With the rise of American democracy in the 1820s, the government system in the United States of America underwent an extraordinary transformation. The United States was established as a republic, not a democracy, according to its creators. By incorporating the Electoral College voters into the Constitution in 1787, they also stopped the majority rule. (Corbett et al., 84). Americans began to accept majority rule in the 1820s, rejecting previous structures that were founded on the family ties and educational attainments of a small elite. A new group of politicians took advantage of the new desire, fears, and resentments that the Americans had to win elections. One such leader was Andrew Jackson who had gained praise as a brave fighter and leader. He took the leading position to the rise of American democracy. In this era, the characteristics of modern democracy first appeared and was referred to as Jacksonian democracy. Several important events happened in the era of Jacksonian Democracy.
Important Events during the Era of Jacksonian Democracy
In the 1820s, the political system first gave way to the desires of the American system to have democracy. Both parties and leaders of politics who championed for the will of the common people rose to popularity, and this pushed the country to see a significant number of citizens gain a voice in the political system. However, this positive move in the political arena was limited to the white men. The minority groups such as free blacks, women, and Indians remained oppressed by the American political system. Some of the important events that happened in this era include Democratic Reforms, Elections of 1824 and 1828, Nullification Crisis, and The Indian Removal Act (Ryan, 128-136).
Democratic Reforms
In the early 1820s, there was democratic reform in the widespread acceptance that all white men had the right to participate in the country’s election regardless of how wealthy they were. Before this democratic reforms, property was a qualification for voting in many state constitutions. White men from the middle and lower classes started to fault this system of voting and states had to adopt new constitutions. The new constitutions did not place property qualifications for voting. However, other forms of qualifications came on such that women, free blacks, and Indians could not vote. Race replaced property as the qualification to vote.
Elections of 1824 and 1828
In addition to the constitution changes, the political party organization of the country experienced new styles. The political landscape was transformed by party politics, just before the 1824 election. There were thousands of new voters who had regional interests that they voted on. In the election, the majority vote had weight especially for the presidential election as the electors in eighteen states were voted by popular vote. Only six other states used state legislatures to vote for the electors. In the presidential elections, Andrew Jackson won the popular vote with 152,901 votes. However, he was unable to descend to the presidency after he secured only 99 votes in the Electoral College (Corbett et al., 246). The election had to be decided by the Twelfth Amendment, where the House of Representatives was to decide the elections. John Quincy Adams won the House votes and was certified as the next president.
Before the next elections in 1828, new democratic practices were pushed by Jackson and his supporters. They reminded voters of the happenings of 1824 where a group of elite decide the president despite the voter’s choice. Jackson’s message to the small corrupt group of elites and his voice for the common man was propagated throughout the country. They managed to secure both majority and Electoral College votes in the 1828 election by an overwhelming margin against their rival Adams.
Nullification Crisis
In 1930, there was a tariff crisis that led to a high drop of cotton prices. President Jackson came in and advocated for a reduction in the tariff rates. South Carolina reacted by passing a Nullification of the tariff. They declared the tariffs null and void in the state of Palmetto (Nerone, 755). A response from Jackson declared that a state could not hold much power to declare the federal law void. This response led to a possibility of a civil war between the state and the federal government. The Nullification Crisis led to tension in American democracy. The elites were aggravated and they were against the democracy of the majority, also a clash ensued between citizens who supported tariffs for economic growth and citizens who supported free trade.
The Indian Removal Act
Jackson in a message to congress declared Indians a huge problem for state sovereignty since they reside in the country’s state as sovereign entities, “It gives me pleasure to announce to
Congress that the benevolent policy of the Government, steadily pursued for nearly thirty years, in relation to the removal of the Indians beyond the white settlements is approaching to a happy consummation. Two important tribes have accepted the provision made for their removal at the last session of Congress, and it is believed that their example will induce the remaining tribes also to seek the same obvious advantages” (Ellis, 201). Five tribes Choctaw, Seminole, Creek, Cherokee, and Chickasaw had adopted Anglo-American culture (Ellis, 202). They spoke English, practiced Christianity as their religion, and lived on the rich agricultural lands hence they were viewed as obstacles to white settlement. This stance by Jackson on the Indians saw an Act passed in Congress, Indian Removal Act of 1830 (Corbett, 269). The tribes were to be moved from their homes in the southeastern part of the country to the west.
Some Indians resisted this move by the U.S. government and a brief war ensued in 1832, Black Hawk’s War (Nerone, 747). Settlers panicked at the return of the Native Americans and federal military officers had to act quickly. Another war, Bad Axe Massacre, saw a large number of deaths (Nerone, 748). The war, though lasted for only a few weeks, illustrates how much Frontier Americans hated and feared Indians during the Jacksonian democracy. The culture in America revealed the rise of democracy in the society. The majority now held a new type of power. Their power unlike the power of the elites in the past went beyond politics. In a quick succession, politicians among the Democrats and Whigs got knowledge of using the power of the majority by catering for their will. Sam Houston once a congressman, senator, governor, and a foreign head of state viewed Jackson as his political mentor. Sam Houston led Texans to fight for their independence from Mexico. During Jackson’s presidency, Polk was a strong supporter in the House. In 1835, Polk got support from President Andrew Jackson and he was elected the House Speaker.
Conclusion
The era of Jacksonian Democracy saw several important events happen in the U.S. Jackson in his tenure in the office of the president was revolutionary. He was able to remove the election of the president from an elite group of few individuals to the voice of the people. He represented the people and not the congress. However, his view of the removal of Native Americans from their lands to other new lands saw suffering and death of citizens. His leadership on the treatment of the Indians is one of the worst examples of leadership.
Works Cited
Corbett, P S, Janssen Volker, John M. Lund, Todd J. Pfannestiel, Paul S. Vickery, and Sylvie Waskiewicz. U.S. History. Houston, Texas: OpenStax College, Rice University, 2016. Print.
Ellis, Richard E. Andrew Jackson. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2003. Print.
Nerone, John. "Representing Public Opinion: US Newspapers and the News System in the Long Nineteenth Century." History Compass. 9.9 (2011): 743-759. Print.
Ryan, Mary. "Democracy Rising: the Monuments of Baltimore, 1809-1842." Journal of Urban History. 36.2 (2010): 127-150. Print.
