Jacksonian Democracy

“During Andrew Jackson’s presidency (1829-1937), the second American party system took shape“ (Roark et al. 366). The election of 1828 was the first election where the citizens actually had a vote. Twice as many people voted in this election than in the previous year. It was the first time in history for the presidential election to be the main focus. The candidates had the opportunity to give speeches and rallies to try and gain support. This election was also the first in which “scandal and character questions reigned supreme” (Roark et al. 267). With people being able to vote, the followers of each campaign would try and make the other candidate look bad in an effort to gain support. As a result two parties were sharply defined. “Jackson swept every state in the South and West and Adams won the electoral votes of every state in the North except Pennsylvania and part of New York” (Digital History).

Democracy was developed as a way for the citizens to have a voice against the powerful elite. Democrats demanded a simple and low profile government. They opposed tariffs along with federal bank charters and internal improvement projects. Jackson wanted to try and limit the power of the elite by not giving federal support for “transportation and grants of monopolies and charters that privileged wealthy investors” (Roark et al. 369). “According to the Jacksonians, inequalities of wealth and power were the direct result of monopoly, favoritism, and special privileges, which made “the rich richer and the powerful more potent”” (Digital History). He felt that by removing all the limiting the elite then he could help share the wealth with the rest of the nation.

During his presidency he also unintentionally developed the spoils system. The previous presidents tried to have a broad faction of men in their presidential cabinet, but not Jackson. Jackson would replace “competent civil servants” with “party loyalists” (Roark et al. 369). He felt that by placing his friends and supporters in his cabinet that it was a way to “reward his party loyalist and build a stronger party organization” (Digital History).

References:

Digital History. Jacksonian Democracy. 1820-1860: The Election of 1828. Hypertext History. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=637

James L. Roark, Michael P. Johnson, Patricia Cline Cohen, Sarah Stage, Alan Lawson, and Susan M. Hartmann. 2009. The American Promise: A History of the United States. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Kacey R.