Henry Clay was the first Speaker of the House that really helped to establish the position and increase the power. Clay served three terms as Speaker of the House and in those years demonstrated how his tactics were effective as well as successful. Henry Clay was personable, and his youth and assertiveness made him a popular choice for Speaker. Clay used his position to place his allies in important committees to achieve these goals. As Clay gained clout in the House of Representatives, he was able to introduce his American System and ideas founded in the American Colonization Society. Henry Clay’s greatest accomplishment as Speaker of the House was the drafting of the Missouri Compromise, which gained him the title of the Great Compromiser. Henry Clay became a very powerful, respected and effective Speaker of the House, and set a precedent for future Speakers.
Henry Clay entered the House of Representatives as a popular and aggressive man. March 4, 1811, Clay began his first term as Speaker of House with goals that inspired other congressmen. On the first day of his first term in the House of Representatives, Clay was elected Speaker which had never been done before, and has not happened since. Clay was young, intelligent and had a wit that drew people to him. He was nicknamed the “Western Star,” because many people felt he was destined for a bright future. These personality traits made Clay popular as Speaker and in turn he was able to accomplish many feats throughout his terms.
As a freshman Congressman, and Speaker of the House, Henry Clay pushed the limits and increased the power of the position, making it the second only to the president. Henry Clay’s initial acts as speaker were a premonition of his politica...
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...erican System. Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 2004.
Clay, Henry. The Papers of Henry Clay, 1797-1852. Edited by James Hopkins, Mary Hargreaves, Robert Seager II, Melba Porter Hay et al. 11 vols. University Press of Kentucky, 1959-1992.
Heironimus, Norval Chase, “The Missouri Compromise” (Indiana: M. Cullaton & Co, 1898).
Henry Clay, as quoted in Calvin Colton, “The Life, Correspondence, and Speeches of Henry Clay,” in The American System- Mr. Clay’s Internal Improvement Policy (Indiana: A. S. Barnes & Co) 428-445.
Henry Clay, as quoted in Daniel Mallory, “The life and speeches of the Hon. Henry Clay” in Speech on American Industry (Michigan: R. P. Bixby & Co, 1843), 507-529.
Remini, Robert Vincent. Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union. New York: W.W. Norton, 1991.
Schurz, Carl. Henry Clay, Volume 1. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1915.
Throughout the course of American political history rarely has there ever been a rivalry as fierce and contested as that of the one between Tennessee’s Andrew Jackson, and Kentucky’s Henry Clay. During their extensive political careers the two constantly seemed to cross paths differing in terms philosophically and ideologically. Simply put, these two men profoundly shaped the American Antebellum period, specifically involving the 1820’s to the 1840’s. Their notions of what was best for the country became the basis for their respective parties and consequently their differences in methodology facilitated countless battles in the American political atmosphere. The most significant issues that centered on these types of political skirmishes involved
Andrew Jackson, revered as the first common man to become President, symbolized the average citizen having the opportunity to climb the ranks within America 's democratic system. However, the profits of Jackson 's administration succeed in concealing his immoral procedures and behavior. Jackson 's methods worked accordingly to the reasoning of the father of political science, Machiavelli, who said, “The end justifies the means”. He achiev...
George Browm Tindall, David Emory Shi. American History: 5th Brief edition, W. W. Norton & Company; November 1999
Correspondence of John C. Calhoun. J. Franklin Jameson, ed. Annual Report of the American Historical Association 1899. II. 1900.
Kupperman, Karen Ordahl. “Thomas Morton, Historian”. The New England Quarterly, Vol. 50, No.4 (Dec., 1977), pp. 660-664. The New England Quarterly, Inc. .
“Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826).” American History Central. MIT school of engineering. August 2003. Web. 24 March 2014.
Earle, Johnathan H. Jacksonian Antislavery and the Politics of Free Soil 1824-1854. The University of North Carolina Press, 2004.
Andrew Jackson has been described as a great hero of his time and a man who was atrocious and would destroy the Union. Andrew Jackson accomplished a great number of things during his life but some of his actions were quite questionable. Looking from the present to the past gives insight into areas where the events can be examined more objectively. However, it is vital when examining past events to keep in mind the mindsets of the past. People had a different point of view and a different perspective than the current one. This must be kept in the forward part of the mind to understand the actions of those in the past. This paper will serve as a guide into the life of Andrew Jackson, his trials and tribulations, decisions and contradictions. From the beginning of his life, he was headstrong and that would lead him straight into the history books.
His compromises overcame regionalism and balanced state rights and national interests. He actively encouraged United State's participation in the War of 1812. As a result of the Treaty of Ghent, the United States emerged as a nation of importance and influence in the world. Henry Clay changed the role of the Speaker of the House and made it the powerful position it is today. He held that position in office longer than anyone in the history of the House of Representatives other than Sam Rayburn. Henry Clay argued before the US Supreme Court. In doing so, he introduced Amicus Brief to Supreme Court. His cases continue to be cited on a regular basis today. He was also an attorney. He won far more cases than he lost. He became the most respected breeders and farmers in America. He introduced Hereford Cattle to American and one of the most successful providers of mules in the South. Henry Clay played a major role in Lexington becoming "The Horse Capital of the World." He influenced many future political leaders with his ideology and style. Abraham Lincoln adopted much of Henry Clay's political ideology. He gave his country nearly half a century of Service as a Representative, Senator and Secretary of State. He became the most important political figures in his era. In the 1950's Henry Clay was named by a panel of historians and Senate leaders as one of the five greatest senators of all
Remini, Robert V. Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Freedom 1822-1832. Vol. 2. NY: Harper & Row, 1981. Print.
Pompey who had promised his veterans land. The way he disbanded his army and approached the Senate alone requesting his reasonable requests seems to suggest that he was fairly confident that he had achieved enough, and that the Senate would pass the request, but instead the Senate rejected his requests. A few attempts where made to pass the land bill for his troops with the use of Afranius and Metellus Celer both proved ineffective. His political career had too stagnated and hit the wall, this would be going nowhere. The senate rejecting the ratification of the eastern settlement, which is perfectly normal due to the fact that sources suggest that Pompey did it on his own, will and did not consult the senate, so the even though what he did was an extraordinary achievement the Senate can say no and so they did.
Presidential Influence in Congress." American Journal of Political Science 29.2 (1985): 183-96. JSTOR. Web. 19 May 2014.
Enlightened despotism is when there is an absolute ruler, in some cases a tyrant, who follows the principles of the Enlightenment through reforms. Permitting religious toleration, allowing freedom of the press and speech, and expanding education are a few main guidelines to being and enlightened despot. Napoleon I is often referred to as one of the greatest enlightened despots. Although, he did not follow the ideas of the enlightenment entirely, he managed his country in a way that he maintained complete authority as well as many of the gains of the French Revolution. Yes, Napoleon did want to do a few things for himself, but he also ruled for the majority in most cases, promote government-funded education, and supported many other enlightened ideas. But, most importantly, Napoleon did what he thought would make his country stronger.
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/thomasjefferson/a/tj_lapurchase.htm>. Kindig, Thomas. A. The "Thomas Jefferson" Thomas Jefferson. Independence Hall Association, 4 July 1995.
Aaron Burr was born in 1756 and was one of the rising stars of the new republic. A rising star many felt was sure to be the President of the young country and to be a distinguished one at that. Burr’s conflict with Jefferson began when they tied for the presidential election of 1800. The election then went to the House of Representatives where Burr rejected Federalist ove...