During the Jacksonian Era from about 1828-1842, the Democrats set the standard to be carried on later by the Populists. The Jacksonian Democrats identified with the common man. They wanted all democrats to agree. In 1828, Andrew Jackson was elected president and he was later reelected in 1832. In the year of his reelection, Jackson established the spoils system to reform the government, removing some federal officeholders ("To the victor belong the spoils") and made the right of elected officials to appoint their own followers to public office and established feature of American politics. Also in this year, Jackson vetoed the bill to recharter the Bank of the United States. This sets the tone for his, and the Democrats, ongoing battle with the Bank and its president, Nicholas Biddle, later to rise to climax when Jackson removed federal deposits from the Bank of the United States. A year later, in 1833, the nullification crisis erupted, pushing Jackson and his Democrats into another battle, this one with John Calhoun and nullification. Jackson insisted that nullification was treason and those implementing it were traitors. The nullification crisis was averted by compromise: the lowering of the tariff of 1828, the tariff of abominations, gradually be lowered. Jackson believed in a distinct, but simple theory of democracy, that it should offer "equal protection and equal benefits" to all its white male citizens and favor no region of class over another. This meant an assault on what he considered the citadels of the eastern…
Nowhere was the democratic ideal depicted in the body of a man than in President Andrew Jackson. Elected as one of the more popular presidents of the early nineteenth century, the people’s choice of Jackson as a man who appealed to the interests and experiences of a cast majority reflected the democratic process on an honest scale. While its beauty and pure form remained generally housed in elections of the time, the democracy employed by Jackson, particularly in his economic politics, should also be viewed as a contribution to its early development in America. The pinnacle of Jackson’s economic dilemma found spiteful ground on the question of what to do about the Bank of the United States. The national bank itself had been established by somewhat democratic in the battle between sound economic standing Hamiltonians and limited government advocating Jeffersonians of the early 1800’s. Jacksonianism, which could be best characterized as Jefferson’s Republicanism thirty years later also, sought to limit the power of the federal government in hopes to secure more involvement of the states, and this the people, in the political process. Jackson held that the bank was not necessary, and that is was, moreover, not needed in a democratic America. Its operation often favored big business interest and stomped out farmers and westerner to who Jackson appealed. Though…
Jacksonian democracy is the political philosophy of United States President Andrew Jackson and his supporters. Jackson's policies followed the era of Jeffersonian democracy which dominated the previous political era. Prior to and during Jackson's time as President, his supporters (the beginnings of the modern Democratic Party) were resisted by the rival Adams and Anti-Jacksonian factions, which later gave rise to the Whigs. More broadly, the term refers to the period of the Second Party System (mid 1830s-1854) when Jacksonian philosophy was ascendant as well as the spirit of that era. It can be contrasted with the characteristics of Jeffersonian democracy. Jackson's equal political policy became known as Jacksonian Democracy, subsequent to…
In 1829, Andrew Jackson was elected to be the 7th president. His promises were big, his changes were small such as equality democracy and true representation. This was not the lack of Jackson's ambition or drive, but the outcome of the many different challenges he faced. Now taking all this into consideration as I weigh out his pros and cons assessing Jackson's presidency. In my own opinion, his presidency was good nor bad, it was an even balance between keeping his promises, and dealing with presidential issues. His term is commonly know as the "Age of Jackson Democracy"; The irony in theses names is that it was simply those who supported Jackson meeting up together; it was not meant to be the start of forming presidential parties. In Mistakes…
The years between 1829 and 1837 have been called "Age of Jacksonian Democracy" as well as "The Era of the Common Man." However, these titles were not necessarily correct as America was far from a democracy; women could not vote and were still inferior to men, free blacks were still considered below white citizens, and slavery was growing in the south. Jackson was a highly controversial president, for good reason due to his massacre of thousands, but was actually a great American and president who attempted to protect individual liberty, the Constitution, political democracy, and promote equality of economic opportunity.…
Democracy is the power or rule of the people. The people have the right to vote the best candidate who is deemed the best fit to govern the government. Both democratic president’s Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson contributed their views of policies and ideas of significant importance to the United States Democracy. As both men were the few first leaders of the development of the beginning of the strong and challenging nation of democracy, they can be compared. The development of democracy from the time President Jefferson to President Jackson was based on the difference between the two leaders which caused changes that were significate to the development of the American republic.…
When Jackson came to power in 1829 he promised much, advocating equality, democratic change, morality in government and true representation. However Jackson's success or failure as a president is shown by what he actually did. The thesis of this essay is that despite the variety of issues faced by Jackson he didn't actually bring about much change. This could be interpreted as failure but his legacy as a strong president, as a symbol of US democracy, and also the devotion of the people to him, does perhaps counter the failings. Failure might constitute not meeting one's promises but Jackson's ambiguity and inconsistency on many issues make it hard to judge his performance. I would not say he was completely successful or unsuccessful but rather advocate a mixture of both.…
