Jacksonian Ideals

In 1828, Andrew Jackson became the first president of the United States to come from a non-influent family. Although by his presidency he was very rich, he was known for supporting the Jeffersonian Ideals instead of the rich. Although throughout the Jacksonian Era the leaders of America remained rich and the promotion of Industry over Jeffersonian Ideal persisted, there are increased voting rights as leaders begin to campaign for the support of the common man and the national bank is ultimately terminated leading this period to be rightfully called the era of the common man.
Although the Jacksonian Era is often liked with the rise of the power of the common man, many elements of the early American traditions persisted through this period.
To begin, the president of the United States continues to be rich. Even though Andrew Jackson was born very poor, through his many military accomplishments, like all 0f the presidents before him, Jackson became a rich member of society. By the time he became president he owned a large plantation in Tennessee called the Hermitage. Jackson’s plantation set him in the upper class even though he was “new money.” Furthermore, throughout the Jacksonian Era, industrial protective tariffs remained even though they hurt the common farming man. Throughout the period, tariff like the Tariff of 1828 or 1832 persisted to put stress on the common man because other countries would add retaliation tariffs on United states goods and farmers would make less money. These tariffs remain because they were needed to support the industrial growth in the north east as textile industrialization began to take off from Samuel Slater bringing British technology to America. This promoted the roots of the Industrial revolution in America. Overall, many elements of American economy and society persisted throughout the Jacksonian Era even though they did not promote the common man.
Many social and economic elements remained the same; however, increased voting rights and the destruction of the national bank demonstrate major changes for the promotion of Jeffersonian Ideals.
During this time, there was a drastic increase of voting rights. Before the Jacksonian Era, many times in order to vote, one had to own a large amount of property; however, Jackson fought for the common man, and eventually, all white men regardless of property ownership gained the right to vote. Furthermore, candidates began to campaign for the vote of the common man rather than that of the rich. This was called campaigning for the grass roots. In the past, the president was chosen by the rich and powerful in society, but Andrew Jackson proved that campaigning for the common man was a different but practical approach. This change occurred because more people could vote as there was less voter restriction and electoral college members began to have to support the choice of their state’s voters rather than their own preference. Moreover, during this period, Jackson ended the Second National Bank for the benefit of the common man. The bank supported the rich in New England but was a major area of mistrust and hatred for the north east among southerners and westerners. It also supported a strong central government over states’ rights. For these reasons, Jackson shut down the national bank in order to promote the ideas of the common man. Jackson supported Jeffersonian Ideals shutting down
the national bank and increasing voting rights; therefore, this period truly was the era of the common man.
Throughout the era of the common man, the president was always an upper class citizen, and tariffs protecting the northeast remained; however, increased voting rights and the destruction of the national bank lead to the common man becoming the most influential group in society.
The expansion of voting rights leading to Jackson’s election directly connects to the woman’s suffrage movement in the early 1900’s. Just as Jackson was able to win based on new support from the common man who would not have been able to vote previously, after the 19th amendment was passed, women began to become elect into official government poisons at a previously unattainable rate. Just eight years after the law was passed, seven women were already in the house of representatives. To conclude, the first half of the 19th century can rightfully be called the era of the common
man.