Politics in the Age of Jackson
* A New Kind of Politics * (1) The Panic of 1819 * Economic booms and busts caused Americans to feel that the government should be more responsive to their needs. * (2) Expansion of the Franchise * The expansion of the franchise, or vote, allowed greater numbers of American men to participate in politics. * (3) The Election of 1824 * The contentious presidential election of 1824 led the entire nation to become increasingly political. * “Corrupt bargain” – alleged deal between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay to manipulate the voting in the House of Representatives to install Adams as president and Clay as his secretary of state in 1824. * Second two-party system – evolution of political organizations in 1824 into the Jacksonians and the Whigs. * (4) A New Culture of Politics * Drove the rise of mass parties and the second two-party system.
* Andrew Jackson and the Politics of the “Common Man” * The Election of 1828 * Jackson’s campaign strategy was mudslinging… while he defamed the personal character of his political adversaries, his fellow Democratic leaders organized rallies and barbecues to attract and mobilize voters. * …show more content…
They supported using federal funds to finance internal improvements, like turnpikes and railroads, and they believed that government power could be used to promote the moral health of the nation through temperance laws or antislavery legislation. Economic development made people richer, increased popular demand for foodstuffs and other agricultural products, and created jobs. Banks were not evil; they were essential for controlling the flow of money. Many opposed the expansion of slavery into new territory, but they did form alliances with southern states’ rights