Is Andrew Jackson a Pillar of American History?

 

Introduction:  The examination of Andrew Jackson into the potential placement of the “Pillar of American History”.  The class has voted to place George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as two of the pillars of American history.  Now we must examine the third candidate for placement, Andrew Jackson.  Jackson’s legacy is complicated, as he was responsible for shaping the future of America in ways that still resound with us today, perhaps more so than any other president.  Jackson was responsible for the victory at the Battle of New Orleans, bringing a sense of nationalism to the country, helping expand voting rights, helping to rehaul the political party system, shaping the presidency in ways that shocked his colleagues and won him supporters and enemies alike.  Jackson’s refusal to allow secession was a cornerstone used later by Lincoln himself during the Civil War.  However, Jackson was also a man of fierce beliefs, and at times his beliefs blinded him to the harm his actions caused.  Jackson was so obsessed with national security that he went stubbornly along with his Indian Removal Act.  The enforcement of the act lead to the infamous Trail of Tears, a monstrous event that forcibly removed Native Americans from their lands.  However, the result also has been argued to have saved the five civilized tribes despite the horrible execution of the plan. 

So, it is the duty of this “council” to look at the entire body of work of Andrew Jackson and determine if he deserves a place alongside George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as one of the crucial “Pillars of American History”.

SOL:  CE.1f) The student will demonstrate skills for historical thinking, geographical analysis, economic decision-making, and responsible citizenship by determining multiple cause-and-effect relationships that impact political and economic events.

Task:  You are on the board of the new museum dedicated to the founding of American History.  Your current task is to review the many presidents of the United States and determine who is and is not influential enough to be considered as one of the Pillars of our country.  Today's candidate for this honor is Andrew Jackson.

 

As you do this, you must ask yourself the following questions.

1. Did the life of Andrew Jackson leave an everlasting mark on the United States?
2. Did Andrew Jackson help to shape and influence the course of the United States?  If so, how?
3. Does Andrew Jackson’s reputation (both loved and reviled by many) a matter of concern as you consider his position?  Abraham Lincoln was hated by roughly half of the United States during his day, but we still consider him a Pillar.  Does Jackson get the same sort of pass? 
4. What are the lasting legacies that Jackson has left behind that can still be seen even to this day in our country?
5. Are mistakes acceptable in finding someone a Pillar of the country?  Jackson’s attitude towards Native Americans resulted in the Trail of Tears.  Is that event enough to wipe out the multitude of good he did over the course of his career?

 

Items you will need to consider:

 

Jacksons interactions during the Revolutionary War

Jacksons interactions with Native Americans during his early Tennessee frontier days

The beginnings of “Old Hickory”

The Creek War

The Battle of New Orleans

Jackson’s Florida Campaign

The Jackson Presidential Campaign

Jackson’s huge influence on the direction of the White House/Presidency

Jackson’s role in the closure of the Second National Bank

Jackson’s role in the Nullification Crisis of 1832

Jackson effect on the Civil War and Lincoln’s mindset

Jackson’s Indian Removal Act and the consequences of such

Process:  In order to properly decide Jackson’s potential spot as a pillar, we must examine the entire body of his work as best as possible, and not just one or two events.  Analyzing an event with no background information or understanding of the participants can lead a historian to a false or misleading opinion on a matter.  With Jackson, his life was a massive series of chain reactions, with one event leading to another.  We must understand this chain of events and see if we can better understand his rationale and motivation for making many of the choices he did.  Once we can see this path, then we can determine if his choices were understandable.  If they were understandable, are they forgivable in light of what we now know today?    Research the following topics to help you better understand “Old Hickory”.

