USA HISTORY

JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY 1825 1850

AGE OF THE COMMON MAN

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which interpretation of the following quote MOST closely applies to Andrew Jackson’s presidency? “To the victor belong the spoils.”-Marcy 1832
A
Jackson chose Martin Van Buren as Secretary of State
B
Jackson gave his supporters government jobs
C
Jackson lost the election
D
Jackson waged political war on the Bank of the United States.
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -The spoils system was instituted by Democratic President Andrew Jackson. “To the victor goes the spoils” meant that every government job belonged to the party in power. This drawing was meant to depict Jackson’s decision-making in appointing members of his party to government positions.

Detailed explanation-2: -The term was derived from the phrase “to the victor belong the spoils” by New York Senator William L. Marcy, referring to the victory of Andrew Jackson in the election of 1828, with the term spoils meaning goods or benefits taken from the loser in a competition, election or military victory.

Detailed explanation-3: -Although President George Washington based most of his federal appointments on merit, subsequent presidents deviated from this policy. By the time Andrew Jackson was elected president in 1828, the “spoils system, ” in which officials rewarded political friends and supporters with government positions, was in full force.

Detailed explanation-4: -Answer and Explanation: Andrew Jackson believed he should have been elected President in 1824 because he won the majority of the electoral and popular vote. Jackson had 99 electoral votes and the plurality of the popular vote and believed he had support to be selected when the election went to the U.S. House.

There is 1 question to complete.