Andrew Jackson’s 1,400-Pound Cheese and the Panic of 1837: A Policy Context

71 points by crix_22 12 hours ago on reddit | 6 comments

[OP] crix_22 | 12 hours ago

On February 22, 1837, Andrew Jackson hosted 10,000 people to eat a 1,400-pound cheese wheel in the White House.

While often cited as "weird history," the event was the finale of a decade of radical financial shifts that led to the Panic of 1837 just three months later.

Key Context:

  1. The Bank War: Jackson’s dismantling of the Second Bank of the U.S. removed the nation's primary financial stabilizer.

  2. The Specie Circular: His 1836 order requiring gold or silver for land purchases paralyzed credit markets.

  3. The Crash: This triggered the worst economic depression the U.S. had seen to that date.

shuttleguy11 | 3 hours ago

And you've just made my list. - Leo McGarry

Satoriinoregon | an hour ago

Shoddy-Patient9948 | 3 hours ago

Andrew Jackson was the best president we've ever had in my opinion.

[OP] crix_22 | 2 hours ago

We certainly haven’t seen anyone pay off the national debt recently