The Infamous Bank War
The first half of the 19th century was an era of upheaval. The United States nearly lost the War of 1812. Partisanship became endemic during violent clashes regarding States’ Rights and the abolition of slavery. The battle between Andrew Jackson and Nicholas Biddle over the Second Bank of the United States epitomized a nation in turmoil: Biddle, the erudite aristocrat versus Jackson, the plain-spoken warrior. The conflict altered America’s political arena.
In 1832, President Andrew Jackson vowed to kill the Central Bank, setting in motion the infamous Bank War that almost bankrupted the nation. Under Biddle’s guidance, the Second Bank of the United States had become the most stable financial institution in the world. Biddle fought Jackson with tenacity and vigor; so did members of Congress not under the sway of “Old Hickory.” Jackson accused Biddle of treason; Biddle declared that the president promoted anarchy. The fight riveted the nation.
The United States is experiencing a reappearance of deep schisms within our population. They hearken back to the earliest debates about the federal government’s role regarding fiduciary responsibility and social welfare. The ideological descendants of Nicholas Biddle and Andrew Jackson are as polarized today as they were during the nineteenth century.
With this book, author Cordelia Frances Biddle documents the epic fight between Nicholas Biddle and Andrew Jackson over the fate of the Second Bank of the United States, shedding new light with previously undiscovered documents while bringing the story to life in a compelling biography of political intrigue.
What Others Are Saying
"Nicholas Biddle is a familiar figure among historians, who know him for his long and fulminous battle with President Andrew Jackson over the Second Bank of the United States. But now, through the deep research and deft unspooling of Biddle’s life, Cordelia Biddle has provided us with a luminous new view of her ancestor. No previous historian has so compellingly braided together the private and public lives of this polymathic politician, financial genius, gifted orator, and presidential advisor. As a descendant of the man she brings to life, she might easily have given us a one-sided portrait of a man who indeed nearly broke his health in combating the intemperate and egomaniacal Jackson. But instead Cordelia Biddle gives us a depiction of a man with tragic flaws alongside his brilliant analyses of the American economy and its banking system in an era of rambunctious, land-hungry, restless, and deeply divided Americans. Readers of this admirably crafted, stunning book will come away with valuable new insights and a great respect for the engaging, graceful prose." - Gary B. Nash, author of Warner Mifflin: Unflinching Quaker Abolitionist
"Using previously unknown documents, Cordelia Biddle weaves together a rich and vivid tale of one of America's most prominent, brilliant, and misunderstood public figures. The battle between Nicholas Biddle and Andrew Jackson was not just about the place of finance in American life, but about two different visions for the new nation: one Spartan, speculative, and rooted in land (and by extension, slavery); the other cosmopolitan, urban, and built on the bedrock of a centrally-controlled currency. Biddle's telling of her ancestor's rise and fall not only brings a vanished age back to life, but makes us ask crucial questions about our own era and how we got here." - Steven Ujifusa, author of Barons of the Sea and A Man and His Ship
"In her meticulously researched new book, Cordelia Frances Biddle turns to a critical period in nineteenth-century American life as she brilliantly reveals the human dimensions of historic, true-life conflicts. Biddle, Jackson, and a Nation in Turmoil brings presidents, financiers, and common folk to vivid relevance. This is history at its best--perceptive, witty, elegantly composed and deeply empathetic. I learned a great deal from this richly entertaining volume--in fact, I could not put it down!" - Donald Spoto, New York Times best-selling author
“Most Americans today remember Nicholas Biddle— if they remember him at all— as Andrew Jackson’s designated villain during the fight over the Bank of the United States in the early 1830s. In fact, Cordelia Biddle reminds us, Nicholas was actually a prominent renaissance figure of America’s early years— diplomat, lawyer, literary editor, politician, banker— whose life touched notables from Jefferson to Napoleon to Aaron Burr to Lewis and Clark. Who is better qualified to rescue Nicholas Biddle from obscurity than his great-great-great-granddaughter Cordelia Biddle? Between her novelist’s eye for detail and her unique access to his papers (and even his scrapbooks), the answer is: probably nobody.” - Dan Rottenberg (author of The Man Who Made Wall Street: Anthony J. Drexel and the Rise of Modern Finance)
"In the much-needed biography, Cordelia Biddle sheds new light on Nicholas Biddle’s impressive career and his fateful showdown with President Andrew Jackson." - Paul Kahan, author of The Bank War: Andrew Jackson, Nicholas Biddle, and the Fight for American Finance and Amiable Scoundrel: Simon Cameron, Lincoln's Scandalous Secretary of War
by Cordelia Frances Biddle
Page Count: 328
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: February 20, 2021
Imprint: Oxford Southern
Genre: History
HISTORY / United States / 19th Century
HISTORY / United States / State & Local / Middle Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA)
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Historical
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Political
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Business
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Literary Figures
Related Products
From this Collection
-
$12.95H M J Klein's history of Lancaster County, Penn...H M J Klein's history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, focused on the city of Lancaster in the years 1821 to 1921. This history was originally published in the 1920s but has been updated with per...
