Andrew Jackson's Legacy In American History

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Since his debouchment into American politics in the early 19th Century, nearly every American has had an opinion about Andrew Jackson. His legacy defined an entire age of American history and has resided with us in our wallets for nearly nine decades. American identity has rapidly changed throughout the last few years. Naturally, the meaning of Andrew Jackson in American history is the topic of many of these discussions. I believe that while Old Hickory was one of the most important presidents in our history, it is time to leave that legacy behind. We as Americans are gradually reaching out to the margins of our society. Diversity and inclusion are now among our most sacred values. A reasonable next step in the definition of contemporary American identity would be to reevaluate who we honor on our currency. That being stated, one should not simply undermine the prominence of Andrew Jackson’s legacy. This can be summarized into two terms: democracy and federal authority. Jackson was a man of simple beginnings who brought a powerful personality to the White House, along with a defiant repertoire. He promoted himself as the claimant champion of the common people, unlike the many other ‘aristocrats’ of the age. Farmers and laborers were now offered a seemingly equal say in their own circumstances. This …show more content…

Yet it is hard to let go of the great ideas that the Jacksonian Era left us. The ideas that wealth should not rule numbers, that in a democracy every citizen, regardless of circumstance, should have an equal say in government. Perhaps Harriet Tubman could represent the progressive America, which values diversity and inclusion, and Andrew Jackson could represent the traditional America, which upholds democracy and

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