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The Democrat Andrew Jackson was the first president to have been born in a log cabin, and he cultivated his image to represent the "common man."  His landslide victory in the presidential election of 1828 was a triumph of democracy -- now called "Jacksonian Democracy" -- because the middle and lower class voters loved Jackson as much as the upper class disliked him.  During his inauguration Jackson welcomed the public into the White House, and the common folk trashed it, with farmers and frontiersmen with muddy boots standing on antique White House furniture that once graced figures like George Washington and Alexander Hamilton.

The Democrat Andrew Jackson was the first president to have been born in a log cabin, and he cultivated his image to represent the "common man."  His landslide victory in the presidential election of 1828 was a triumph of democracy -- now called "Jacksonian Democracy" -- because the middle and lower class voters loved Jackson as much as the upper class disliked him.  During his inauguration Jackson welcomed the public into the White House, and the common folk trashed it, with farmers and frontiersmen with muddy boots standing on antique White House furniture that once graced figures like George Washington and Alexander Hamilton.

There was never a dull moment in the eight years of the Jackson Administration, as he fought with anyone who disagreed with him.  His political opponents began to characterize him as a king or a tyrant, but most voters felt that Jackson was looking out for the public against the self-serving government types.  Jackson was a firm supporter of the "spoils system," which means that "to the victor goes the spoils":  the winner gets to fire all the government workers and replace them with his friends and supporters, no matter how incompetent.  (Today conservatives tend to prefer a spoils system because the alternative of an entrenched bureaucracy unresponsive to voters is worse.)

There was never a dull moment in the eight years of the Jackson Administration, as he fought with anyone who disagreed with him, similar to how President Donald Trump does today.  Jackson's political opponents began to characterize him as a king or a tyrant, but most voters felt that Jackson was looking out for the public against the self-serving government types.  Jackson was a firm supporter of the "spoils system," which means that "to the victor goes the spoils":  the winner gets to fire all the government workers and replace them with his friends and supporters, no matter how incompetent.  (Today conservatives tend to prefer a spoils system because the alternative of an entrenched bureaucracy unresponsive to voters is worse.)

Jackson particularly disliked banks, supposedly because a banker refused to give him a loan as a young man. Jackson vetoed renewal of the national bank, despite the insistence of wealthy bankers (similar to the insistence by Wall Street types today for the $700 billion bailout legislation). Jackson encouraged the expansion of credit (loans to people to buy homes, start businesses, and farm) and speculative investments without a national bank.

In personality, President Jackson had many similarities with President Donald Trump today: both were liked by the working class and less-educated, while the "Establishment" and highly educated people disliked both.

Jackson vetoed federal road projects because he was a strict constitutionalist:  if the power is not expressly in the Constitution, then it did not exist, Jackson felt.  Jackson's most famous veto of a road construction project was his Maysville Road Veto in 1830, which would have sent money to Kentucky, the State of the influential Senator Henry Clay (known as the "Great Compromiser").  Jackson said there was no ''national'' benefit to justify federal funding for the project.  Obviously future presidents did authorize interstate highways, because there are so many today.

President Jackson hated banks, supposedly because a banker refused to give him a loan as a young man.  Jackson vetoed renewal of the national bank, despite the insistence of wealthy bankers. Jackson encouraged the expansion of credit (loans to people to buy homes, start businesses, and farm) and speculative investments without using a national bank.

Jackson disliked others in addition to bankers.  For example, Jackson hated the Indians, and treated them very harshly.  In 1830, Jackson forcibly evicted Indian tribes as part of the "Indian Removal," which increased Jackson's popularity in the Western frontier States having the most conflicts with Indians.

 

Jackson disliked others in addition to bankers.  For example, Jackson hated American Indians, and treated them very harshly.  In 1830, Jackson forcibly evicted Indian tribes as part of the "Indian Removal," which increased Jackson's popularity in the Western frontier States having the most conflicts with Indians.

Jackson did not care much for Southerners who talked about nullifying federal law or seceding (leaving) the United States.  Jackson, like President Abraham Lincoln 30 years later, was determined to hold the United States together.

Jackson did not care much for Southerners who talked about nullifying federal law or seceding (leaving) the United States.  Jackson, like President Abraham Lincoln 30 years later, was determined to hold the United States together.