-
$9.99One Man's Spiritual Journey Through Tragedy by ...One Man's Spiritual Journey Through Tragedy by Embracing God's Plan The disciples asked Jesus about the blind man. i.e. “who sinned, this man or his parents, thus resulting in him being born blind...
-
$16.95The United States in the mid-1800s boiled with ...The United States in the mid-1800s boiled with conflict and promise. The bloody Civil War raged. A ruminating President sat in the White House. William Gould Raymond (“W.G.”) was as complicated as ...
-
$29.95John Chester Miller’s 1936 biography of Boston’...John Chester Miller’s 1936 biography of Boston’s leading Son of Liberty. Sam Adams was instrumental in fomenting rebellion in the American colonies as an ardent patriot. Adams was a Continental Con...
-
$19.95The Story of Susanna Parry and Her Cousin Alice...The Story of Susanna Parry and Her Cousin Alice Paul With a revolutionary spirit, two Quaker cousins rebel against tradition. One cousin is notorious: Alice Paul endures censure and prison to win ...
-
$19.95An ostensibly minor burglary trial proves decis...An ostensibly minor burglary trial proves decisive—and fatal. What happens when a defendant inexplicably rejects an easy plea bargain? Public defender Elena Alvarez views this trial as a personal...
-
$16.95Spring is usually heralded as a time of renewal...Spring is usually heralded as a time of renewal, not murder. Preparations are underway in the spring of 1899 for the wedding of Deputy Cyrus Gutshall. Sheriff Tilghman is hopeful this will put his ...
-
$29.95The Indian Chiefs of Pennsylvania is a factual ...The Indian Chiefs of Pennsylvania is a factual account of the indigenous history of North America's Eastern Frontier and the contributions made by many outstanding chiefs in shaping it. Originally ...
-
$19.95The first to cross the Atlantic non-stop wasn’t...The first to cross the Atlantic non-stop wasn’t Charles Lindbergh, but two long-forgotten British airmen. This is their story. On June 14-15, 1919, Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten...
-
$19.95Volume 1 was Baseball Almanac's favorite read o...Volume 1 was Baseball Almanac's favorite read of 2021 When the Pros Played on the Sandlot Ever wonder what your favorite ballplayer’s childhood was like? Kelly G. Park is at it again with the secon...
-
$24.95Adventures Outside My Comfort Zone From Woodst...Adventures Outside My Comfort Zone From Woodstock to the Okavango. How a bookworm turned flower child turned healthcare executive found joy in traveling the world. Structured in a series of essay...
-
$16.95Vengeance of the Last Roman Legion: Book 1 Deep...Vengeance of the Last Roman Legion: Book 1 Deep in the blackness of a long-forgotten crypt in rural France, an ancient and deadly nightmare has awakened. Its prey is already long dead. But it will ...
-
$19.95The Wrongful Conviction of Allen and Smith 1994...The Wrongful Conviction of Allen and Smith 1994, Lorain, Ohio. Nancy Smith, a bus driver, is charged with taking children to a man who sexually abuses them. But in a police lineup, the children, wh...
-
$19.95The Great War erupts in Europe. A devastating p...The Great War erupts in Europe. A devastating pandemic kills millions worldwide. Children are working in mines and factories, and women are testing boundaries. An explosion in a Pennsylvania coal m...
