Educator's Edition DVD-ROM
High School Homework 2: How did Jackson Change the Presidency?
Introduction
Now that you know something about Andrew Jackson's background, it's time to start looking at what happened once he ran for president. In 1824 he ran against three other candidates (Clay, Crawford, Adams) and even though he got the most popular and electoral votes, he still lost the presidency to John Quincy Adams. Because of Jackson's frontier upbringing and ways, he didn't necessarily fit the model of presidential candidate, but it certainly seems like he should have won. Right? Let's discover what happened.
Task
Using only the provided resources, determine why Jackson lost the presidency in 1824. Write a short report that outlines what happened and what changes you would suggest to make sure this sort of thing doesn't happen again.
Process
- View the Election of 1824 video clip. Take notes on the role of Jackson as candidate and what happened before and after the election.
- Next, view the 1824 Electoral College Map and the 1824 House of Representatives Map and Vote Count.
- Outline how Jackson lost the presidency to Adams in 1824. If you were Jackson, what would you do to make sure this doesn't happen again in 1828?
- Share your response with the class.
