Essay About President Jackson And Bank Of The United States Of America

Walt Whitman
Essay title: Walt Whitman
For quite some time Americans have been led to believe that
during the 1820s and 30s,
Jacksonian Democrats were the guardians of the people, and
worked to improve the nation for
the people. The truth remains, however, that during this
period, President Jackson vetoed a bill
to recharter the Bank of the United States of America,
infringed on the rights of Native
Americans, used “brute” force to bring Southerners under
submission during the Tariff of 1832.
He enacted the Spoils System which did not guarantee the
best leadership, and was morally
corrupt. Although the nations economy and political
democracy flourished during the reign of
President Jackson, constitutional rights, equal opportunity
and individual liberties were
discouraged.
In her 1834 visit to America, british author Harriet
Martineau wrote of the nations
economy being strong and properous. The absence of poverty
and ignorance and independence of
every man are some of the observations she recorded (D).
The national economy did in fact
boom during the 1820s and early 30s. With Samuel Slaters
introduction of the “Factory System”
to America, and Eli Whitneys Cotton Gin, the United
States speed in manufacturing textiles
increased rapidly. In 1837, however, America experienced a
tremendous financial depression.
Bad land speculation, and the fall of the Federal Bank (due
to Jacksons failure to recharter the
Bank in 1832) were the two main factors that caused the
financial crisis.
Consequently, along with the inflation of the nations
economy, working environments
drastically changed. Quaint “master and apprentice shops”
were quickly overtaken by
uncomfortably crowded factories. While owners of assembly
plants enjoyed a luxurious living,
workers were subject to poor working conditions, low
salaries, and meager meals. Because
wages were so low, whole families were required to work in
order to pay costs of living. This
exploited children as young as ten years old. Because of
these conditions and the exploitaion of
children, relationships between employers and employees
were very professional, and cold. These
emotions were reflected in “The Working Mens Declaration
of Independence” (A). It wasnt
until the 1840s that Labor Unions were granted by the
President, and workers began to finally
receive the protection needed to secure their rights as
workers and Americans.
In his Diary from 1828-1851, Phillip Hone recorded
observations of what he noticed
during two riots between the Irish and Americans. He also
speaks about quarrels between the
Irish and Blacks, and Blacks and Whites (E). It is
important to understand what was happening
between