| King Andrew the First | |
|---|---|
 "King Andrew the First" | |
| Artist | Unknown |
| Year | 1832 |
| Medium | Lithograph on wove paper |
| Subject | Andrew Jackson |
| Dimensions | 31.7 cm× 21.4 cm(12.5 in× 8.4 in) [1] |
| Owner | The Library of Congress |
| Website | [1] |
"King Andrew the First" is an American political cartoon created by an unknown artist around 1832. It agreed with anti-Jackson beliefs, in support of the Whig Party.
The cartoon depicts the 7th United States president, Andrew Jackson, as a monarch, standing before a throne in a reminiscent of a playing-card king. He is holding a paper with veto written on it in his left hand and a scepter in his right. The Constitution and the arms of Pennsylvania (the United States Bank was located in Philadelphia) lie in tatters under his feet. A book labeled "Judiciary of the United States" is nearby. [2] Around the border of the picture there are the words "Born to Command", "Of Veto Memory", and "Had I Been Consulted". [3]
The political cartoon was first shown in 1832 in the Library of Congress and was a response to Jackson's veto against the United States national bank deposits in September. No one knows who the artist exactly was. [4] He is depicted as a monarch because opposers often viewed Jackson as an abuser of his presidential powers, not obeying the laws. [5]
During the 1832 presidential election, "King Andrew the First" was used to support presidential campaigns opposing Jackson. [6] The drawing asks the popular question "Shall he reign over us, or shall the people rule?", that supported the anti-Jackson Whig Party. [7]
