Essay On Henry Clay Vs Andrew Jackson

In American History, few ideological disagreements have been as important as the divide between Andrew Jackson’s Republican Party and Henry Clay’s Whig Party. Both parties were led by brilliant men whose political arguments would lay the foundation on the nature of democracy and economic development that are ever present in our national discourse. Jackson thought America should remain as it was in its current state and feared improvement whereas Henry Clay felt that America was destined for greatness and change. In order to fully understand and appreciate their national debates, a detailed analysis of the two political leader’s differences on democracy and economic development will be presented herein as well as how this debate overcame the

He led a campaign for Indian removal he saw the Indian territories as an opportunity for expansion and for cotton growth. Jackson’s Indian removal movement also tied to “the movements for economic development, territorial expansion, racial discrimination, white democracy, and the spread of slavery tightly together.” (Pg.5 Andrew Jackson vs. Henry Clay). Jackson saw himself above African Americans and Indians. He saw African Americans as slaves to grow cotton in the plantation fields and Indians harboring land for further expansion needed for cotton growth. Jackson wanted to expand the land for further cotton growth and with expansion came more slaves to actually grow the cotton. With this, came racial discrimination because white men saw African Americans and Indians as inferior and they saw themselves above the two races. There was an “assumption that Indians could never share equal rights with white people.” (Pg. 5 Andrew Jackson vs. Henry Clay). The whites didn’t see Indians on the same level as they were. They only saw their land and thought that they were in the way of their economic expansion. Whites like Jackson wanted to remove the Indians from their lands to expand territory, cotton growth, and slave

He favored the relocation of all eastern Indian tribes. Jackson only sought the whites to have more power and land he saw the Indians as a problem. Jackson claimed “removing the Indians to territory west of the Mississippi was the only way to save them.” (pg. 285 The American Promise). In the process of Indian Removal, Indian resources were destroyed and without those resources they were doomed. Jackson claimed if the Indians remained within the limits of the states surely they would soon be removed from the lands. There was a vast group of people who wanted to avoid a calamity so they sought to civilize the Indians and convert them to Christianity. Jackson however saw the Indians as “subjects of the United States (neither foreigners nor citizens) who needed to be relocated to assure their survival.” (pg. 287 The American Promise). Jackson wanted to relocate the Indians because he wanted their land for his own. It was valuable and held the required land for cotton growth. But the Cherokee Indians did not go down easy they fought for their