Jacksonian Democracy 2 Essay, Research Paper

Jacksonian Democracy

The Jacksonian’s view of themselves is accurate in all but a few areas. Jacksonian democracy paved the way for more equality among the common people. Yet with all the changes that were made during the Jacksonian, the equality that was achieved was only held among the white men of the day. As illustrated in document G, individual liberties were still vehemently denied to people other

than the white. Yet, most everything that Jackson did, furthered the development of political, social, and economic equality among the white race.

Jacksonian democracy saw the burgeoning of many individualistic ideals such as the beginnings of the labor parties. During the 1820’s and 30’s many states granted the rights of voting to many workingmen, who in turn began to form labor party’s to get higher wages, tolerable working conditions, ten-hour days, and public education for their children. These newly formed parties rallied strikes

to gain what they wanted, and were viewed by the factories as illegal groups out to destroy the industry of america. In 1842 the labor parties struck a blow to the factories by winning the supreme court case Commonwealth v. Hunt in Massachusettes, which ruled that labor unions were not illigal conspiracies. This case was a signifigant sign of the times of Jacksonian democracy, because it struck a blow for the common man’s rights.

When Andrew Jackson vetoed the bank bill, he was in reality giving more power to the states, and in turn giving more power over economic issues to the common man. When Jackson did this he was met with bitter resentment at the hands of Daniel Webster, who coincedentally was the former director of the bank. In vetoing the bank bill he was upholding the Jacksonian democrats views of themselves as liberators of the common people, although in the end it wasn’t quite the right descision, because with all the the little banks taking control of money, it slowed the economy down and wound up hurting the common man more that it benifited him.

Yet with all the Jacksonian democrats did for giving liberty to the common man, they neglected the rights of any other race than their own. With the removal of the Native Americans from soil that was rightfully theirs, there was a serious infringement on the rights of these peoples. Yet if one looks at it in the context of history, it isn’t that bad of a thing. For one must remember that to the white race the Indians were the devil’s brothers and sisters, so to most people removing them was the most humane thing to do.

Altogether, the age of Jacksonian democracy was a good time for the white people living in America. With Jackson in office each day the common man would gain a little more foothold in the government of the United States. He would also get more control over his individual, and money as the good days of Jacksonian democracy rolled on.