Daniel Feller: Andrew Jackson’s Bank War: A White House Crossroads

Andrew Jackson's entry into the White House in 1829 was the most portentous presidential inauguration since George Washington's.  Jackson's veto of the Bank of the United States in 1832 set off a political "Bank War" that led to his censure by the Senate, provoked the formation of national Whig and Democratic parties, and redefined the role of the president for future generations. Lecture will be followed by a light reception. 

Daniel Feller, professor of history at the University of Tennessee and Editor of The Papers of Andrew Jackson, explores the origins, events, and enduring legacy of Jackson's Bank War, and its impact on the White House.  Jackson's assault on the banking system arguably helped trigger a major economic collapse in 1837.  But in posing an inherent antagonism between "the people" and the "money power," he also introduced a powerful theme whose echoes resonate to this day.