-
$19.95by Marlin Bressi Murder, mystery and mayhem! F...by Marlin Bressi Murder, mystery and mayhem! From an eccentric Clinton County puppetmaster whose marionettes were so lifelike that some believed they were made of flesh and blood, to a haunted lum...
-
$19.95Celebrated model Toto Koopman had beauty, brain...Celebrated model Toto Koopman had beauty, brains, and fame. Born to a Dutch father and Indonesian mother, she took up the life of a bon vivant in 1920s Paris and modeled for Vogue magazine and Coco...
-
$19.95Every school has a secret. After two beloved t...Every school has a secret. After two beloved teachers pass away at St. Stephen’s Middle School, it’s up to Ian Evans & Michelle Thompson to fill their shoes. But their eager anticipation soon ...
-
$24.95The Secret History of Medical Experimentation o...The Secret History of Medical Experimentation on Children in America The shocking truth of what really happened in American medicine during the 20th centuryInfluenced by the eugenics movement and u...
-
$24.95Teedyuscung (c. 1700–1763) was known as "King o...Teedyuscung (c. 1700–1763) was known as "King of the Delawares." He worked to establish a permanent Lenape (Delaware) home in eastern Pennsylvania in the Lehigh, Susquehanna, and Delaware River val...
-
$16.95The Italians were so busy creating and performi...The Italians were so busy creating and performing superb music that they neglected to tell the great epic story of their wondrous achievement. With BRAVO! We hope to tell that story. The 1,000-year...
-
$19.95Each Town’s Contribution to Maritime History Wh...Each Town’s Contribution to Maritime History Whether you call Cape Cod a man-made island or describe it as a geographic peninsula connected to the mainland by bridges, there is one non-debatable fa...
-
$24.95The Islands of Chincoteague and Assateague are ...The Islands of Chincoteague and Assateague are travel destinations like no other. Many visit these islands on Virginia’s Eastern Shore to see the wild ponies made famous by the children’s classic ...
-
$19.95Hemingway and the Rise of Modern Literature, Vo...Hemingway and the Rise of Modern Literature, Volume 2 The Modern Movement in art was an authentic response to a much-changing world. The rapid industrialization and urbanization of western society ...
-
$9.99Found. Still lost. is an empowering collection ...Found. Still lost. is an empowering collection of poetry and images exploring the depths of trauma and inviting us all to heal through the validation of our innermost feelings. One of the best ways...
-
$19.95The Timothy House Chronicles: Book One Abbie Ri...The Timothy House Chronicles: Book One Abbie Richardson and Keith Haliday have suffered devastating losses. Both share a common link—Abbie’s dead husband, Joe. Four years after his death, Abbie sti...
-
$19.95The Northern Appalachia Review is an annual pub...The Northern Appalachia Review is an annual publication making a place for the under-recognized literature of its region. The editors identify northern Appalachia as the Appalachia counties of Ohio...
-
$19.95Fate plays the long game. In our world of insta...Fate plays the long game. In our world of instant gratification, there seems to be little time for mysteries or wonder. We question our beliefs and close our minds to that which appears mystical. B...
-
$16.95Sheriff Tilghman is back in this small-town Pen...Sheriff Tilghman is back in this small-town Pennsylvania cozy historical mystery It’s the summer of 1898. The nation, just coming out of an economic slump, has been at war with Spain since April. A...
-
$19.95Gordon appears to be living the good life. He i...Gordon appears to be living the good life. He is married, has two delightful children, owns a home in the western suburbs of St. Louis, and teaches popular history classes at the local high school....
-
$19.95The Long Road to the Bronx Zoo No one saw more ...The Long Road to the Bronx Zoo No one saw more baseball during the 20th century than Gabe Paul. He started out as a bat boy. Then a newspaper correspondent. A press agent. A traveling secretary. ...
-
$16.95Two murders unnerve small-town Pennsylvania in ...Two murders unnerve small-town Pennsylvania in this cozy historical mystery The 19th century is coming to a close, and Sheriff Tilghman is focused on his two biggest problems: Finding a new deputy ...
