Dbq Essay #1

DBQ Essay

Jacksonian Democracy was a movement for more democracy in the American government in the 1830s. This particular movement was led by President Andrew Jackson. Jackson had wanted more rights for the common man, and wanted to eliminate all aristocracy in the American nation. This democracy would be aided by the people of the recently established settlements in the South and West. The Jacksonian Democrats had referred to themselves as to be guardians of the Constitution, by giving economic opportunities and more political democracy as well as individual liberty. Before his presidency, the Era of Good Feelings had just come to an end after the Panic of 1819. When Jackson had taken office in 1828, he knew this was going to be a difficult transition for him as well as the American people. In regards to the Jacksonian Democrats guarding the United States Constitution, they had pretty much followed it to a strict interpretation. For example, the Maysville Road Bill in 1830. Jackson had opposed to concentrating power in the federal government or of aristocratic institutions. He had argued that the bill was unconstitutional and because the road had lain within the state of Kentucky, and not, therefore, a part of interstate commerce. Jackson had favored states’ rights and believed that the federal government should not interfere or over step the boundaries of state affairs. However, Jackson was sometimes not always consistent in his strict guardianship of the Constitution. One reason was the Tariff of 1828, also known as the tariff abominations. Angry over the win of John Quincy Adams election in 1824, quite a few of Jackson supporters wanted to embarrass Adams and his administration. The tariff would be for items like manufactured goods. Jacksonians had hoped to get people to think that Adams favored the New England territory over the rest of the nation. Little did Jackson know that in the election of 1828, he did not need to try and sabotage Adams. Jackson had already received most of the popular votes. In 1830, many white Americans believed that the Indians were “savage” people and should not be living close to the white civilization. In the “Working Men’s Declaration of Independence” it states that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights: that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (Doc A). Jackson clearly violated those rights when he had taken the Cherokee’s land and forced them beyond the Mississippi, where white settlement was not. Obviously, this conflicted with what the Constitution said, and how the Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves regarding the Constitution. In the Panic of 1797, Jackson’s business had fallen into debt, against the Bank of the U.S. There was suspicion going around of the banks and the paper currency. It was clear to say that Jackson was against the Bank of the U.S. after that. Andrew Jackson’s veto message expresses how the National Bank of the United States favorites the wealthy class in society (Doc B). However, while doing so President Jackson’s vetoes of the bank which he says that it seeks to inflame the poor against the rich. In Webster’s reply, it shows how the Jacksonian democrats were oppressing the rights of the rich to getting even richer off the banks (Doc C). In 1825, Americas greatest construction project became real, the Erie Canal. This project had increased the white settlement in the Northwest, and made it easier for migrants to make the westward journey and to ship their goods back to eastern markets. By this creation, there was an immediate financial success as well. This was an amazing economic opportunity. As far as economic opportunities for the Indians, Jackson had done a poor job at that. These opportunities were taken in the event of the Trail of Tears and the Indian Removal Act (Doc G). Close to 1,000 Cherokees had gone across to North Carolina, where there, the federal government had made a small reservation for them up in the Smoky Mountains. These reservations were harsh environments where they did not want to go, but had no where else. Jackson was trying to convince himself, as well as others, that he was trying to protect the Indian tribes. Andrew Jackson was to be considered in believing nativism. Nativism is a policy merely favoring the native inhabitants as opposed to immigrants, in Jackson’s case, the Irish. Many American saw immigration as cheap labor, but others saw it as a problem. Protestants watching the success of the Irish Catholics in establishing positions in urban politics warned the Church of Rome was gaining positions in the American government. Many nativists groups in 1850, formed the Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner, and demanded the banning of Catholics or foreign born people from holding any type of public office, more restrictive naturalization laws and literacy tests for voting. By doing this, this denied the Irish their right to vote. The result was the riots against the Americans, in which the Irish came out with a savage attack on all (Doc E). President Jackson’s Force Bill in 1833, was in effect. The Force Bill was where Jackson signed the Tariff of 1832. This tariff had received the support of most northerners and half of the southerners in Congress. The reductions were way too small for the South Carolinians, and in 1832, a state convention declared that both of the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 were unconstitutional in South Carolina. The President then used military forces against South Carolina, until they came to an agreement. On March 11, 1833, the crisis was over and the South Carolina Convention had repealed its Nullification Ordinance. In the views of political democracy, there were many pros and cons. Harriet Martineau, a British author who came on a visit to America found it to be the best experience. Harriet found the political system, the economy, everything to be brilliant. However, she was dumbstruck when the people were asking whether or not the citizens should elect their officials or the select few should (Doc D). To her America was great, so why were the people asking this question. Another example of political democracy would be the Missouri Compromise. The Compromise consisted of 1. Missouri would be admitted to the union as a slave state. 2. They would take part of Massachusetts and call it Maine, which would be a free state. 3. Slavery was to be taken away from all the new states in the Louisiana Purchase north of the southern boundary of Missouri. This was an improvement and a step closer to ending slavery in America. In contrast, the spoils system was the practice of giving appointive offices to loyal members of the party in power. Basically trading jobs for political favors, which was wrong. In previous years, the caucus would determine who would run for President. Many years later, the people came up with a National Convention that would decide. In conclusion, the Jacksonian Democrats had viewed themselves as the guardians of the Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and the equality of economic opportunity. It would not be fair to say that every president is bad if they did not fulfill their promises made. However, it is fair to say that each president has done the best they can do. Andrew Jackson, for the most part, had guarded the Constitution. He might’ve made some irrational actions, such as the
Indian Removal and the Trail of Tears, but otherwise, he gave America more economic opportunities. Jackson tried to give more individual liberties to people and make our political democracy better.