Passions of Andrew Jackson by Andrew Burnstein, Book Review Example

It is common practice in the world literature to pay considerable attention to outstanding figures that marked their existence in the world history and made a significant contribution in a certain sphere of human activity. The eternal fame usually awaits activists in the field of art, i.e. writers, poets, sculptors or musicians. However, the sphere of politics has also been paid much attention to due to the publicity of those figures that shaped the course of actions, policies, attitudes and lives of their nations. This is why nowadays one can find a huge number of works dedicated to those marked politicians and rediscoveries of their public and personal lives.

Andrew Jackson is one of such figures in the history of the USA – he was the seventh President and the period of his reign was marked by many changes and events. The most important distinguishing peculiarity of Jackson was that he was of humble origin and did not come from the US elite. Jackson was born on the territory of the Carolinas, which formed a stereotype about him as an uneducated, harsh, sometimes even cruel person who did not behave according to his position. He participated in the war against the British in 1815 and was marked for his bravery and ability to inspire. Jackson remained in the hearts of all US citizens as a man from the common public, from the middle class; the nation chose him because they felt the inner closeness with him and his intentions; they trusted him and were not mistaken because Jackson was credited with a tremendous success in shaping the nation’s identity and unity (Burnstein).

Burnstein is highly logical in his description of Andrew Jackson; being afraid of a personal bias, the author observes the life of the US President from the very beginning until the end, thoroughly investigating every stage at which he could reveal himself. Jackson’s origin proved many things, from the point of view of Burnstein: first of all, Jackson was a southerner, and even becoming the President he was an eager slave owner (Burnstein 50). More than that, at the dawn of anti-slavery movement Jackson tolerated slavery, which was a remarkable trait for any personality (Burnstein 24, 26).

The second main argument against the idealized image of Jackson is his tough position towards Indians that he first showed during his frontier activities (Burnstein 16). This position was further on strengthened as soon as Burnstein became the US President – he urged the Congress to reimburse Indian fighters (Burnstein 34) and insisted on the Indian removal from the territory of the US (Burnstein 184). During his whole period at power Jackson always treated Indians in a very hostile way and was for their elimination, which was proven by many historical sources dedicated to the now-recognized Jacksonian genocide of Indians.

As a personality Jackson is also depicted in a controversial way – in these parts, in contrast to the political and economic sphere, Jackson considerably loses his charm and positivism of his nature. He was known for his paternalism and moral absolutism (Burnstein 37), for his vengefulness that revealed itself many times in dueling he liked to arrange against his enemies (Burnstein 17, 166). One of examples how cruelly he treated his enemies during their life and even after death was the case with the death of Dickinson at the duel from the hands of Jackson and further prohibition to mourn over his death (Burnstein 56-60).

Jackson was a very passionate personality who ignored laws and often acted in a frivolous way, making risky and unlawful decisions. There were cases of trading politics for business (Burnstein 49), changing the whole Washington administration, which was a powerful action in itself (Burnstein 35), and intimidating people (Burnstein 67). All these events gathered into a unified whole speak for the shuttered ideal of Jackson that was created in the course of centuries.

The overall argument taken by the author is to prove on a great number of historical resources that give a thorough account of Jackson’s life that the personality of seventh President of the USA was too much softened and distorted over the centuries to conceal the true cruel, unrestrained and uncontrolled nature of the man who often walked on the verge of the law and acted in a frivolous, independent way without a proper account of the state’s needs and wishes. Burnstein was trying to give examples of Jackson’s activities that expressed his hatred towards ethnic minorities in the USA – the tribes living in the lands occupied by future Americans who came there and colonized the American continent without any authorization.

The point that the author carries throughout the whole work surely has the right to exist because of the whole range of criteria gathered together representing really strong evidence in favor of the author’s opinion. It is hard to imagine an outstanding personality who corresponded to his or her idealized image in real life; besides, Jackson came to power during a very complicated period for the USA when the newly-born country had to fight for its independence and shape its geography. In those harsh times it is understandable that the President had to be harsh and authoritarian; in addition, his extensive experience in the battlefield remove all suppositions about his loyal and democratic nature.

The work becomes even more credible as soon as one considers the number and the selection of sources used to compose the historical work about Andrew Jackson – Burnstein is a recognized historian, so there is no surprise in such a rich collection of works. The author was highly obsessed by the realistic portrayal of Jackson not only as a historical figure but also as a unique personality, a man, individuality. Such sources as the work of Parton composed of Jackson’s handwritten notes (1832), Francis Trollope’s description of America (1832), documents of Andrew Jackson such as the ‘AJ to Calhoun’ (1820) add to the facts that were used by Burnstein to improve the picture of Jackson as a complex, enigmatic personality in all his revelations.

One will hardly argue the fact that the historical sources’ basis of the book by Burnstein is very powerful. Besides the sources already mentioned, it is necessary to pay attention to such works as the study of Martin Meyers dedicated to Jacksonian persuasion, documents witnessing Jackson’s genocide of Indians written by Wallace, Ehle and other contributors. Analysis of economic activities of Andrew Jackson by Richard E.Ellis produced in 1987 provides additional objective facts that are not dedicated to the personality of Jackson but examine a more detached sphere of his activity – the national economy, which provides the outlook at Jackson from many perspectives and in many areas. Peterson’s 1960 work on the personality of Jackson as well as the 1830 AJ papers also make up a wonderful complement to the detailed and personified image of Jackson. Certainly, it is not the limit of all sources used and their number is much greater; however, the given examples already certify how grounded and objective the source base for the book collected by Burnstein is.

Analysis of the intended audience suggests that the work can be read both by specialists in history and the common public of any age. The work is full of historical facts and may fail to interest children of people reading only for pleasure. For this reason one can suppose that the work is intended for reading by students of political or history courses when the period of studying Presidency in the USA in the historical context is due. The work can also be highly helpful for everyone interested in historical figures because the role of Andrew Jackson can hardly be overestimated.

The book of Burnstein gives an alternative viewpoint on the person he was and the life he lived, but in no way doubts the fact that he was a powerful President and executed his responsibilities well. Even Burnstein as a precise historian with many credentials could not deny the fact that Jackson conducted many affairs essential for the country, including his multiple victories in wars and acquisitions that took place in the period of establishment of the young country the USA represented at that moment of time.

The author does not seem to be biased in the overwhelming majority of personal facts spoiling the established reputation of Jackson – though there is much new truth about the essence of the President’s personality and hidden motives of his actions, his recognized paternalism etc. Burnstein still includes a considerable number of historical facts that prove the substantial role that the harsh and cruel in many senses man played in the USA in the 18^th century, when the country only started its way to becoming a modern superpower. Consequently, it is possible to assume that the audience for the discussed book is mostly formed of historians and students who may take an active, professional interest in the US President of the first half of the 18^th century.

Works Cited

Burnstein, Andrew. The Passions of Andrew Jackson. Knopf, 2003.