On December 23, 1814, Andrew Jackson made history. His victory over the British that day made him a national hero. Jackson used this popularity to secure his victory over John Quincy Adams in the 1828 election. But who was the real "Old Hickory?" Was Andrew Jackson a courageous, honor-bound “man of the people” or, as his opponents liked to think, was he a short-tempered, poorly educated farm boy? This essay will present both sides of the case and attempt to reach a conclusion. Jackson used his power as president to further his belief in limited federal government. He accomplished this by vetoing any bill he considered to impede the rights of the common man or expand the power of the federal government. Ironically, by trying to limit government control, Jackson increased the president's power by vetoing more bills than the previous six presidents combined. These vetoes earned him the nickname “King Andrew I”. Vice President John C. Calhoun led fierce Southern opposition to the Tariff of 1828. Passed by John Adams, this tariff imposed a heavy tax on imports. This greatly benefited the North, but forced Southerners to pay higher prices for manufactured goods. Finally, South Carolina declared the law unconstitutional and argued that a state could strike down a federal law that it found to be unconstitutional. Although Jackson believed in states' rights, he believed that an act of nullification would lead to disunion. He thought it was unconstitutional and considered it a betrayal. Jackson favored a strict reading of the Constitution and thought it should be followed until middle of paper...... ral governments' deposits from the bank and placed them in a series of "pet banks" company". . This doomed the already bankrupt bank. Jackson nevertheless won re-election in 1832, defeating Clay by a huge margin. President Andrew Jackson was a very controversial man. Sometimes he fights for the common man with a clear head and a sharp mouth, but at other times his rage blinds him from what is really happening around him. Nevertheless, he fought valiantly to maintain the unity of the Union and for the rights of ordinary citizens as an American. The “black mark” of his presidency was the forced relocation of Native American peoples from the lands where they had lived for many generations. Andrew Jackson was a living oxymoron. As James Patron writes in Jackson's biography, Jackson was "the most law-defying and obedient citizen." A follower of discipline, he never hesitated to disobey his superior ».."