Andrew Jackson and American History

This assignment delves into the presidency of Andrew Jackson, exploring two core beliefs that shaped his leadership: reducing federal government power and promoting forceful presidential direction. It analyzes the Nullification Crisis, where South Carolina challenged federal tariffs, highlighting Jackson's response through proclamations and the Force Bill. The assignment concludes by examining Jackson's actions as a catalyst for strengthening federal authority.

Running head: AMERICAN HISTORY
American History
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

AMERICAN HOSTORY
A. The two absolute beliefs that Andrew Jackson had as a political leader and brought to his
presidency were:
1. He believed that the functions of federal government should be reduced. So he promoted such
economic programs that decreased the governmental power.
2. He was engaged in committed forceful presidential leadership. He believed that preservation
of union is necessary to achieve that.
B. The Nullification Crisis: During 1832-1833 the political confrontation between the federal
government and the South Carolina state is known as the Nullification crisis. The tariff of 1828
was employed in order to decrease the foreign competition in the American manufacturing
market and imposed high tax upon the imported manufacturers. The southern states argued that
the tariff was only in favor of the northern industry. John C. Calhoun, the vice president at
Andrew Jackson’s presidency and inhabitant of South Carolina proposed the nullification theory
that made the tariff unenforceable and unconstitutional. This constitutional theory helped to
establish the state’s right to nullify the acts of federal government within its boundaries. The
ordinance of Nullification declared that if the federal government enforced to collect any tariffs
from the southern state, it could apply secession. However, South Carolina did not succeed to
gather support from other states.
C. President Andrew Jackson transformed the federal tariff into law that South Carolina did not
agree with. In response to this, President Andrew Jackson on December 10th of the same year
issued “Proclamation to the People of South Carolina,” in order to reestablish the federal

AMERICAN HOSTORY
government’s supremacy over the state government. He passed the Force Bill in 1833 that
allowed him to use military forces to collect the tariff duties in necessary. This made the
president a hero to the American nationalists of that time. The March 15 convention of South
Carolina nullified the Force Bill.