Topic of essay: Focusing upon the major policy actions and political fights of their respective administrations, compare and contrast the ideological similarities or differences of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Can Jackson’s policies be understood through a republican ideological framework? Why or why not?
– You must understand the historic relationship of the Republican to the emergent Democratic and National Republican and Whig parties; you must also have a grasp of “republican” ideology, Jefferson’s conception of same, and the way Jeffersonian Republicans and Jackson Democrats viewed matters such as: constitutional interpretation; the appropriate relationship between Fed/St governments; the idea of “democracy”; the appropriate relationship of the Fed gov. to economic development; western expansion; disposition of the state vis Native Americans and so forth. You will want to consider the similarities / differences of the Jefferson and Jackson administrations by considering how each approached these questions with the ultimate objective of determining whether Jackson was, indeed, a Jeffersonian as he insisted…
Professors words Remember that I evaluate your work based upon 1) the strength of the thesis you advance in fully addressing the question I ask and 2) the SPECIFIC HISTORICAL EXAMPLES you offer to support your argument. If you do not fully address the question you cannot receive satisfactory credit. If you do not offer specific historical examples to support your argument, the highest grade you can possibly score is a “C.” To receive a “B” or an “A” mark, you must 1) provide specific hist examples to support your thesis and 2) demonstrate a critical approach by considering the relationships (cause/effect, explanatory) between the developments you are considering.