 

 

https://thehermitage.com/learn/andrew-jackson/orphan/

1. In what role did Andrew Jackson serve in the Revolutionary War?
2. What incident took place between Jackson and a British officer?
3. What was the result of the capture of Jackson and his brother at the hands of the British?
4. What happened to Jackson’s mother before the conclusion of the war?
5. What was Jacksons’ attitude towards the British following the Revolutionary War?
6. Where did Jackson move to upon appointment of district attorney in 1788?

http://www.tn4me.org/era.cfm/era_id/3#:~:text=Frontier%20life%20in%20Tennessee%20could,constant%20danger%20from%20Indian%20attacks.

7. Where were some of the perils of this new part of the country?

https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6733&context=utk_graddiss

8. What duties did Jackson perform to combat the potential dangers from Native Americans?
9. How did the constant battles with Native Americans shape his opinion of them?

https://thehermitage.com/learn/andrew-jackson/orphan/

 

10. What appointment did his performance in battle against the Native Americans help Jackson to earn in 1802? 

https://www.nps.gov/natr/learn/historyculture/andrew-jackson-gains-his-nicknames.htm

11. How did Jackson’s performance as Major General of Tennessee initially earn him the nickname, “Old Hickory?”

http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1121

12. What was the Fort Mims Massacre?  How did this cause the activation of Andrew Jackson’s militia?
13. What was the result of the Creek War?  How did Jackson’s previous experiences with Native Americans in Tennessee affect his decision-making?

https://thehermitage.com/learn/andrew-jackson/general/early-military

14. How would Jackson react when soldiers would not follow orders?

 

http://www.tn4me.org/article.cfm/a_id/313/minor_id/66/major_id/22/era_id/4

15. Why was Jackson’s leadership so crucial to victory at the Battle of New Orleans?
16. How did the victory at New Orleans propel Jackson into the national spotlight?

https://millercenter.org/president/monroe/foreign-affairs

17. What events led to Andrew Jackson conquering Florida under the “orders” of James Monroe?

https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/2329

18. Why was Jackson so obsessed with National security when it came to Florida?  How did the British and Native Americans play a role in this?
19. How did Jackson’s popularity shield him from consequence in the public eye?

https://www.ushistory.org/us/23d.asp

20. How did Jackson end up losing the Presidential Election of 1824?
21. What impact did the Corrupt Bargain have on the consciousness of the American public?

https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1828

22. What was the presidential campaign of 1828 like?  Who attacked Jackson most?  What effect did it have on his wife Rachel?

https://thehermitage.com/learn/andrew-jackson/family/rachel/

23. How did Rachel’s death affect Jackson?

https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1828

24. Who won the presidential election of 1828?

https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/lesson-2-1828-campaign-andrew-jackson-changes-voting-participation

25. What changes to election laws did Jackson help to bring about?

https://thehermitage.com/learn/andrew-jackson/president/presidency

26. Why was Jackson referred to as the “people’s president”?  How did his mistrust of career politicians affect his cabinet decisions?
27. How did Jackson use his position as the “people’s president” to radically alter the use of the Presidential Veto while in office?
28. How did Rachel’s death affect Jackson’s behavior during the “Petticoat Affair”?
29. How did Jackson’s mistrust of career politicians and unelected officials lead to the closure of the Second National Bank of the United States?
30. How did the Nullification Crisis of 1832 nearly lead to armed conflict?  How did Jackson react to the suggestion that a state could secede from the union if they did not agree with a law?

http://www.adena.com/adena/usa/cw/cw267.htm

31. What could Jackson see as inevitable following the end of the Nullification Crisis?

https://thehermitage.com/learn/andrew-jackson/president/presidency

32. How did Jackson’s fierce stance that the union must be preserved at all costs affect the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln 30 years later?
33. How did Jackson’s desire to expand the United States westward ultimately both help and hurt the country?
34. How did Jackson’s lifelong battle against Native Americans both in Tennessee and during the War of 1812 influence him when it came to the topic of the continuation of Indian removal?
35. How did Jackson’s sole focus on Indian removal lead to the tragic Trail of Tears?

