Andrew Jackson: The First Imperial President

Watch more videos: http://lrnlbty.co/y5tTcY

According to Professor Amy H. Sturgis, Andrew Jackson frequently appears in top ten lists of great Presidents of the United States. The following reasons are often given to justify Jackson's high ranking among Presidents:

1) Jackson was a champion of the common man
2) Son of the frontier
3) A war hero
4) An enemy of the elite
5) A champion of the United States Union.

Sturgis argues that most of these reasons are in fact myths when they are analyzed in greater depth. For instance, Jackson engaged in several unauthorized activities during war like invading foreign territory that he was not authorized to invade and executing non-US citizens he was not authorized to execute.

Additionally, many of the reform efforts that came out of the so-called Jacksonian revolution made Jackson appear as a champion of the common man. However, the Jacksonian revolution did not align with Jackson the leader or Jackson the man. For instance, part of the Jacksonian revolution was the abolition movement, yet, Jackson himself owned salves until the day he died.

Jackson's battle with the National Bank, Sturgis argues, gave the illusion that Jackson was an enemy of the elite. Although Jackson was constitutionally sound in challenging the National Bank, his reasons for doing so were more personal, rather than legal.

For more information on Jackson's Presidency from this perspective, read the following two books:

1) Old Hickory's War: Andrew Jackson and the Quest for Empire: http://amzn.to/Azi7Wa
2) The Passions of Andrew Jackson: http://amzn.to/xKJQ8q

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Andrew
• Jackson
• America
• United States
• imperial
• president
• war
• hero
• leader
• history
• video
• Jacksonian
• revolution
• Learnliberty
• learn liberty
• liberty
• freedom
• educational

[kkingcombo12345]

Jackson killed the second central bank. We need someone to do that today.

[christmt3]

@kkingcombo12345 Ron Paul is the man trying to do that my friend.

[BogartWestern]

@CODScumBags probably one of the dumbest comments that is actually trying to sound smart i've ever read. and this is 2012, and you say that shit. you, sir, are an asshole.

[BogartWestern]

@CODScumBags the point is that everyone who looks to jackson as a champion of modern liberty needs to reevaluate why they actually like him. just because he broke the national bank doesn't mean he was about liberty. obviously, slavery and preventing people from having rights isn't championing liberty. it is a big deal. that's why paul is considered a racist for his newsletters, and why everyone who likes ron paul is going to end up voting for romney or whoever the gop thinks can be obama.

[CODScumBags]

Some good points. However owning slaves, being against women's rights and wanting to duel is not that big of a deal, when you consider the time in history. Nearly every civilization in history has owned slaves, it's not a big deal, stop trying to make it sound so evil.

[CODScumBags]

@kkingcombo12345 That someone is Dr. Ron Paul!

[SickBritKid]

@mersk100

Yeah, and you're the one who threw the first punch by calling me "Miss South Carolina" and making implications at my supposed lack of intelligence by snidely saying "Africa's a continents, LOLZ!"

So yeah, the whole thread's here for everyone to see.

[mersk100]

@SickBritKid ROFL, now you're a liar on two counts. The thread is there to see.

[SickBritKid]

@mersk100

Also, you're one to bitch about personal insults considering that you were the one who insulted me, first. So your pretentious claim of moral superiority is laughable.