Who sponsored the recharter of the Second Bank in 1831-1832 as a way to challenge Jackson?

The recharter of the Second Bank in 1831-1832 was sponsored by Henry Clay as a strategic maneuver to challenge President Andrew Jackson, particularly in light of Jackson’s opposition to the Bank. Clay, being a prominent political figure and a member of the National Republican Party, understood that the Bank was a critical issue that could galvanize support against Jackson, who had already made his disdain for the institution clear. By pushing for the recharter, Clay hoped to highlight the conflict and potentially turn public opinion against Jackson, especially since the renewal of the Bank's charter was an upcoming election issue. This move was less about the economic policies of the Bank and more about the political power struggle between Jackson and his opponents.

John C. Calhoun, Daniel Webster, and Robert Hayne were influential figures during this time but were primarily involved in other issues, such as states' rights and sectional tensions, rather than directly orchestrating the rechartering of the Bank as a tactic against Jackson.