Jacksonian Democracy

             "The spirit of an age sometimes descends to future generations in the form of a man, in proportion as an individual concentrates within himself, the spirit which works through masses of men, and which moves, and should move them through the greatest cycles of time, in that proportion, he becomes entitled to their admiration and praise." (Washington McCartney, "Eulogy-on the Death of Andrew Jackson) (http://www.nv.cc.va.us/home/nvsageh/Hist121/Part3/AgeofJackson.htm)
             The greatest popular hero of his time, a man of action, and an expansionist, Jackson was associated with the movement toward increased popular participation in government. He was regarded by many as the symbol of the democratic feelings of the time, and later generations were to speak of Jacksonian democracy. Although in broadest terms this movement often attacked citadels of privilege or monopoly and sought to broaden opportunities in many areas of life, there has been much dispute among historians over its essential social nature. At one time it was characterized as being rooted in the democratic nature of the frontier. Later historians pointed to the workers of the eastern cities as the defining element in the Jacksonian political coalition.
             (http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/section/JacksoA_JacksonianDemocrac.asp)
             Because his countrymen saw their image and spirit in Andrew Jackson, they bestowed their honor and admiration upon him. Jacksonian democracy was created during antebellum America. The Jackson democrats attempted to aggrandize the puissance of lower classes poor while decreasing the influence of the rich and potent. Economically, they benefited from governing during a time of paramount advances in transportation, which boosted commerce and helped the common man. Politically, they invested power into an overwhelmingly powerful executive branch. The Jacksonian democrats portrayed themselves as saviors of the common people and ruled via a powerful...

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Jacksonian Democracy. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 15:42, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/80135.html