More handpicked essays just for you.
Democracy in the USA 19th century
Chapter 13 The Rise of the Jacksonian Democracy, 1824-1830
Chapter 13 The Rise of the Jacksonian Democracy, 1824-1830
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The rise of democratisation in America describes "Age of Jackson", yet Jacksonian Democracy is a concept referring to the rise of political democracy in America through the creation of the Democrat party. In one aspect it is a period of democracy for the common man with extended suffrage and strict constructionism in the federal system. Another angle is that Jacksonianism can be seen as a walking contradiction with the existence of slavery and subjugation of minorities in an age of white supremacy defying any "democratic" nature. The "Age of Jackson" was an authentic movement for the common man as Deusen identifies, combined with Chases view of the rise of white egalitarianism. Not only that, its philosophy is "democratic" with all organs and bodies of government being subject to the people's direction. Yet, the people to Jackson did not include everyone; a citizen in this period would be a white male of age- most specifically the rising entrepreneurial class. Revisionist historians tend to link the origins far more to the market revolutions profound effect on the socio-economic natures of regions of the United States; compared to traditional views of a political awakening from the American Revolution to the Jeffersonian Democratic Republicans. Yet Jacksonian Democracy in its form as Deusen most appropriately constructs, was a 'movement to ensure justice and opportunity for the common man', and it's ignorance to 'ethnic and religious differences' to 'local conditions' meant it 'reeked of demagoguery, ruthlessness and corruption' (Deusen G. G., 1970, pp. 7-9).
The "Age of Jackson" is tied to introduction of universal male suffrage, through a 'might democratic uprising', and as Hyland argues full "democratic" equality means 'the ...
... middle of paper ...
...s, Inc.
Deusen, G. G. (1970). The rise and decline of Jacksonian Democracy (1st ed.). New York: Van Nostand Reinhold Company.
Foner, E. (2012). Give me Liberty! An American History (Seagull 3rd ed.). New York: W.W.Norton & Company, Inc.
Hyland, J. (1995). Democratic Theory: The Philosophical Foundation (1st ed.). Manchester: Manchester University Press.
McCormick, R. P. (1970). Essays on Jacksonian America (1st ed., Vol. 5). (F. O. Gatell, Ed.) Los Angeles: Holt, Rinehert and Winston, Inc.
Pessen, E. (1978). Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics (Revised ed.). Homewood, Illinios: The Dorsey Press.
Remini, R. V. (1981). Andrew Jackson and the course of American Freedom (1st ed., Vol. 2). Row: Harper &.
Wallace, A. F. (1993). The Long, Bitter Trail: Andrew Jackson and the Indians. Hill & Wang.
Wilentz, S. (2012). Jacksonian Democracy. History Channel.
It is agreeable that the Jacksonian Democrats perceived themselves as strict guardians of the United States Constitution. It is not agreeable with how they went about preserving the political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity they stood for. While trying to create this balance, Jackson used tactics favorable only to his opinion. Jackson’s main idea was to rid of aristocracy, giving the power to the poorer classes, standing against rich white men. The flaw in their scheme was that the people who came up with this idea were all rich white men.
Andrew Jackson, revered as the first common man to become President, symbolized the average citizen having the opportunity to climb the ranks within America 's democratic system. However, the profits of Jackson 's administration succeed in concealing his immoral procedures and behavior. Jackson 's methods worked accordingly to the reasoning of the father of political science, Machiavelli, who said, “The end justifies the means”. He achiev...
Jacksonian Democrats help create a more democratic America and because of this, believed themselves to be many things, real and fictional. In most cases they perceived themselves as defenders of equal economic opportunity, even though they sometimes put their own interests before those of the people. They also thought of themselves as guardians of political democracy, while at the same time using class differences to their advantage and emotionalized speeches, lacking real intellectual merit, to stir support. Jacksonian Democrats felt that they were the protectors of the Constitution and of individual liberties but many times they put their rivalry with the Northeastern industry and Whig politics before these things. While Jacksonians have much correct in their view of themselves as guardians of political democracy, equal economic opportunity and individual liberty, they were often more important in developing these concepts than protecting them.
