Introduction
Andrew Jackson came to power during the Industrial Revolution of the 1820’s as a result of the failure of President Adam’s administration to provide the required changes necessary to embrace the revolution. The Industrial revolution brought about the issue of economic independence that Adam’s administration could not provide. At the time of his election, Jackson was a wealthy planter and slave owner. He was uneducated, less intelligent and thereby symbolizing many American’s ideals such as generosity, patriotism, equal opportunity and morality. This easily made him to win the support of the majority of the population across all sections of the society. Once in power, Jackson instituted various constitution changes that incorporated the common man into America’s politics. He formed his ‘kitchen cabinet’ that would regularly advice him. While in power, various issues emerged especially on the state versus the federal authority. These issues came up as a result of the tariff issues, bank war, and rotational system of appointing the cabinet and Indian removal as are discussed below.
Tariff issue
In 1828, the Federal authority decided to increase the tariff levied to each State. This was meant to boost trade within the Northern States. However, this did not go well with all the states and especially the southerners who saw Jackson’s administration as being an autocratic government that intended to oppress them. In 1832, South Carolina became the first State to object to the increase and threatened to disengage itself from the American Union. It had no trust with Jackson who opposed State Sovereignty and therefore when the tariff was passed in 1832, the State of South Carolina nullified it. They were labeled treasonous by Jackson and a military occupation was planned against it. As a result of an invasion threat, the Southerners settled for a compromise where the tariff was reduced and Carolina remained part of the federal authority. This act demonstrated Jackson’s will to rule all States, by force if necessary.
The Bank war
After the election of Jackson into office, he promised to bring down the Central bank which he claimed tried to pull him down during his campaign. Consequently, he decided that all future government deposits would go into various State banks rather than the national bank. Therefore, he withdrew all government money from the central bank into selected State banks which were called ‘Pet Banks’. Biddle, the man in charge of the Central bank on his part decided to catalyze a recession so that it could be blamed on Jackson; this plan though failed to materialize. Jackson’s war with the bank negatively impacted his support in the Congress and led to the emergence of rift between the States and the Federal authority.
Indians Removal
Jackson inherited the Indian removal policy that sought to remove all Indians who were seen as uncivilized from their ancestral homes and replacing them with ‘civilized Americans’. He thought that the Federal government had not punished the Indians hard enough. The States left behind by the Cherokee were later governed by the Federal Authority and the Indians relocated to the West of Mississippi River. Despite the Cherokee adoption of the American civilization policies, they were mercilessly removed from their States; thereby expanding the Federal government authority. An effort to establish a State within Georgia was quashed by the Supreme Court, but backed by Jackson, who took it as an opportunity to further drive the Indians away and occupy their State thus expanding the Jurisdiction of the Federal authority.
Rotational method of appointing Cabinet
Jackson employed a very unique method of appointing persons into authority; he mainly appointed his close friends in a rotational method whereby once one was fired or retired, he replaced him with another close aide irregardless of their intellectual capabilities, competence or educational background. This made him loose touch with some States especially the Southern States that saw him as practicing dictatorship and became opposed to the issue of Federalism and opted for the introduction of sovereign States. This was supported by Calhoun his vice president who was also disgruntled with Jackson’s leadership style. Consequently, a rift between the States and the Federal authority emerged since Jackson was not ready to grant sovereignty to any State.
As a result of the above circumstances, issues on the States and Federal authority begun to emerge especially on the jurisdiction of the Federal authority and the sovereignty of the States. It led to questions such as; whether all power went to the central government, hence leading to a negotiation between the Federal and the state government. This circumstances especially States rights later contributed to the emergence of the infamous American Civil war.