962, 1905, Andrew Jackson's Bank Veto Message to Congress July 10, 1832 I sincerely regret that in the act before me I can perceive none of those modifications of the bank charter which are necessary, in my opinion, to make it compatible with justice, with sound policy, or with the Constitution of our country.... The present Bank of the United States...enjoys an exclusive privilege of banking.... almost a monopoly of the foreign and domestic exchange. It appears that more than a fourth part of the stock is held by foreigners and the (rest) is held by a few hundred of our own citizens, chiefly of the richest class. Of the twenty-five directors of this bank five are chosen by the Government and twenty by the citizen stockholders... It is easy to conceive that great evils to our country...ight flow from such a concentration of power in the hands of a few men irresponsible to the people. Is there no danger to our liberty and independence in a bank that in its nature has so litte to bind it to our country? Itis to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes. 1. Whatis Jackson's general opinion about Te national bank? 2. What are two of Jackson’s specific criticisms of the bank? 3._ Is Jackson’s position on the national bank democratic or undemocratic? Why?Document G ‘Source: Daniel Webster, July 11, 1892. Daniel Webster's Reply to Jackson’s Bank Veto Message July 11, 1832 (President Jackson's message) extends the grasp of (the chief executive) over every. Power of the government... It sows...the seeds of jealousy and ill-will against the government of which its author is the official head. It raises a cry that liberty is in danger, at the very moment when it puts forth claims to powers heretofore unknown and unheard of... It manifestly seeks to inflame the poor against the rich, it wantonly attacks whole classes of the people, for the purposes of tuning against them the prejudices and resentments of the other classes. 1. What does US Senator Daniel Webster think about Jackson's bank message? 2 Does Webster think Jackson's bank veto is democratic? Why of why not?Document H _& ——— > —____ Source: Senate Documents, 21st Congress, 1820-1830. Andrew Jackson's Letter To Congress December 8, 1829 The duties of all public officers ave...so plain and simple that men of intelligence may veadily quality themselves Per their performance; and Lulvelieve Hhak more is lost by the long continnance of men in office than is generally to be gained by thelr experience. | submit, therefore, te your Consideration whether the efficiency of the government would nek be. Promoted...and integrity better secured by a general extension of the lew which mits appointments te four yeas. In a country where offices ave created sclely for the benefit of the people, ne ohe man has any wore...vight to official station than another. Offices weve wot established to give support to particular men at the public expense. No individual wrong is, therefore, Aone by vemovall, since neither appointment to ner Continuance in office is a matter of vight. 1 For how long does Jackson believe an appointed official should hold that office? 2 Why does Jackson fel itis good to limit the terms of government office holders? 3. Is this a democratic or undemocratic point of view? Explain,Document I —— ‘Souroe: Rober V. Remini, The Life of Andrew Jackson, 1988. Reprinted by permission trom Harper Colins Publishers, Inc. from The Lite of Andrew Jackson, Copyrght (c}1888 by Robert V. Remini. One bit of advice (Secretary of State) Van Buren offered (Jackson) ‘concerned the appointment of the collector of the Port of New York. This was a very sensitive and important position. Some $15 million annually passed through the collector's hands. If any post needed a man of the highest integrity it was this ‘one. And when Van Buren learned that Jackson intended to appoint Samuel ‘Swartwout to the office he almost collapsed. Not only did Swartwout have ‘criminal tendencies but the Regency detested him. Van Buren alerted the President ‘immediately and wamed him that Swartwout's appointment would “not be in accordance with public sentiment, the interest of the Country or the eredit of the administration.” Unfortunately, Jackson refused to listen. He liked Swartwout because he had been an early supporter ~ unlike Van Buren ~ and so he went ahead with the appointment, In time, of course, Swartwout absconded with $1,222,705.09. It was a monumental theft.... Jackson was mottified. ‘When the scandal broke, Jackson's opponents doubled over with laughter, All the talk about rooting out corruption in government, they said, and here the greatest theft in the history of the Republic occurred in the General's own administration.... Here, then, was the bitter fruit of rotation, hooted the President's critics. Here the dreadful consequence of denying the government the service of an clite bureaucracy in order to serve some idealistic democratic principle, |. Who was Samuel Swartout? What did Swartout do? Does the Swartout case strengthen or weaken Jackson's argument on rotating official appointments to government office? Explain,Document K oe Souree: “Mernorial of the Cherokee Nation." as repriniad in Niles Weekly Rogistey, August 21, 1830. ‘We wish to remain on the land of our fathers. We have a perfect and original right ‘to remain without interruption or molestation... But if we are compelled to leave our country, we see nothing but ruin before us. The country west of the Arkansas territory is unknown to us.... The far greater part of that region is, beyond all controversy, badly supplied with food and water; and no Indian tribe can live as agriculturalists without these articles. All our neighbors...would speak a language totally different from ours, and practice different customs... It contains neither the scenes of our childhood, nor the graves of our fathers. Shall we be compelled by a civilized and Christian people, with whom we have lived in perfect peace for the last forty years, and for whom we have willingly bled in war, to bid adieu to our homes, our farms, our streams and our beautiful forests? No. We are still frm.... Our consciences bear us witness that we are the invaders of no man's rights — we have robbed no man of his territory — we have usurped no man’s authority, nor have we deprived any one of his unalienable privileges. How then shall we indirectly confess the right of another people to our land by leaving it forever? On the soil which ccontains the ashes of our beloved men we wish to live — on this soil we wish to die.... 1, List THREE reasons why the Cherokee feel Jackson’s policies are undemocratic.Document L ‘Source: Map cxwated from vavious sources. INDIAN REMOVAL, 1831-18405. 1+ According to the map, what happened to the Choctaw, Cherokee, and Creek people in the 1830s and 40s? ig to the map, PP peopluw Document N si ——————— Souree: H. Eaton, Treatise on the Intallectual Chacacter and Civil and Poltical Condition of the Colored People of the United States, 1837. Jackson's Call “To the Free Coloured Inhabitants of Louisiana” before the Battle of New Orleans, September 21, 1814 Through a mistaken policy you have heretofore been deprived of a participation in the glorious struggle for national rights, in which our country is engaged. This shall no longer exist... To every noblehearted free man of color, voluntecring to serve to the present contest with Great Britain and no longer, there will be paid the same bounty in money and lands now received by the white soldiers of the United States, viz. $124 in money, and 160 acres of land. The non-commis- sioned officers and privates will also be entitled to the same monthly pay and daily rations sand clothes furnished to any American soldier. On enrolling yourselves in companies, the major general com- manding will select officers for your government, from your fellow white citizens, Your non-commissioned officers will be appointed from among yourselves. Due regard will be paid to the feelings of freemen and soldiers. ‘You will not, by being associated with white men in the same corps, be exposed to improper comparisons or unjust sarcasm. As a distinct, indepen- dent battalion or regiment, pursuing the path of glory, you will, undivided, receive the applause and gratitude of your countrymen. 1. When and under what condition (.e., during what event) did Jackson make this written appeal? 2. Does this appeal provide evidence that Jackson was democratic in his regard for black Americans? Explain why 1 why not.Document 0 ——————— ‘Souree: Robert Remini, Life of Andrew Jackson, 1988. Slave Holdings of Andrew Jackson. 1 ee Note: Andrew Jackson served as 120 Prete om 1829-9837 0 60 30 0° 1794 1798 1820 1829 ma 18308 1. How many slaves did Jackson own during the years of his presidency? 2. Can aman be both a slave holder and a supporter of democracy? Why or why not?