Jacksonian Democracy
by Jacksonian Democracy meant that politically, everyone would have a say; most importantly the common man.
Economically, the country suffered and new conflicts were sparked. Andrew Jackson was referred to as the president of the common man. He believed that no one region or class should favor over another. He lived up to that name when he fought hard to give the common man more say within the country. He started by giving all adult white males the right to vote. This was drastic because previously, only land owning white males could vote. These new voting privileges gave a larger population the right to vote. This also greatly raised the national percentage of people who voted. Jacksonian Democracy also led to new presidential rights to the existing spoils system. This gave the president the right to remove existing federal officeholders and replace them for whomever the president chooses. Politically, Andrew Jackson had created new and beneficial opportunities for the common man and had started a new precedence.
Jacksonian Democracy under economic terms led to many conflicts. It started with the tariff of abominations. This tax would increase the tax on imported goods. The tax was used to help influence people to buy goods made within the country. This tariff enraged many southerners because they sold their raw goods to England who would use them to create manufactured goods and sell them in the states. The tariff resulted in loss of business for English manufacturers. This meant that southerners could have a more difficult time to make a living. This tariff was even opposed and discouraged by Jackson’s own vice president John C. Calhoun who secretly fought hard against it. Andrew Jackson was greatly against the national bank because he felt that it would create monopolies for businesses. As a result, he let the second charter die which created an up roar in the American economy. This act was extremely drastic and angered a lot of people. His decision to let the second charter die would “plague the economy for years” (Brinkley 237). This decision also led the creation of the new political party called the Whigs.
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