-
$16.95A Pennsylvania Story Could you forgive the pers...A Pennsylvania Story Could you forgive the person who betrayed you? Leah is on a journey across Pennsylvania, confronting questions she never thought she’d ask: Can she forgive the man who hurt her...
-
$19.95Family is an outlawed concept. Friendships are ...Family is an outlawed concept. Friendships are forbidden. All procreation is artificial and government-controlled. Hazel, a factory-born military driver, accepts these rules as necessities for hum...
-
$24.95A British Soldier’s Son Who Became an Early Ame...A British Soldier’s Son Who Became an Early American In June 1798, President John Adams signed the now infamous Alien & Sedition Acts to suppress political dissent. Facing imminent personal ri...
-
$16.95Conflicted hearts search for human connection u...Conflicted hearts search for human connection upon waters and vivid landscapes. Randolf, a Susquehanna ferryman, is piloting an Amish wedding party in the title story of this collection, “Nunc Stan...
-
$19.95First published in 1910, The Key to the Tarot i...First published in 1910, The Key to the Tarot is the essential guide to unlocking the secrets of tarot from the legendary and renowned scholar of occultism, A. E. Waite. This practical book explain...
-
$19.95The Pennsylvania State Defense Forces, 1918 to ...The Pennsylvania State Defense Forces, 1918 to 1953 The National Defense Act of 1916 forever changed the landscape of the U.S. Military From 1918-1953, state governors were asked to raise and equip...
-
$24.95DISNEYANITY: Of ‘Walt’ and Religion studies the...DISNEYANITY: Of ‘Walt’ and Religion studies the manner in which popular entertainment can compete with conventional churches as a source of spirituality. DISNEYANITY: Of ‘Walt’ and Religion combine...
-
$19.95Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr hav...Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr have combed New York and Pennsylvania for the gravesites and biographies of some of our most interesting and accomplished sports figures. Included in thi...
-
$16.95From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M...From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M. Malafarina comes the sixth short story collection in his Malaformed Realities series, appropriately entitled Malaformed Realities Volume 6. With sev...
-
$19.95Roads Traveled, Lessons Learned, Villainy Expos...Roads Traveled, Lessons Learned, Villainy Exposed Being raised in the New York metropolitan region but living in the San Francisco Bay area exposed Martens to two worlds. One was inundated with Maf...
-
$19.95A talented, devoted anesthesiologist, with a co...A talented, devoted anesthesiologist, with a coveted academic position. A lovely, accomplished financial analyst with a glamorous social life, a high-rise apartment, and a dirty little secret. A ch...
-
$19.95Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr hav...Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr have combed New York and Pennsylvania for the gravesites and biographies of some of our most interesting and accomplished authors, musicians, actors, and...
-
$16.95Life hasn’t been entirely fair to Evan Sinclair...Life hasn’t been entirely fair to Evan Sinclair, or ‘Sissy Sinclair’ as most of his classmates like to call him, but now it’s seventh grade - and the universe owes him. A missing baseball bat, belo...
-
$16.95Harry Joseph Deitz was born into a life that ha...Harry Joseph Deitz was born into a life that had little hope and offered few opportunities. He was the youngest of six children in a family that was struggling to survive on a coal miner’s income i...
-
$12.95Ars Breve Vita Longa follows the author's decad...Ars Breve Vita Longa follows the author's decades-long odyssey through orchestras in the United States and Europe to describe the indelible characters he encountered on and off the screen and that,...
-
$19.95“War pinches time,” he said. “And as with me, i...“War pinches time,” he said. “And as with me, it kills slowly.” A young man of no celebrity, John Moore Lancaster of Fayette County, PA, responded to Lincoln’s call to arms in 1862. Being the “tall...
-
$19.95“War pinches time,” he said. “And as with me, i...“War pinches time,” he said. “And as with me, it kills slowly.” A young man of no celebrity, John Moore Lancaster of Fayette County, PA, responded to Lincoln’s call to arms in 1862. Being the “tall...
-
$29.95A Journey into the Organic Process of the A...A Journey into the Organic Process of the Art of Transformation What does it take to make your dreams come true? For the first time ever, world-acclaimed solo performer Ronald Rand and Goodwill...