The Jacksonian Era Of The Common Man - 1561 Words

The Jacksonian period (1824-1841) is widely recognized as the era of the â€Å"common man†. To an extent, this statement is true due to the numerous political advancements that increased the rights of the â€Å"common man†. However, the political developments alone do not form a full picture of this period. In contrast with the progress in the political sphere, the economic developments during this era oppressed the people as America plunged into the worst financial depression it had seen to that point. The American government in the 19th century was perfectly summed up, ironically, by a Frenchman, Alexis de Toqueville. Toqueville was a French historian who documented and studied American democracy extensively and was an avid supporter of American democracy. He wanted France to mimic American governmental institutions. In his book, Democracy in America, Toqueville says, â€Å"Long before the appointed day arrives, the election becomes the greatest, and one might say the only, affair occupying men s minds....the whole nation gets into a feverish state† (Document 7). Toqueville is referring to the voting fervor that took hold of America during elections. With the advent of universal male suffrage, more and more people were able to vote and they fully exercised this right as evident by voter participation statistics from 1824 to 1848. Voter participation increased from 23 percent to 73 percent in the span of 24 years (Document 6). Voter participation increased over the years dueShow MoreRelatedAndrew Jackson’s ‘Era of the Common Man’ or the ‘Jacksonian Period’ (1824-1845)1100 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew Jackson’s ‘Era of the Common Man’ or the ‘Jacksonian Period’ (1824-1845) starts at his inauguration, and ends as the Civil War begins. Jackson was the first president that was not born into wealth or education, but instead made his own wealth, and taught himself up to a prime education, a ‘self-made man’, as some may say, this and his military history made him the defining figure of his age. Although, he downplayed his past successes to make him more like the ‘common man’, and appeal to theRead MoreJeffersonian Republicanism vs. Jacksonian Democracy1441 Words   |  6 Pagesvery different eras, ranging from 1800-1808 and 1808-1840 respectively, that established two very different political philosophies. Each formed their own system that helped shape the way people think about American government. Liberalism is a political philosophy that goes against the established status quo at the time in order for change, where as a conservative is one which adheres to principles established by that same status quo. The Jeffersonian Republicans image of the common man was one vestedRead MoreJeffersonian And Jacksonian Democracy1574 Words   |  7 PagesJeffersonian and Jacksonian Democracy both have roots dating back to the Era of Good Feelings, when James Monroe created a golden climate of liberalism and national unity. As a result of the War of 1812, Monroe spoke of his policies and beliefs and in 1817, peace, liberty, prosperity, and progress flourished throughout the nation (Garraty 200). The Era of Good Feelings came to an end because of the â€Å"corrupt bargain† in 1824. The transition from Jeffersonian to Jacksonian Democracy involved scandalousRead MoreThe Importance Of Jacksonian Democracy722 Words   |  3 PagesAndrew Jackson, war hero, man of the people, and seventh president of the United States of America led the Jacksonian Democrats; this political group was formed antebellum America. The democrats tried to aggrandize the puissance of lower classes, Americans that did not have as many opportunities unlike the aristocracy. While decreasing the clout of the rich and potent. Economically, they achieved benefits from governing during a period where huge advances in transportation, which ul timately acceleratedRead MoreJacksonian Democracy1151 Words   |  5 PagesTopic: Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. In light of the following documents and your knowledge of the 1820s and 1830s, to what extent do you agree with the Jacksonians view of themselves? Andrew Jackson began a whole new era in American history. Amongst his greatest accomplishments were evoking the common man to be interested in government and tailoringRead MoreInequality : Andrew Jackson Won The Presidential Election950 Words   |  4 Pagesfearless Jackson boasted; ‘a calm dose not suit me† (George Brown Tindall 442). His two terms in office was called the age of the common man. However, the Jacksonian democracy was actually the era of growing economic and social inequality. The growing gap between the wealthy and the poor and open racial behavior are two points that demonstrate how the age of the common man became instead the age of inequality. â€Å"While men of moderate means could sometimes turn an inheritance into a fortune by good managementRead MoreAndrew Jackson s Impact On The American History1142 Words   |  5 Pagesbecame the seventh president of the U.S in 1829, and a populist one, who earned a number of transformative achievements to h is name. More importantly, Andrew’s presidency marked the advent of the Jacksonian era. The Jacksonian era in particular was monumental in the construction of democracy for the common man. Nonetheless, Andrew Jackson had a number of achievements and accomplishment that will live to transcend the American history for many years to come. The Creek war is one of the pivotal turningRead MoreThe Era Of The Common Man844 Words   |  4 PagesThe era of the common man was a period between, 1824 through 1848, described to be the era of wealth, hope and power. During this period Andrew Jackson s presidency helped United States grow as a nation and live up to the era’s name; through the economic developments, changing politics that benefited the common man, and different reform movements. The Tariff of 1828 commonly known as the â€Å"tariff of abominations† decreased the Southerners economy drastically. The Southerners had to pay for raw materialsRead MoreEssay on Jacksonian Democracy1049 Words   |  5 PagesJacksonian Democracy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Andrew Jackson began a whole new era in American history. Amongst his greatest accomplishments were evoking the common man to be interested in government and tailoring democracy to satisfy the same common man’s needs. Of course, Jackson could not go about making such radical changes without supporters, but that never surfaced as a problem. Jacksonian Democrats, as they came to be called, were great in number during the 1820’s and 1830’s. They advocated all of theRead MoreEssay on Democracy and Jacksonian Democrats817 Words   |  4 PagesJacksonian democrats viewed themselves as the guardians of the Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. In light of the documents and your knowledge of the 1820s and 1830s, to what extent do you agree with the Jacksonians view of themselves? Jacksonian democrats viewed themselves as the guardians of the Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. In light of the documents and your knowledge