"Greatness, generally speaking, is an unusual quantity of a usual quality grafted upon a common man.
Andrew Jackson is seen as one of the most controversial presidents in American history. His quick thinking in situations, sometimes without even consulting Congress, is viewed poorly by his enemies. However, many of his supporters saw Jackson as a representation of the common man because he came from humble circumstances and was not properly educated, unlike all the previous presidents. Due to his ability to overcome early life struggles, his successes in the military and as an adult, Jackson became the defining figure of the common man. Between 1828 and 1837, Andrew Jackson was seen as an exceptional president by his many supporters because he reflected the wishes of the people. He was a people's president through his response to economic issues, his strengthening of the executive branch, and his reaction to political disputes.
As the result of economic issues, such as the the Tariffs of Abominations in 1828 and the Nullification Crisis in 1832, it became apparent that Jackson did what he thought was best for the country. At the beginning of his presidency, Congress passed a protective tariff, the Tariff of 1828. It put taxes on imported goods, such as iron and wool. The tariffs were designed to protect the infant industries in the Northern states from British goods driving them out of business (South Carolina Nullification). Although it seemed like a good idea, this tariff only benefitted the North. The southerners (especially South Carolina) were enraged because they relied heavily on those imports. It was harmful to the South because they had to pay higher prices on imported necessities that they couldn't produce. South Carolina resented it so much they called it the Tariffs of Abominations. Most felt that the tariffs were harmful to southern agriculture and claimed it to be unconstitutional because it favored one province of the economy over the other.
