Jacksonian Essay
Jaison Raju 11/25/12
AP U.S
During the 1820’s and 1830’s President Andrew Jackson and his followers, Jacksonian Democratics viewed themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. In some ways they succeeded in their goals and were effective guardians of political democracy and equality of economic opportunity. However, in doing so they neglected guardianship of the constitution, and protecting individual liberties. By doing this, the Jacksonian Democrats stressed the importance of the common man, even though by doing this they violate their own principles. Jacksonian Democrats both guarded and neglected people’s individual liberties. In the first year of Jackson’s presidency, the working class already felt that their rights were oppressed and abused by the political leaders (Doc. A). “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations take place … abuses of such a government.” They called for reform because the current political leaders did not guard their liberties to fair wages and work hours. However, Jackson was able to later on grant universal white male suffrage. This however, did not protect the rights of foreigners and African Americans which are depicted in The Diary of Philip Hone (Doc E). In Philip Hone’s diary, he portrays the discrimination and antagonism toward the Irish and Blacks during the riots in eastern cities during the 1830’s.
The Jacksonian Democrats were guardians of the Constitution. However, they would violate the constitution for the betterment of the “Common Man”. For example, In the “Acts and Resolutions of South Carolina”,(Doc F), it explains that South Carolina was angry that the national government wasn’t doing anything to prevent the mailing of Abolitionist papers and South Carolina threatened to not collect particular tariffs that were unconstitutional. As a result, the Jacksonians violated part of the Constitution by
AP U.S
During the 1820’s and 1830’s President Andrew Jackson and his followers, Jacksonian Democratics viewed themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. In some ways they succeeded in their goals and were effective guardians of political democracy and equality of economic opportunity. However, in doing so they neglected guardianship of the constitution, and protecting individual liberties. By doing this, the Jacksonian Democrats stressed the importance of the common man, even though by doing this they violate their own principles. Jacksonian Democrats both guarded and neglected people’s individual liberties. In the first year of Jackson’s presidency, the working class already felt that their rights were oppressed and abused by the political leaders (Doc. A). “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations take place … abuses of such a government.” They called for reform because the current political leaders did not guard their liberties to fair wages and work hours. However, Jackson was able to later on grant universal white male suffrage. This however, did not protect the rights of foreigners and African Americans which are depicted in The Diary of Philip Hone (Doc E). In Philip Hone’s diary, he portrays the discrimination and antagonism toward the Irish and Blacks during the riots in eastern cities during the 1830’s.
The Jacksonian Democrats were guardians of the Constitution. However, they would violate the constitution for the betterment of the “Common Man”. For example, In the “Acts and Resolutions of South Carolina”,(Doc F), it explains that South Carolina was angry that the national government wasn’t doing anything to prevent the mailing of Abolitionist papers and South Carolina threatened to not collect particular tariffs that were unconstitutional. As a result, the Jacksonians violated part of the Constitution by