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-07-29-0107290033-story.html

36. What do some historians believe was the controversial end result of the Indian Removal Act?

 

 

 

	A (27 – 30)	B (24 – 26)	C (21 – 23)	D (18 – 20)	E (15 – 17)
Content and Understanding	Subject knowledge is evident throughout the project.  All of the information is clear, appropriate and accurate. Stays focused on topic and task.	Subject knowledge is evident in much of the project.  Most of the information is clear, appropriate and accurate.  There are few, if any, mistakes. Usually stays focused on topic and task.	Some subject knowledge is evident.  Some of the information is confusing, incorrect or flawed.  There are several mistakes. Sometimes stays focused on topic and task.	Little subject knowledge is evident.  Much of the information is confusing, incorrect or flawed.  There are many mistakes. Keeps little focus on topic and task.	Subject knowledge is not evident.  Information is confusing, incorrect or flawed.  Mistakes are prevalent throughout. There is no focus on topic and task.
Presentation	The project flows well and keeps the attention of the audience.	The project flows well and keeps the attention of the audience most of the time.	The project flows and keeps the attention of the audience some of the time.	The project has little flow and does not keep the attention of the audience.	The project has no flow and does not keep the attention of the audience.
Organization and Mechanics	The information is presented in a clear and logical order. Connections and transitions among ideas or topics are clear. Formatting is consistent throughout the presentation. There is clear evidence of proofreading. There are no noticeable errors.	The information is presented in a logical order, although it is not completely clear. Most of the connections and transitions among ideas or topics are clear. Most of the formatting is consistent throughout the presentation. There is clear evidence of proofreading. There are few noticeable errors.	Some of the information is presented out of order. Most of the ideas are connected, but some ideas are not connected. There is inconsistent formatting that detracts from the presentation. There is some evidence of proofreading. There are some errors that detract from the presentation.	The information is not presented in a clear or logical order. There are few connections and transitions among ideas or topics. There is inconsistent formatting that detracts from the presentation. There is little evidence of proofreading. There are many errors that detract from the presentation..	The information is presented in a disorganized way. Ideas are not connected. There is inconsistent formatting that interferes with the presentation. There is little or no evidence of proofreading. There are many errors that significantly detract from the meaning of the presentation.

 

Conclusion: 

Which of the following decisions have you arrived at, based on the research you have done?

Andrew Jackson belongs as a founding pillar of American History

Or

Andrew Jackson does not belong as a founding pillar of American History

 

1. What was the main reason you voted for or against Jackson?
2. Do you think your vote might change in one direction or the other in the future as you learn more about Jackson?
3. What president would you want to see next up as a potential Pillar?

 

Credits:  Christopher Best.  I am currently enrolled at Mary Baldwin University, seeking my bachelor's degree in History.  My focus is on high school, from grades 9-12.  I will complete my course of study in May of 2022.

 

Permissions

We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is granted for others to use and modify this WebQuest for educational, non-commercial purposes as long as the original authorship is credited. The modified WebQuest may be shared only under the same conditions. See the Creative Commons Attribution • Non-Commercial• Share-Alike license for details.

by Christopher Best, Mary Baldwin University

Andrew Jackson is known to be one of the most controversial presidents in our country's history. He is responsible for some of the biggest advancements and victories in American history.  But he is also responsible for one of its darkest moments as well.  

Teacher Introduction

I decided to create this Webquest because it is a way to get students actively involved in history. The ultimate goal is for the student to look at a historical figure from start to finish, and analyze his entire body of work as opposed to just one event that could be seen as biased in a favorable or unfavorable manner.  The hope is that by looking at the life of Andrew Jackson, the student will then be able to gain a greater understanding of Jackson, his thought processes, personality, goals, and reasons for why he made the decisions he did.  It is up to the student at that point to decide if this person (and Jackson was perhaps one of the most human presidents in terms of flaws) and his many accomplishments are still worthy of historical acclaim.