When you think of the time period of President Andrew Jackson (known best as the Jackson, or Jacksonian Era), where does your mind take you? Does it prompt you to consider the tales of Andrew Jackson himself, or do you think of the influence his presidency held on America? When it comes to this paper, I will discuss how the Jackson Era changed the American economy, public policy, and society of the time.
To start with, I will talk about the economy. Andrew Jackson and his followers were strong proponents that freedom from debt was key in establishing a free republic and that, without debt, the people would be free from the burdens of creditors (Remini). With this conviction he began working on freeing America from its debt. His efforts led to the first and only period in time (1835-1837) during which we, as a nation, were debt-free (Remini). One of his projects towards this debt-free period in time was the Bank Veto.
In 1829, Jackson went on the attack against the bank in a message he delivered to Congress (Miller Center). He rejected the idea of renewing the Bank’s charter due to two main reasons. One was, like Jefferson, he felt that the bank was unconstitutional. He believed that the government should stay as separate from the economy as possible (Remini). Another one of his beliefs was that the concentrated financial powers represented in the banking system posed a threat to popular liberty (Miller Center). When Nicholas Biddle, the Bank president, attempted to renew the Bank’s charter in 1832 on the eve of the election, he and his supporters hoped that this would force Jackson into allowing it to pass, rather than creating an issue before re-election (Miller Center). When Jackson vetoed it regardless, his message became ...
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...ch 14, 2014, from http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/biographies/andrew-jackson/the-jackson-era.php
Jacksonian Democracy. (n.d.). History.com. Retrieved March 13, 2014, from http://www.history.com/topics/jacksonian-democracy
Latner, R. (n.d.). Profiles of U.S. Presidents. Andrew Jackson. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://www.presidentprofiles.com/Washington-Johnson/Jackson-Andrew.html
Miller Center. (n.d.). American President: Andrew Jackson: Impact and Legacy. Retrieved March 13, 2014, from http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/9
Remini, R. (n.d.). Teaching History.org, home of the National History Education Clearinghouse. Jacksonian era. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://teachinghistory.org/category/tags/jacksonian-era
Social Changes in Jackson Era U.S.A.. (n.d.). End of the road. Retrieved March 13, 2014, from http://www.jmisc.net/Jksn-era.htm
Parsons, L. H. (2009). The Birth of Modern Politics: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and the Election of 1828. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Throughout his presidency, Andrew Jackson was regarded as both a tyrant (Document E) as well a democratic rembrandt. However, by the conclusion of his rule, Andrew Jackson’s America had emerged as a pseudo democracy, strongly supported and advocated for, but falling short and ultimately failing. The drastic reforms during the Age of Jackson brought about radical changes to the young nation that would be felt throughout the country and would set the foundation for politics today. President Andrew Jackson reformed the American voting system, made significant moves against the National Bank, sparked the beginning of democratic reform movements, and most importantly gave the Common Man a voice in the government. These democratic initiatives, however, were not seen everywhere as America was slowly divided by differing views on contentious topics and individualistic ideals. Jacksonian America, did not promote the democratic
Remini, Robert V. Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Freedom 1822-1832. Vol. 2. NY: Harper & Row, 1981. Print.
Topic: Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of 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...
view supporting those ideals and it comes as no surprise that Jackson stressed them in his veto message of 1832. Yet, paying attention to the message in context lends a lot of support to the view that Jackson was a true democrat and a true protector of the common man. Established in 1816, the Second Bank of the United States had, by the 1830's, become a tool of the rich Northeastemers that failed to respond to the people and states' needs.
Andrew Jackson is one of the most controversial presidents. Many regard him as a war hero, the father of the Democratic Party, an inspiring leader, and a spokesman for the common man. While there is plenty to praise about the seventh president, his legacy is tarnished by his racism, disregard for the law of the land, cruelty towards the Native Americans, and ruthless temper. Jackson was an intriguing man who was multi-faceted. One must not look at a singular dimension, and cast judgment on him as a whole. To accurately evaluate one of the most complex presidents, it is crucial to observe Jackson from all possible angles. Prior lifestyle, hardships in life, political ideology, lifestyle of the time, political developments, and his character
Ultimately, the Jacksonian Era was filled with reform movements that sought to expand democratic ideals. Starting with the prison reforms in 1829 to women’s rights in 1848, all these reforms were very democratic. However, all of these reforms looked toward a brighter future; a future which democracy would be the framework in which the United States of America would function under.
After the decline of the Era of Good Feelings, Andrew Jackson emerged as an advocate for the common man. His following known as the Jacksonian Democrats, gained large popularity in the 1820s; with his growing support, Jackson won the 1828 election therefore securing political power for the Jacksonian Democrats. During Jackson’s time in office, the Jacksonian Democrats were guardians of the Constitution due to the use of veto power in order to preserve the values of the nation. The Jacksonian Democrats were also guardians of the American ideal of political democracy; they took efforts to provide equal power in politics for a larger population of Americans. Jackson and the rest of his party were guardians of the right for equal economic opportunity
Jackson was a strong opponent of the unequal and aristocrat dominated economic structure of most of America. He was very against the Bank of America because he believed it to have a monopoly on banking and felt that it was owned and run unjustly by wealthy aristocrats who were not always Americans (B). It must also be noted however, that while the Bank of America was undoubtedly corrupt (Nicholas Biddle is known to have given sums of money to close friends, and was also known to regularly bribe newspapers and similar media.) it also did what it was supposed to do very well. It provided money and credit to many of the lower classes that Jackson defended, and also was the source of much economic growth. As a result of this veto Jackson established pet banks in many Western areas to try to appease his main group of supporters and build up the rivalry between the agrarian South and West and the industrial North (C). Many immigrants found that one of the first things they discovered upon entering America was a sense of economic equality and lack of poverty, which are exactly the things Jackson was working towards (D). The case Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge decided that a charter given a person or group to do a service does not allow that group to have complete rights over this service. This decision supports the Jacksonian Democracy ideas that the rights of the community are more important than the rights of business (H).
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.
To some people Andrew Jackson is remembered as the, metaphorically speaking, “People’s King” and is accused of dictator-like political moves. However, Andrew Jackson was quite the contrary, he was exalted amongst the people for being the new era of democracy: instilling a political revolution, the protection of the American people, and social equality among the masses. Therefore, Andrew Jackson was a precedent of democratic rule in the United States.
4.”Miller Center.” American President: Andrew Jackson: A Life in Brief. N.p., n.d. Web . 02 Mar. 2014
B. J., Jackson as a President: Yesterday and Today. Planet Papers. Retrieved June 14, 2009,
Andrew Jackson, who characterized the Jacksonian Era, was known widely as a “common man.” He resembled the people who were the majority of nation, which explains why he was admired by them. He also believed in benefiting the whole nation, and not one specific group of people. After the War of 1812, he was known as a hero and later developed his political career. He was determined to develop the nation, and create social equality, Jackson made changes to the country’s economy and politics. He was the symbol for the Democratic Party. Some changes produced negative outcomes, but Jackson’s alterations supported the lower and unprivileged people of the nation. Andrew Jackson defined the era. Economic and political developments defined by Jackson,