Political Cartoon #3

Chloe Smith

Mr. DeCarlo

APUSH- 2nd period

5 November 2018

King Andrew the First: Political Cartoon #3

This political cartoon was created around 1833 and depicts Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States. Jackson is dressed as a king in this cartoon because at the time, he was beginning to be seen as a monarch-like ruler. He did not consent other parties before making decisions, and instead made decisions solely on what he wanted. Americans did not like this because they believed in democracy. Therefore, this cartoon negatively portrays Jackson as many Americans saw him at the time- as a president acting far too much like a king. He is stepping on the Constitution and a document labeled “Internal Improvements U.S. Bank” in the cartoon because of his failure to follow both of these documents. In his hand he holds a rolled up paper labeled “veto” because in July 1832, Jackson vetoed Congress’s bill to recharter the Bank of the United States. This faced much controversy from the American people. Many believed he was purposely trying to be a dictator.

The cartoonist is trying to convey that Jackson is not fit to be leader of a democratic country. Instead, he is acting too much like a monarch and disregards documents that America values. Rather than acknowledging the voice of the common man, Jackson wants to do everything himself without consent from others. The cartoonist wants Americans to recognize this as a large problem, and realize that Jackson does not represent the values the U.S. upholds as valuable and essential to success.

The impact of this cartoon is that people began to recognize (if they had not already) the failure of Jackson to lead the country according to American democratic values. It reassured people that Jackson was not who Americans wanted to call “President.” It also confirmed that Jackson was acting too much like a king and that the people wanted a president who would value the voice of the common man.