Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson restructured the presidency office and aided in shaping the Democratic Party as the model of the present political party. The election of 1824 consisted of four candidates to running for presidency. Although Jackson had one the popular vote, Adams won the election of 1824. When Jackson won by a land-slide victory in the 1828 election, the Jacksonian Politics and Jacksonian Policies were introduced. Jackson’s legacy will forever leave a mark in presidential history.
Among Jackson's rivals were Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and William H. Crawford. All of the candidates, including Jackson, were members of the Republican Party. The appeal of the candidates rested on personality and sectional identifications, though Clay and Adams represented some greater dedication to internal improvements and national economic planning than did their competitors. For his part, Jackson claimed adherence to a "judicious tariff" and to those internal improvements necessary to guarantee national defense. The final canvass gave Jackson 99 electoral votes, against 84 for Adams, 41 for Crawford, and 37 for Clay. In the absence of a majority for any candidate, the election was thrown into the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jackson clearly expected to win, figuring that the House would act to confirm his strong showing. However, Clay, as Speaker of the House, used his influence to sway the vote to Adams. Although they were not close, Clay knew that he and Adams shared a common political philosophy. Clay also knew that Jackson was an avowed opponent of the Bank of the United States, a vital component of the American System. At first Jackson accepted the result with good grace, but the appointment of Clay as Adams' secretary of state convinced him and his followers that "bargain and corruption" had produced his defeat.
Jackson beat Adams by an electoral-vote margin of 178 to 83. The people claimed him as one of their own. Once in office, Jackson...
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