The prosperity cherished in the modern-day American resulted from individual administration efforts. Among the many presidents, Jackson and Jefferson’s administrations served as a hallmark for the key reforms and policies. Whilst taking the names of these two presidents at the same breath is possible, the performance of their governments had entirely different facets. The two leaders share several similarities in equal measure as the differences.
Both ex-presidents expressed strong political will to support and implement the US law. For example, Jefferson opposed a financial plan proposed by the Bank of US and passed by the congress because the constitution lacked provision to such effects. For similar reasons, Jackson had poor relations with the same bank during his tenure (“Thomas Jefferson vs. Andrew Jackson - U.S. Presidents Comparison,” n.d.). Furthermore, both the presidents served two terms in office and served in several fields prior to becoming head of state.
As chief legislator, Jefferson worked effectively with the Congress to restore the freedom of the press via the cessation of the Sedition and Alien Acts. The good relationship between his office and the Congress, facilitated the scaling down of the US navy and army, and stimulated the paying-off of national debts. Additionally, Jefferson successfully appealed to Congress to terminate trade of slaves (“Thomas Jefferson: 3rd President of the United States,” n.d.). Jackson, on the other hand, had a tempestuous relationship with the Congress and in particular, he ostracized Congress because of its close working ties with Henry Clay, a member he perceived as a corrupt. The abhorrence led to Jackson’s rejection of the Maysville bill.
The two presidents also had two diverging approaches to economic developments. For instance, Jefferson was pro-agrarianism and actively pushed for economic policies that relegated a significant income to agriculture. He also masterminded the Embargo Act that triggered the 1807 to 1810 economic depression. In addition, Jefferson excluded tax on the unpopular Whisky while at the same time cut the national government budget. Jackson, unlike Jefferson, venerated artisans and small-scale farmers as the core of US economy. He expressed worries about emerging large manufacturer and the exponential growth of corporations in the US. Moreover, he lowered the US debts but did not pay off.