Jacksonian Economic Policy, Changes in Electoral Politics, and the extent to which they influenced the development of democracy between 1820 & 1840

Compromise between the President and Congress, political canvassing, and debates are things that define American democracy in the 21st century. America's political landscape would seem foreign without the bickering of the party not in power, or the role that every person plays in electing public officials. As odd as it may seem, our democracy did not always pursue the vote of the common man, or even have two warring political parties. These aspects of American democracy can be traced back to changes that occurred between 1820 and 1840. Jacksonian Economic Policy and Changes in Electoral Politics advanced the development of democracy between 1820 and 1840.

Jacksonian Economic Policy advanced the power of the presidency in ways that the framers of the constitution could have never imagined. George Washington, the first president under the Constitution, set precedents for how the constitution should be interpreted for the job of the presidency. He only served for two terms, He didn’t believe in permanent political parties, and he only vetoed a bill when it questioned constitutionality. Jackson’s Economic Policy broke one of those precedents and advanced the development of American democracy for generations to come. Jackson believed, as did many of his supporters, that the bank was far too powerful. The bank answered to private investors, and not the common people. In 1832 when Henry Clay, one of Jackson's political enemies, proposed an early recharter of the Bank of the United Sates he hoped to alienate Jackson's wealthy supporters if Jackson vetoed the recharter, and if he passed it then the common man that Old Hickory championed would feel betrayed. Andrew Jackson, a war-hardened general, immediately vetoed the recharter once it passed through congress. His veto of the recharter bill marked the first time in American history that a president vetoed a bill simply out of dislike, and not out of the possibility of constitutional infringement. That single veto evolved American democracy in a stupendous way; it made the president's power equivalent to two thirds of congress. Democracy was still a long way from ever becoming a monarchy, but the will of one man mattered a lot. The will of one man could even conflict with the third branch of the federal government, the Supreme Court. In the landmark case McCulloch v. Maryland the Supreme Court had ruled that the Bank of the United States was constitutional, and Andrew Jackson denied that constitutionality. Andrew Jackson's economic policy between 1820 and 1840 developed American democracy by expanding the power of the presidency.

Changes in electoral politics between 1820 and 1840 altered American democracy by establishing the two party system. The Era of Good Feelings, which began around the end of The War of 1812, lasted until the mid 1820's. The end of one party rule was marked by opposition to Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson's political opponents came to be known as the Whigs; the name was a reference to colonial politics. At first the Whig party had little holding it together, except for hatred of Andrew Jackson. Then the group developed some unified themes. The Whigs believed in internal improvements like: canals, railroads, telegraph lines, prisons, asylums, and public schools. Soon The Whigs and The Democrats established the two party system we see around us today. The two parties realized how much the common man's vote counted. Soon political canvasing ensued, and both the Whigs and Democrats sought the "common man's" vote. The two party system is quintessential to American democracy. The system provides the much needed watch-dog role, which ensures that the party in power is kept in-check. Changes in Electoral Politics between 1820 and 1840 established two parties that fought for the common man's vote, almost exactly like we see today.

Between 1820 and 1840 American democracy changed in unforgettable ways. The two-party system developed, courtesy of changes in the electoral politics of the time. The President's job was changed forever as a result of Jacksonian economic policy. These political changes were felt strongly in their own time, and even stronger today. American democracy has constantly been changing since the founding fathers framed the Articles of Confederation, and between 1820 and 1840 the time was ripe for beneficial evolution.

1st Nine Weeks Reflection

I rather enjoy writing essays for AP U.S. History. The only thing I dislike about the essays is the short amount of time that the AP Test gives for writing an essay.

I am most interested in U.S. history once Thomas Jefferson becomes president. I did not know much of U.S. history after that moment in time, and I love learning new things about History. The evolution of political parties in America is also extremely interesting. I enjoy seeing the colonial roots of modern politics.

The notes that we go through are very informative, and give me the essential information without any of the fluff.

