Is Andrew Jackson a hero or a villain? Throughout history Jackson has been viewed as both. Some see him as a war hero and the people’s president. Others see him as a racist and a political tyrant. To me, Andrew Jackson is more of a hero. One reason I believe Andrew Jackson is a hero is because he worked hard to empower the common people. The source: Thomas Bailey and David Kennedy, The American Pageant, 1994 states, “Jackson’s victory accelerated the transfer of national power from the country house to the farmhouse, from the East to the West, from the snobs to the mobs. If Jefferson had been the hero of the gentleman farmer, Jackson was the hero of the dirt farmer.” The quote shows that Jackson equalized the power between the wealthy and …show more content…
One example of this is that he believed the people should be the ones to directly elect the president. As stated in the source: Robert Remini, Andrew Jackson and The Course of American Empire, Vol. III, 1984 “He proceeded from the idea that all offices - whether appointed or elected - must ultimately fall under the absolute control of the people. Appointed offices should be rotated, preferably every four years. Elected offices must be filled directly by the people. In keeping with the principle, Jackson tried to abolish the College Electors (those who choose the president) by Constitutional amendment.” This quote shows President Jackson’s heroism in fighting for the people to have the power to elect their president directly. Many people would disagree and say Andrew Jackson is a villain, he did do things that were frowned upon. Probably the most negative thing is the Indian Removal Act. Although this act was harsh, to some it overshadows the good that Jackson did. In the source: Letter from Elias Boudinot, Cherokee Indian, Elias says, “Removal, then, is the only remedy, the only practical remedy. Our people may finally rise from their very ashes, to become prosperous and happy, and a credit to our race.” The quote is from a Cherokee Indian agreeing that the removal might be the best thing for the Native Americans. Andrew Jackson is a hero because he worked to bring more democracy to the