Nationalism In The Late 1800s

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Throughout the early 1800s, traits of political patriotism helped promote nationalism throughout the United States. Events of peaceful agreements from the European countries helped build up nationalistic values that would become more prominent in the following years. Post 1812, a wave of nationalism became distinct after the defeat of the British. America's political foundations started to form during this era, as under John Marshall’s court cases showed a glimmering power of the Supreme Court and other federal components; in most cases, having a greater surge of power than in individual states. From such power from the national level, America began to ease off of foreign affairs, and expected the same from other countries. Toward the end of …show more content…

“Jacksonian Democracy” involved the common man to be more involved in politics rather than the wealthy and privileged. Jacksonian Democracy called for less of federal government, and more for representation of the everyday person. “The federal government cannot collect a surplus for such purposes without violating the principles of the Constitution and assuming powers which have not been granted. It is, moreover, a system of injustice, and, if persisted in, will inevitably lead to corruption and must end in ruin (Jackson 1837).” Nationalism boomed during this period since people felt that all of America was included and protected, a place one can truly call their home.This robust political movement called for more equality and less social class distinctions. “Yet these classes of society form the great body of the people of the United States; they are the bone and sinew of the country; men who love liberty and desire nothing but equal rights and equal laws and who, moreover, hold the great mass of our national wealth, although it is distributed in moderate amounts among the millions of freemen who possess it. (Jackson 1837).” Common man made up much of the population of the United States, and it was often pushed to have their rights …show more content…

First used in the Election of 1844, the Whigs and the Democrats battled to try to claim rule of the country. Both parties were quite different, as the Whigs had Henry Clay as its political candidate while the Democrats had James K. Polk. “The Whigs of 1840 stand where the Republicans of 1798 stood, and where the Whigs of the Revolution were, battling for liberty, for the people, for free institutions, against power, against corruption, against executive encroachments, against monarchy (Clay 1840).” The Democrats were more for the role of the common man to be enriched as well as having state governments in charge. “Each State is a complete sovereignty within the sphere of its reserved powers. The Government of the Union, acting within the sphere of its delegated authority, is also a complete sovereignty. While the General Government should abstain from the exercise of authority not clearly delegated to it, the States should be equally careful that in the maintenance of their rights they do not overstep the limits of powers reserved to them (Polk 1845).” Nationalism became increasingly powerful since both of these parties enjoyed American to the point where both wanted to rule the country. If these nationalistic values were not prominent at the time, setting up America’s government would be very difficult; and would not bring the success America has to this

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