Impact Of Jacksonian Democracy

The term “Jacksonian Democracy” describes the period in United States history, from the late 1820s to the beginning of the civil war, during which Andrew Jackson ascended to the presidency and founded the Democratic Party. Coming on the heels of the Jeffersonian era, in which Thomas Jefferson espoused beliefs that property ownership should be a requirement for suffrage and only the educated elite should hold office, Jackson extended voting rights to all white men, not simply landowners. He believed in “majority rule” through the democratic process and, as a result, Jackson was directly responsible for expanding voter participation. Because of Jackson’s policies, this time period is known as the “age of the common man.” Jackson’s election introduced the “spoils system” to American politics, increased the power of the president, and set the stage for Native American removal and westward expansion under the doctrine of "Manifest Destiny.” Each of these actions was driven by Jackson’s commitment to assist the “common man” in overcoming corruption within the government which was prevalent during the Market …show more content…
The doctrine drove and justified the forced removal of Native Americans from their land. In 1930, President Jackson signed into law the Indian Removal Act which allowed the government to forcefully relocate Native Americans from their homelands in blatant violation of rights established by the Constitution. By signing the Indian Removal Act, Jackson effectively paved the road for the removal of thousands of Cherokees which took place during 1838-1839 under his successor, Martin Van Buren. This forced migration became known among the Cherokee as the “Trail of Tears” after thousands of tribe members died on the journey