Political Changes Between 1820 To 1860

During the era of nationalism, sectionalism, and expansion the United States developed as a young country. Especially between the years of 1820 and 1860, the United States changed drastically in terms of political, economic, and social developments. These changes had major consequences on the United States’ government, economy, and citizens. Examples of these transformations can be seen in the election of 1824, the widespread of industrialization, and the Second Great Awakening. These events exemplify the types of major changes that were being made during this time. One major political change that occurred between 1820 to 1860 was the end of the political truce that James Monroe established in 1817. During the election of 1824 five members of the Democratic-Republican party ran and none of the candidates had an electoral majority; a stark contrast to the previous election of 1820 when Monroe ran practically unopposed. In addition to this, the election of 1824 was the first where no Federalist candidate ran, showing the change in American citizen’s values. The election of 1824 was ultimately decided by the House of Representatives, and went against the popular support for Andrew Jackson. This caused a surge in the democratic culture and an emphasis on voting for …show more content…
The introduction of these reforms came from the newly formed middle class, who lived in big industrial cities. These reforms caused both positive and negative changes on the American culture. The rise in importance of education was one positive consequence, while the hostility toward Catholic immigrants and urban riots were some of the negative ones. Social reforms from the Second Great Awakening shaped the culture and social environment of the United States from 1820 to