why did jackson want the second national bank of the United States to be dissolved

History · Middle School · Mon Jan 18 2021

Answered on

President Andrew Jackson opposed the Second Bank of the United States for various reasons, leading to his desire to see it dissolved:


1. Power and Privilege Concerns: Jackson believed that the bank concentrated too much economic power and privilege in the hands of a few wealthy elites. He saw it as an institution that benefited the wealthy at the expense of the common people.


2. Suspicion of Corruption: Jackson and his supporters accused the bank of corruption and favoritism. They believed that the bank's practices were benefiting a select group of wealthy individuals and corporations, fostering an unequal distribution of wealth.


3. States' Rights and Anti-Banking Sentiment: Jackson, reflecting a broader sentiment of states' rights and anti-banking views, felt that the bank was unconstitutional and interfered with the economic sovereignty of individual states.


4. Preference for Hard Money: Jackson was a proponent of "hard money," meaning currency backed by gold and silver. He believed that the bank's policies, including the use of paper money, were contributing to inflation and economic instability.


5. Political Opposition: The Second Bank of the United States had become a central issue in Jackson's re-election campaign in 1832. He ran on an anti-bank platform and won, interpreting his victory as a mandate to take action against the bank.


As a result of Jackson's opposition, the Second Bank of the United States was not rechartered when its charter expired in 1836. Jackson then directed the withdrawal of federal funds from the bank, leading to its eventual dissolution.