The Impact Of Jacksonian Democracy

The Jacksonian Era was the time period of Andrew Jackson’s presidency. This began in 1828 when Jackson was elected president. The era is sometimes described as a time when the United States experienced the “democratization of politics.” In a democracy every citizen has an equal say in the government's decisions and actions. Some people of this time period believed that Jackson is notable for democratizing the United States during the Jacksonian Era. Others, on the other hand, believe he was far from accomplishing that. Politics are a way that expresses how the Unites States was not democratized during this time period. Jacksons animosity towards the Indians exposed his undemocratic actions during his first years of his presidency. However,

Andrew Jackson was one of the greatest presidents who made very difficult decisions for our country. Although his choices were not always the popular decision, he made choices that were always promoting democracy. The things that make a good democracy are: giving people a say in government, having a good leader that you can trust to make wise decisions, peace and stability between each country and other states, and having equal power in the government (checks and balances). Andrew Jackson came into office with a popular vote and great support. His supporters viewed him as a man of the people. Andrew Jackson promoted democracy well. This is true because he kept peace and stability between the nation and he provided people equal rights.

Throughout the early 19th century, changing politics and an evolving society in America impacted all classes of people, specifically the white working class. Jacksonian Democratic ideals was influenced by the working class, and the white working class benefited from President Jackson’s decisions.

An explosive controversy of the early 1840s involved the Maine boundary dispute. The St. Lawrence River is icebound several months of the year, as the British, remembering the War of 1812, well knew. They were determined, as a defensive precaution against the Yankees, to build a road westward from Halifax to Quebec. But the proposed route ran through disputed territory, claimed also by Maine under the misleading peace treaty of 1783. Lumberjacks from both Maine and Canada entered the disputed land of the Aroostook River valley. Ugly fights flared up, and both sides summoned the local militia. This was known as the Aroostook War and occurred in 1839.

President Andrew Jackson was a very popular president and did a lot of things during his presidency. But in my opinion, I think he was not democratic because he wanted everything done his way or no way, like during the Indian Removal act in Document 10. He wanted the Indians land so he had his soldiers move them \west into the Indian territory.

Despite their differences and detestations against each other, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay were both political leaders who possessed similar characteristics and philosophies. In the book Andrew Jackson vs. Henry Clay , the author Harry L. Watson described the two leaders’ loathing for each other, but he also wrote about the likenesses and related circumstances that Jackson and Clay underwent in Antebellum America. Both men’s beliefs and philosophies played a major role in the formations of the two-party system. With their dedication of preserving the federal Union, both Jackson and Clay devoted themselves to the government and also influenced politics in American public life. One concept that is most notorious about them, however, is the fact that they wholeheartedly despised each other. Watson’s book further describes that Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay mainly had political differences, morals, and characteristics.

Andrew Jackson was known during his presidency due to the significant events and changes. First, he promoted democracy. To promote democracy, he allowed more citizens to take part in government (Spoil System) and vetoed the bill to renew the charter to prevent rich people from taking advantage. Also, he expanded white male suffrage (the right to vote). Second, Nullification Crisis. South Carolina nullified the new tariff. However, with Jackson’s firm stand, no other state supported South Carolina. Jackson supported a compromise tariff proposed by Henry Clay (it lowered tariffs) and ask Congress to pass the Force Bill to enforce the tariff in South Carolina. Third, Indian Removal Act. Native Americans were forced to sign treaties agreeing to

Jacksonian Democrats beliefs are more similar to the Populist party’s beliefs than different in political, economic, and social ways. Their limited differences are based on the time periods and problems they faced respectively.

Andrew Jackson’s presidency is one of the more debated presidencies in American history. Many see him as a hero while others view him as opposite. Depending on which history book is read, portrayals of him are sometimes of “the common man,” who attacked a political system that ignored the will of the common citizens. Other texts would portray Jackson as tyrant, one who disrespected many of the institutions outlined in the Constitution. He is usually celebrated by some because he defended the rights of the common people. Others, however, look down upon his removal of the Native Americans, a movement known as the Trail of Tears. Both of these conclusions are correct in the judgement of Jackson’s presidency. Many events that occurred while he was in office helped the development of our nation while at the same time led up to the events prior to the Civil War.

Andrew Jackson was seen as a common man the voice of the people by some. By others he was King Andrew, trampling the constitution and instigating tyranny. Jackson’s presidency impacted democracy, through his use of the veto power, and his claim of Clay creating a “corrupt bargain”, which is not a turning point for a rise in democracy despite him giving white male suffrage.

Andrew Jackson and the Search for Vindication, a biography written by James C. Curtis and published in 1976, explores Andrew Jackson’s life from his childhood experiences to his presidency. James C. Curtis analyzes Andrew Jackson’s actions psychologically during his life-long search for vindication.

Andrew Jackson emerged as a war hero from the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. In the election of 1828, Jackson’s campaign brought the common man into voting booths by sweeping votes in the south and west, mainly agrarian farmers and frontiersmen looking to expand west, while John Quincy Adams took most of the Old Federalist votes in the New England region. While Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves as the guardians of the Constitution and protectors of political democracy, individual freedoms and equality in terms of economic opportunity, they also took credit for increased white male suffrage, as voting participation increased dramatically through the Jackson era. However, the problems such as slavery, Indian removal policies, woman’s and

Andrew Jackson believed that he was a guardian of the Constitution .He was fixing the faulty interpretation of the constitution put forth by his fellow congress men. Jackson saw the banks as “monopoly of foreign and domestic exchange” he believed the wealthy people were using the banks to line their pockets with more money. One of Jackson’s opponents, Daniel Webster of Mass. . He believed that Jackson had no true facts on his assessment, in fact he saw the veto as alarming. In westers view, Jackson was using the constitutional argument to support his own grab for power. The Whigs, that where like the federalists that where years before them, viewed the national bank as both necessary and constitutional.

The era of Andrew Jackson which was nicknames the era of the “common man” certainly lived up to its name. As the seventh President of the United States, Jackson had a major effect on the life of the common man, in such a way that the life of the common man would never be the same again. Jackson’s aim, after the manner in which he was defeated in the Presidential Election of 1824, despite receiving more popular votes than John Quincy Adams who took on the office, was to reduce the power and the authority of the elite. When he came into power after the 1828 election Jackson began to carry out his proposals.

The economic plan known as the American System came into existence when the next generation of politicians gained their office positions (Schultz,Mays,Winfree,2010). The plan, an updated version developed by Democratic-Republicans who had externally endorsed Jefferson's small government plan, but intently desired the advocacy of the federal government. The ringleaders for the American System were Henry Clay of Kentucky and John C. Calhoun of South Carolina. From their perspective, the government should create roads and canals for internal improvements, in which allowed for economic growth between states. They wanted to establish secure banks instead of allowing the people to borrow from shady money lenders. And lastly, they desired to raise tariffs to assist and protect the federal government during economic growth, with additional funding coming from the sale of public lands (Senate.gov).