Andrew Jackson and the Bankwar

1/12 Introduction

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It has been called a war throughout history yet no blood was shed, lives lost nor weapons fired. There were, however, two strong, opposing sides that waged a

Andrew Jackson

bitter struggle for what each firmly believed. Although Congress made no formal declaration, the issue of the Second Bank of the United States can easily and appropriately be considered a war. The primary players included President Andrew Jackson who fought against the bank and Nicholas Biddle, president of the bank, who fought in loyal support of it. The war on the Bank was unique, perhaps unlike any of its kind, having little to no personal interaction between these two key figures[1] nor was there any mention of the issue by Jackson in either of his inaugural addresses[2]. In attempting to gain a better understanding of this war, it is necessary to become familiar with the key figures and events and then attempt to determine and discuss the reasons each side took their respective positions.

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