Federalist Goals by 1809

Ratification of the Constitution did not come easily, and many were still opposed to a strong federal government when the new federal government came into power. The first two presidents of this new republic, George Washington and John Adams, were both Federalists, even though Washington believed in no permanent political parties. The third president, Thomas Jefferson, was the ideological head of the democratic-republicans. By 1809, Jefferson's last year in office, The Federalist parties ideas still reigned as the national norm. Even after Jefferson finished his two-term presidency the Federalist party had a stronger impact on the federal government through the channels of supreme court judges, presidential policies, and the financial program.

George Washington and John Adams appointed so many federal judges that the power to interpret the constitution lay in the hands of the Federalist party by 1809. One of the first instances where the Federalist party achieved it's goals in spite of Democratic-Republican opposition was the landmark case "Marbuy v Madison." After Thomas Jefferson had been elected president, but before he had taken control of the office, a federalist-controlled congress passed The Judiciary Act of 1801. This act doubled the amount of circuit courts from 3 to 6 and added ten new district courts. On his last day in office John Adams appointed over fifty new federal judges, and the next day a federalist-controlled Senate approved the appointments. Now came the decision of power, would a Democratic-Republican president allow his Secretary of State to deliver the commission to the newly appointed judges and finalize the process, he wouldn't. In the end a federalist-controlled Supreme Court ruled that Marbury, one of the newly appointed judges, had a right to his commission. Even though the federalist party did not have control of the presidency, the supreme court judges appointed by Adams and Washington could interpret the constitution in a broad view, and all the other federalist- judges could interpret laws in a way that aligned with the federalist party's views. The federalist party's goal of interpreting the constitution loosely was achieved, even though Jefferson was president. Through the judicial system was one of the many ways the Federalist party achieved it's goals.

Thomas Jefferson acted in a federalist manner with the Louisiana territory purchase, even though he was a democratic-republican. While many federalists opposed the Louisiana purchase on the grounds that it would add too many states aligned with the democratic-republicans, it was clearly an action that was not given to the president in the Constitution, and furthered the Federalist goal of expanding the federal government. Federalists favored a strong national government, democratic-republicans despised a large federal government. Before he had taken power, Thomas Jefferson had criticized both Washington and Adams for their flexing of the federal government's arm, especially Washington;s use of brute force to quell the Whiskey Rebellion. Once he had taken the seat of power Thomas Jefferson's actions strayed from the ideals he preached. Many of his actions reduced governmental power, but The Louisiana purchase set a precedent for the President to create new powers for himself when the need arose. Thomas Jefferson inadvertently achieved the Federalist parties goals through his actions, and allowed many Federalist policies to stay in place.

While Alexander Hamilton was Secretary of Treasury under George Washington he set into place many financial policies that remained in place well after 1809. Alexander Hamilton, the father of the national debt, was in the purest definition of the word, a federalist. He established a national bank, created the national debt, and an excessive system of excises, duties, and tariffs. His financial policies, especially the assumption of debt, were hated by the democratic-republicans, but remained in place. Not only did the policies stay in place, but they helped establish America as a firm nation by making sure lenders relied on the United States ability to pay it's debt. Without Hamilton's policies the country we live in today would be very different, and his policies are the epitome of Federalist goals. He created a national bank, which was not specifically listed in the constitution as a power of the federal government, and made sure the Federal Government was in plenty of debt. Federalist goals absolutely outlasted those of the democratic-republicans, as is evidenced by the national debt in 1809 and now.

Federalist goals embody the National Government we have now, and the one that operated under Thomas Jefferson. Through the judicial system the Federalists ensured a loose construction of the constitution. Through future presidents, especially Thomas Jefferson, the Federalists ensured that the federal governments executive power would grow with age. Through Alexander Hamilton's financial policies the Federalist party ensured that America had a strong, powerful Federal government. By 1809 the federal government had already taken to an agenda founded on ideals of federalism, and the goals of the Federalist party survived.