APUSH Kirts 7
October 25, 12
Changes In Politics
The United States of America is a country known primarily for being founded upon the principles of equality, and liberty. An aspiration the nation has always been centered upon is creating an equal basis for each individual inhabiting the United States. The nation has always taken a great sense of pride in the voting system it possesses, but unfortunately there was a time when this glorified system was not available to the public. After the war of 1812 came to an end the public began to discuss the topic of voting heavily. The most significant changes in participation in both political campaigns and elections in the United States took place within the years of 1815 to 1840; and this was because of a dramatic change in activism, as well as a dramatic increase in the level of campaigning. Within the years of 1815 and 140, political activism grew immensely within the United States. Although compared to present day, the amount of voters is comparable to nothing, for the time period having almost 27 percent of the inhabitants of the United States able to vote, was ground breaking. 25 years later the amount of individuals that were entitled to voting rights increased over 50 percent, leaving the grand total at 80 percent of inhabitants were entitled to vote. (Doc. A) An outcome of a grand increase of voters, was a grand increase of political views and sentiments regarding not one, but many different issues within the political realm of the nation. Although most individuals whom were granted the right to vote saw it is as extremely positive change in all aspects, there were few who viewed the concept of voting as a chaotic concept, they stated “the tendency of universal suffrage is to jeopardize the rights of property and the principals of liberty” (Doc. B) This quote states that everyone having the right to vote, puts the rights people have to their individual property in jeopardy, as well as