Eli Lake

This is historian David Brown, author of The First Populist, The Defiant Life of Andrew Jackson.

This is historian David Brown, author of The First Populist, The Defiant Life of Andrew Jackson.

This is historian David Brown, author of The First Populist, The Defiant Life of Andrew Jackson.

Despite these differences, Andrew Jackson was the Donald Trump of his day. Both men built political movements that sought to upend the complacent elite. Alexis de Tocqueville called Jackson, quote, the spokesman of provincial jealousies. Slap that phrase under Trump's mugshot and you've got yourself a strangely articulate MAGA t-shirt.

Despite these differences, Andrew Jackson was the Donald Trump of his day. Both men built political movements that sought to upend the complacent elite. Alexis de Tocqueville called Jackson, quote, the spokesman of provincial jealousies. Slap that phrase under Trump's mugshot and you've got yourself a strangely articulate MAGA t-shirt.

Despite these differences, Andrew Jackson was the Donald Trump of his day. Both men built political movements that sought to upend the complacent elite. Alexis de Tocqueville called Jackson, quote, the spokesman of provincial jealousies. Slap that phrase under Trump's mugshot and you've got yourself a strangely articulate MAGA t-shirt.

Provincial jealousies, you see, are a powerful force in American elections. After the break, the story of how the populist Andrew Jackson took on the establishment of his day and how the establishment fought back.

Provincial jealousies, you see, are a powerful force in American elections. After the break, the story of how the populist Andrew Jackson took on the establishment of his day and how the establishment fought back.

Provincial jealousies, you see, are a powerful force in American elections. After the break, the story of how the populist Andrew Jackson took on the establishment of his day and how the establishment fought back.

That was Donald Trump in 2024, sounding a lot like Andrew Jackson 200 years earlier. Trump supporters called their doomed movement to block the certification of the election, stop the steal. Jacksonians railed against what they called the corrupt bargain. 1824, the 10th election of the American experiment is underway. Four candidates emerged.

That was Donald Trump in 2024, sounding a lot like Andrew Jackson 200 years earlier. Trump supporters called their doomed movement to block the certification of the election, stop the steal. Jacksonians railed against what they called the corrupt bargain. 1824, the 10th election of the American experiment is underway. Four candidates emerged.

That was Donald Trump in 2024, sounding a lot like Andrew Jackson 200 years earlier. Trump supporters called their doomed movement to block the certification of the election, stop the steal. Jacksonians railed against what they called the corrupt bargain. 1824, the 10th election of the American experiment is underway. Four candidates emerged.

Essentially, they were all from the same party, but this period of consensus rule in American politics was fraying. To make a long story short, Andrew Jackson won the most electoral votes that year, but because he failed to win a majority of the Electoral College, the election was thrown to the House of Representatives. Those are the rules. It's all there in the 12th Amendment to the Constitution.

Essentially, they were all from the same party, but this period of consensus rule in American politics was fraying. To make a long story short, Andrew Jackson won the most electoral votes that year, but because he failed to win a majority of the Electoral College, the election was thrown to the House of Representatives. Those are the rules. It's all there in the 12th Amendment to the Constitution.

Essentially, they were all from the same party, but this period of consensus rule in American politics was fraying. To make a long story short, Andrew Jackson won the most electoral votes that year, but because he failed to win a majority of the Electoral College, the election was thrown to the House of Representatives. Those are the rules. It's all there in the 12th Amendment to the Constitution.

But Jackson still believed that as a matter of principle, the popular vote should have secured him the victory. Well, the Speaker of the House at the time, Henry Clay, who was also a presidential candidate, thought otherwise. And he arranged to throw his votes behind John Quincy Adams, who ended up as our sixth president. After the inauguration, the other shoe dropped.

But Jackson still believed that as a matter of principle, the popular vote should have secured him the victory. Well, the Speaker of the House at the time, Henry Clay, who was also a presidential candidate, thought otherwise. And he arranged to throw his votes behind John Quincy Adams, who ended up as our sixth president. After the inauguration, the other shoe dropped.

But Jackson still believed that as a matter of principle, the popular vote should have secured him the victory. Well, the Speaker of the House at the time, Henry Clay, who was also a presidential candidate, thought otherwise. And he arranged to throw his votes behind John Quincy Adams, who ended up as our sixth president. After the inauguration, the other shoe dropped.

Clay was named Secretary of State in the new Adams administration. Jackson cried foul. His supporters felt robbed. They accused Clay of selling out the country for personal ambition. And that unsettled grudge fueled Jackson's campaign four years later, much as Trump supporters convinced themselves, without evidence, that they too had been cheated.

Clay was named Secretary of State in the new Adams administration. Jackson cried foul. His supporters felt robbed. They accused Clay of selling out the country for personal ambition. And that unsettled grudge fueled Jackson's campaign four years later, much as Trump supporters convinced themselves, without evidence, that they too had been cheated.