Following the breakup of the so-called "Virginia Dynasty," the rise of Andrew Jackson and the Jacksonian Democrats moved the government of the United States in a whole new direction. For the first time, a common man could rise to become president, and his party would therefore try to guard the various freedoms laid out in the foundations of the government that the Jackson administration would preside over. Jacksonian Democrats correctly viewed themselves as the effective guardians of political democracy as well as equality of economic opportunity, however, they fell short in their protection of the principles laid out in the United States Constitution and the individual freedom of the citizens.
             Under the Jackson administration, the political democracy of the United States thrived. Specifically, Andrew Jackson's ascent to becoming whom some viewed as "King Andrew" provided a visible example of a common man in a major office of the American government. Jackson's presence symbolized the opinion that, in America, all men are created equal and can freely rise to an elevated status in society. Likewise, the number of appointed government officials decreased, and more elected, common men were seen in political positions at this time. The use of printed ballots for the presidential election demonstrated the administration's want of equality among all parties during the election process. The obliteration of the property requirement for voting also opened up the voting process to some people who could not formerly afford the right to vote. The Jacksonian Democrats opened up government to a whole new class of Americans – those who did not belong to the aristocracy – to take an active role in government, thus spreading the concept of political equality and democracy that the United States embraced at that time.
             The Laissez-Faire approach that the Jacksonian Democrats took to government and economic relations proved to be an effective metho...