Second, Jackson was not democratic for economic reasons. To start, Jackson vetoed the bill to recharter the Second Bank of the United States. He claimed that he was protecting the democracy from corruption but in reality, he feared that the bankers would campaign against him. Jackson was a tyrant who destroyed the national bank for personal issues (Doc 8) and he was quoted as saying, "The Bank is trying to kill me but I will kill it." Next, Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act, which forced the Indians to move west. Even though the Indians did not want to leave their lands…
Although President Jackson was a champion of democracy and egalitarianism, there are some instances where he takes advantage of his presidential powers and uses him for his own benefits and beliefs and not for the good of the country. President Jackson did a lot of good for the early Democratic Party though. He helped expand voting and focused on destroying monopolies like the national bank that he believed were harming the nation. He did however take manners into his own hands at times. For instance disregarding Supreme Court rulings. Enacting Military action on a state and Vetoing bills like the Maysville road that would’ve helped the union, but since he didn’t approve he vetoed it.…
In Worcester V. Georgia, John Marshall had ruled that the Indians could stay in the land and that Georgia had no power within the Indian lands. However, Jackson said “John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it.” Then he proceeded to pass the Indian Removal Act and caused the deaths of many Indians who traveled along the path known as the Trail of Tears that led to present-day Oklahoma(Doc.10). Democracy had not extended to Indians as their pleas to remain on the land of their ancestors were rejected even after they explained the hardships of moving to the new land(Doc.9). Despite this, Jackson had democratic reasons for removing the Indians from their lands. Jackson sympathized with land-hungry citizens who wanted to take over the land previously owned by the Natives. The only way to reply to the citizens was to fuel westward expansion by passing the Indian Removal Act. Furthermore, Jackson believed that the Native Americans would eventually get wiped out if they stayed on their lands, so he had told Congress to set apart a district west of the Mississippi for the Indian tribes to occupy(Doc.9). Jackson believed that this was the most humane way to move the Indians and truly believed that he was saving them from…
By 1828, it is quite noticeable that more states would vote in the election rather than the legislature (Doc A). Jackson was the candidate that was most voted significantly by this time, making it more evident on how democracy can be powerful. Also by 1828, the common people realized what power they held and used it to their advantage by starting a peaceful revolution (Doc B). Even though, most were the common people it was also the snobs he had received votes because of his own reputation he had for himself from being poor to rich (Doc B). Jackson’s popularity was a huge plus for him as this led him to be a leader and start the democratic movement. He was keen on the idea of democracy, and he believed that the people should hold most of the control which then he tried to abolish the electoral college, but failed (Doc D). At this point, Jackson was being democratic because he wanted to create a rotation of office and let the people have more control on who they want in office. Also in his letter to congress he states “Offices were not established to give support to particular men at the public expense. (Doc H)” which shows how Jackson wanted more of a rotational government. He believed that no man should have certain demands, and that the spoils system should let any intelligent man hold in any public office. Because of his popularity with the people and how he wants them to be more of the government shows the democratic side of…
He claimed that the Indian Removal Act of 1830 was beneficial to both Americans and Indians. Americans, he said, could relieve themselves of these “savage hunters” and burgeon in “population, wealth, and power” if they agreed to his forcible removal of Indians. (On Indian Removal) However, to buttress his argument, he skillfully persuades Congress that Indian removal is also amazingly to their self-benefit as well. Resettlement would allows Indians to “pursue happiness in their own way and under their own rude institutions” (On Indian Removal). Jackson believed that Indians were unwilling to acclimatize to American culture and gives them a ghastly ultimatum: “utter annihilation” or kind “removal and settlement” (On Indian Removal). Unfortunately, the former was the de facto policy, and millions of Indians died as a result of this heinous law. Andrew Jackson openly and mercilessly oppressed and exterminated the native populations in the eastern U.S. and received the support of the whites…
Although viewed by some as a non-democratic president, Jackson, through the suffrage movement, the expansion of individual rights, and the veto of the National Bank, veered his presidency towards the Democratic…
Jackson served to fight for the rights of the lower class when he vetoed the bill to recharter the bank because he believed that it only advantaged the upper class. This Bank War was supported by the Jacksonians as they felt that he was fighting the rich monopoly and supporting the underprivileged. The same went for the case of Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge. The interests of the common man were once again represented when the Charles River Bridge proprietors were rejected the right to a monopoly to have the only bridge spanning across the river. Free enterprise was to become an invaluable part of the American economy. The topic of political democracy continued to make a resurrection throughout Jackson’s presidency as well. As self-proclaimed guardians of the constitution, the Jacksonians’ effort did not go unnoticed. Their prevalence throughout the 1830’s was so well felt that even foreigners, like Harriet Martineau,…
A major dilemma for Jackson was what to do with Native Americans living in the South and on this issue Jackson failed at protecting the rights of Native Americans. As shown in the picture, Native Americans living in the South were driven away from their lands to Oklahoma on a path known as the Trail of Tears. Did the Native Americans not have the same rights as the whites living in the South? Apparently Jackson and his successor Martin Van Buren did not ever consider this question and upon this they failed to protect the Constitution. In relation to the issue of Indian removal came another violation of the Constitution by Andrew Jackson. When John Marshall and the Supreme Court ruled that Georgia's extension of state law over Cherokee land was unconstitutional, Andrew Jackson totally ignored the decision. This action violated Supreme Court decisions and strengthened Jackson's reputation as an enemy of the law.…