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The Presidency of Andrew Jackson (American Presidency (Univ of Kansas Paperback))

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The presidency of Andrew Jackson marks a significant change in American presidential politics. With the exception of John Quincy Adams, and a weak one at that, all previous presidents had been members of the unofficial American aristocracy that existed at the time of independence. Traditionally, they followed the principle of the office seeking the man and campaigning for the position was generally not done. There was little in the way of populist movements and political parties in the modern sense did not exist. That changed with the rise of Jackson to the presidency and expanded during his two terms in office.
Jackson was the first president who was popularly elected to office, and the prelude to the election was the first true campaign for the position. He was also the first person from the west to be elected to the presidency and a military hero many times over. His reputation as a general places him nearly on a par with George Washington.
Being the first "outsider" president, his election created a great deal of anxiety among the established powers in the east. Cole quite properly begins with a thorough discussion of this situation, as it created a good deal of tension that lasted for several years. There was also an enormous amount of economic expansion going on in the country, which began to exacerbate the regional tensions developing between the northern and southern regions of the country. A great deal of the book is spent examining these regional tendencies and with the perspective of hindsight, we can clearly see the gathering storm that finally led to war. This area is very well done, as the author properly describes all of the growing tensions, not just the problem of slavery.
Cole also does an excellent job describing the personality of Andrew Jackson, sometimes compromising and other times very much "Old Hickory", as he refused to bend. His threat to use federal troops in the south was a genuine one, sparking a lot of animosity, yet accomplishing what he wanted to do. He surprised everyone with his reluctance to become involved in the Texan attempt to gain independence from Mexico. Most expected the "Old Hero" to be much more aggressive in expanding the nations' borders. In the book, we also see the rise of Martin Van Buren, called the little magician for his political ability. He truly was the first modern political power broker, the type of person necessary for effective presidential leadership.
With the economic and physical expansion of the country beginning to proceed at an incredible pace, the
Jackson years were those where the nation began taking on the characteristics of a modern nation. Cole does an excellent job of describing this transition, as well as the man who was at the helm when it was taking place. Andrew Jackson was one of the most complex men to hold the office, as well as one of the roughest. From the book, you learn about these different aspects of his personality as well as how the country was affected by them.

This is a good counterbalance to Willentz's book, which is more laudatory. Cole dives into greater depth than Willentz, and as a result, finds some warts. Still, the book takes a middle ground on criticism and a nuanced look at Jackson's purported autocratic behavior (which wasn't), his policies regarding Indians, and his stance on slavery. The book doesn't pull any punches, but it also uses the available evidence to not come to ideological conclusions.