Before Andrew Jackson became president, he had a rough life. His parents died when he was young so he grew up without guidance. Jackson was in all the fights he could pick and to many, a wild child. By age 17, he calmed down and began planning his life. It wasn’t until after he had enrolled in the war of 1813 and showed great leadership and strength, that he was in the spot for presidency. (BG Essay) Many people believe in a Democratic nation. Not everyone follows one though. In a democratic nation, the voices of the people are heard. The leader(s) listen and make changes the people want done. Throughout Andrew Jackson’s time in office, he showed his country many undemocratic actions. He made some great changes and some not so great friendships. How democratic was Andrew Jackson? In the eyes of some, Jackson was not democratic. In many of his actions, he is shown to take one side of two things and do anything to make sure that side
During The Jacksonian Era many different views and ideas were predominant about the United States. The Jacksonian Democrats were a loose coalition of different peoples and interests pulled together by a common practical idea. That idea was that they all were followers of President Andrew Jackson. Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves as guardians of the Constitution when in fact they were not. When dealing with politics and ideas within the Democratic Party of the time the Jacksonians proved to be both guardians and violators of the Constitution. Individual liberty is another area in which the Jacksonians were advocates to different sides of the topic at different times. The Jacksonians also proved to be champions for equality of economic opportunity. The Jacksonians demonstrated themselves to be, not the proponents they thought they were, but instead violators of the US Constitution.
The election of Andrew Jackson in 1828 brought a new wave of political ideas, especially since he created the Democratic party and their symbol. Jacksonian Democrats saw themselves as guardians of the Constitution, political democracy and individual liberty (aka social freedoms). I believe that this was not the case for the decisions made in Jackson’s presidency, and he was more of a “King Andrew” than a man of the common people.
Divine, Robert A. America past and Present. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education/Longman, 2013. 245. Print.
Russell B. Nye: Fettered Freedom: Civil Liberties and the Slavery Controversy, 1830-1860. East Lansing, Mich., 1949
3. Divine, Breen, Fredrickson, Williams, eds., America Past and Present Volume II: since 1865 sixth edition (New York: Longman 2002).
Jacksonians proved to be both guardians and violators of the Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and economic opportunity.
By the time Jackson came to power, the nation had been drastically changed by the Industrial Revolution. The simple, pastoral, agricultural lifestyle was being replaced by the manufacturing world, of cities and factories. Politically, the nation was in great turmoil. There was still an everlasting debate among men in power, over what should prevail, the rights of the states, or the rights of the Federal Government. If not for several personal reasons, Jackson would have been a staunch advocator of states rights. The right to vote was still a major issue, the middle class feeling robbed of power in governmental decisions, the upperclass feeling threatened by the growth of the middleclass. However, Jackson brought with him many new ideas and principles. Since he himself had very modest roots, he sympathized with the middle and lower classes. He had worked for everything he had of value in life, and he acknow...
Foner, Eric. "Chapter 9." Give Me Liberty!: An American History. Brief Third ed. Vol. One. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. N. pag. Print.
Parsons, L. H. (2009). The Birth of Modern Politics: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and the Election of 1828. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Roark, J.L., Johnson, M.P., Cohen, P.C., Stage, S., Lawson, A., Hartmann, S.M. (2009). The american promise: A history of the united states (4th ed.), The New West and Free North 1840-1860, The slave south, 1820-1860, The house divided 1846-1861 (Vol. 1, pp. 279-354).
A main characteristic of the Jacksonian Era was the fight for the common man. As the United States grew in size and age, the stratification of society was inevitable. In the 1820's class distinctions became major issues, greatly due to an unchanging and small upper class. This greatly detracted from the American ideal of equality when it came to economic opportunities. The upper class us...