Andrew Jackson and the Bank War: A Study in the Growth of Presidential Power

Norton Essays in American History

by Robert V. Remini

One of the most controversial issues during the presidency of Andrew Jackson centered around the future of the Second Bank of the United States. During the changing economic and social conditions of the 1820's and 1830's there was much hostility between the Bank on the one hand, and rising capitalists, urban workers, and farmers on the other. In this context, Jackson aimed to do away with the Bank. The Bank's supporters, however, struck back. In a move intended to wrench political support from Jackson, Henry Clay forced a bill through the Senate to recharter the Bank. Jackson vetoed the bill, beginning the long struggle which has become known as "The Bank War." Jackson defeated Clay in the presidential election of 1832 despite Clay's efforts. Taking his political victory as a mandate from the people to destroy the Bank, he withdrew federal deposits, thereby setting the stage for the Bank's eventual death in 1836. In this book, Robert V. Remini begins by discussing the antagonists in the Bank Jackson and Biddle. He states that "the destruction of the Bank occurred because it got caught between [these] two willful, proud, and stubborn men..." He then goes on to details of the struggle, "emphasizing the ways in which the War transformed the presidential how Jackson capitalized on the struggle to strengthen the executive branch of the government and infuse it with much of the power it enjoys today."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Politics, Finance, Economics

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1967

Reviews

[Michael Trapani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear, concise, although at times simplified, account of the Bank War. Highly recommended to anyone who has a general knowledge of the Jackson’s war with the Bank of the United States and wants to round out their understanding. To those who are familiar with the Bank War, Remini’s treatment likely won’t add much to what you already know.

[Louis Picone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explains one of the most important & little known events in Andrew Jackson's presidency. The Bank War still has ramifications to this day as it represented a giant leap in the expansion of presidential power. Plus its a very light & easy to read book

[Alex Charow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear, concise, and fascinating history of the Bank War through the lens of the political conflict responsible for its demise.

A must-read for any student of the Jacksonian Era or the growth of presidential power.

[Jeremiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, learned a lot about Andrew Jackson and what a fighter he was.

[George Verras]

I read this in collage. Reading it again to try to make some sense of the nonsensical economy

[C. McMaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

gotta admire Jackson's guts and backbone.

[Frank Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the end of the book, Robert Remini lists how Andrew Jackson's war against the Second Bank of the United States, and its haughty chief, Nicholas Biddle, changed American politics forever. Admittedly, it's a staggering list. The war cemented the President's use of the veto against legislation he disagreed with, not merely that which he thought unconstitutional, as when he vetoed the recharter of the bank in June 1832. From then on, all Congresses would have to consider the President as equivalent to 2/3s of their members. The war was also the first time a President brought a particular policy issue before the national electorate, and later, the first time a President (questionably) claimed his election was a popular mandate for his policies, in this case, destruction of the bank. The war confirmed the President's absolute right to remove subordinates, as when he fired Secretary of the Treasury William Duane in September 1833 for refusing to himself remove the government deposits from the wounded bank. The war led to the creation of the first clear two-party system, with Senator Henry Clay declaring himself and his team "Whigs" against the "tyranical" Jacksonian Democrats in April 1834.

On the whole, the bank war immeasurably strengthened the powers of the American President, for good or ill. Robert Remini's brisk and entertaining book brings out this story and its consequences in full, and does yeoman's work describing the numerous surprising twists that led to the destruction of the bank. In the end, he shows that Nicholas Biddle's political ineptitude, his struggles against Jackson's election, his payoffs to anti-Jackson merchants and congressmen, and other actions enraged the honor-obsessed Jackson. At the same time, Jackson's refusal to compromise and personal pique prevented a possible compromise that could have saved the bank and averted the war. The destruction of the bank was a result neither man wanted when Jackson assumed the office of the Presidency, but it would come to define both of their lives, and the lives of the nation. We are still dealing with the consequences of that struggle today.

[Sarah Arntson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to get a more in-depth look at this major part of Jackson's presidency. It covered the conflict between Biddle and Jackson well and gave me a better understanding of why Jackson killed off the bank during his term in office. The book ends with the final death blow, so it does not go much into the repercussions of this action, although I'd say it hints at it.

[Eva B.]

I now know more than just "Andrew Jackson abolished the Second National Bank".

[Davy Bennett]

Good book, Andy Jackson had spunk.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable. I can’t really tell how much of a Jacksonite the author is. He claims that in his past works he’s been a defender of Jackson and even of his Bank War actions. Yet in this he treats Jackson as some brute who wants to abolish the national bank as just some vindictive revenge with no real economic reason.

The author sometimes has the tone that when you step away from the back and forth, all serious adults wanted a national bank. He even talks about how Jackson was worried that if he proposed his alternative publicly it would look like he wanted to keep the national bank as it was just with himself at the helm.

The expansion of the executive branch was big here. The party of the Whigs was created just to go against Jackson.

I have to imagine that if Jackson didn’t have the war hero image he never would have accomplished any of this and would’ve instead seemed like a power hungry lunatic. Then again, the National Bank itself also seemed like a power hungry lunatic.

[Omar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book on Andrew Jackson's battle against the Second Bank of the United States. This is an often overlooked episode in American history and Remini does a very good job covering it. The book is just the right size. The Bank War does not warrant a 500 page tome, but this book is just long enough to provide sufficient depth.