Andrew+Jackson+Unit+2

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//Introduction to the 7th President of the United States of America Andrew Jackson //

=Watch this video to understand a bit more of Andrew Jackson our 7th President (Click and watch video)This video is only 4 minutes long please read the following questions before you watch the video and place them on the graphic organizer.=

Overview
Changes in voting qualifications and participation, the election of Andrew Jackson, and the formation of the Democratic Party—due largely to the organizational skills of Martin Van Buren—all contributed to making the election of 1828 and Jackson's presidency a watershed in the evolution of the American political system. The campaign of 1828 was a crucial event in a period that saw the development of a two-party system akin to our modern system, presidential electioneering bearing a closer resemblance to modern political campaigning, and the strengthening of the power of the executive branch. In this unit, students analyze changes in voter participation and regional power, and review archival campaign documents reflecting the dawn of politics as we know it during the critical years from 1824 to 1832.

Guiding Questions

 * How did changes in the electorate affect the election of 1828?
 * How were party politics reflected in the campaign of 1828?
 * What was the source of Andrew Jackson's popularity?
 * What was the importance of Andrew Jackson's popularity?
 * What were the positions of the fledgling Democratic Party and its opposition?

You will be using these primary documents and the graphic organizers to complete these questions use this hot link to view them. (hot link)

Lesson One Why is Andrew Jackson Important? After watching this video you should be able to answer these questions. This will simulate what you and your partner will be doing with various parts of this lesson. I will show you how to do this first then it will be your turn.

> Directions: While watching the videos, answer the following questions. > [|Reinventing the Presidency, Part 1] >
 * 1) Video Viewing Guide
 * 1) What were the intentions of the Founding Fathers regarding the power and role of the president? Who did they think should dominate the federal government?
 * 2) How was the president initially selected?
 * 3) What tactics did Jackson use to rally supporters?
 * 4) Why did Jackson believe the president should dominate the federal government?
 * 5) What is the "spoils system?"

Who was Andrew Jackson?

Related Lesson:
[|Lesson 1: Who was Andrew Jackson?]

Introduction
Over the next two days you are going to be investigating the life and presidency of Andrew Jackson. Think of yourself as an amateur historian trying to unlock some of the mysteries and controversies of the 1820's and 1830's. Using the PBS Andrew Jackson Web site, you will be looking at some short video clips, maps, and primary source documents written over 150 years ago. For each activity you will answer a big-picture question and then report back to class where you will explore the topic more thoroughly. Good luck, and have fun! Here's our first mystery: Who was Andrew Jackson? Today, it is up to you to try to understand who this guy really was. You've been given a short video, a document written by a historian soon after Jackson's death, and a series of portraits that Jackson sat for during his life. You know that Jackson was a controversial president, but that's about it. It's time to see what you can figure out about Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States.

Task
Use your skills of historical reasoning to answer the question "Who was Andrew Jackson?"

Process

 * Read the excerpt from [|James Parton's biography of Andrew Jackson]. Use a dictionary and the Andrew Jackson [|glossary] if necessary, to look up words you don't understand.
 * Closely examine each of [|Jackson's portraits]. What do you see? How does Jackson change over time? What do we know about Jackson based upon these portraits? You will be using the Thinking Like a Hisotrian [|graphic organizer]You may use the online virson or use the printed copy. IMPORTANT you will not be able to save your information you MUST be able to print.
 * Watch the [|Introduction] video.
 * Think about the quote and the images and then answer the question "Who was Andrew Jackson?"
 * Share your responses with the class.