Andrew Jackson DBQ Since the founding of the Constitution, the leaders of the U.S. have preserved the supremacy of the federal government over local governments. However, during the 1820s and 1830s, the Jacksonian Democracy was formed. Followers of Andrew Jackson believed the Constitution was made to protect state rights. They believed in having as little strong government as possible and believed in the rule of the “common man.” One area that they did not tolerate, though, was foreign immigrants and the Indians. These actions of Jackson made people question if he was as democratic as described. Jackson, though identified as a Democrat, his actions of using the spoils system, vetoing the bill of the Second Bank of the United States, and his intolerance towards the Indians, make a person think twice about his …show more content…
He wanted to bring the federal government down so the common man could rule society. When he was elected, he used the spoils system, where there was rotation in office to allow for political diversity and compatibility in office which turned out to be a bad decision. Document D states, “Jackson believed that when a new president was elected, he had the right and the responsibility to "clean house" and appoint fresh people to government positions.” He never realized that the usage of the spoils system could make him lose a fortune until Swartwout. Document E explains, “He liked Swartwout because he had been an early supporter, and so he went ahead with the appointment. In time, of course, Swartwout absconded with $1,222,705.09.” This shows how he weakened the democratic principle that positions of power should be filled by those most qualified for the job, demonstrating his undemocratic rule, by assigning people to government jobs based more on their political loyalty than their