The Jacksonian Period: Era Of The Common Man

The Jacksonian Period, which lasted from 1824 to 1848, is recognized as its characterization of “era of the common man.” During Andrew Jackson’s presidential term and era, the economic developments affected the middle to lower class men more than the wealthier elite. His political ideals resulted in more voice in the government to white males and introduction of official political parties. This era’s political changes caused a surge of reform movements. However this era of the common man only benefited white males not women or African Americans. One of the first economic changes Jackson supported was the tariff of abominations in 1828, just before he was elected president. The tariff had been to please the northern woolen manufacturers but …show more content…
In the 1830s, a new philosophy called transcendtalism explained the theory of one’s “reason” and “understanding”. This movement was first led by Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said that if one wants to reach fulfillment they must be in communion with the world; these expressions spread from New England writers. Moreover, in 1841 a communal living called Brook Farm was created to reach self-realization in a new society. Although the experiment failed it was supported by many people who shared the same vision of Utopia. A huge movement in the 1840s spread throughout the nation called temperance. It started by women getting frustrated at their alcoholic husbands and their waste of money spent on their addictions. Millions of people, the natives and immigrants in the United States, shared the view that drunkenness led to violence and chaos and pledged to omit hard liquor. During this era there were also new ideas of improving health through diets. Sylvester Graham from Connecticut had the idea of a diet plan consisting of fruits, vegetables, ground-flour-made bread and no meat. These health movements were a results of people’s ideals of perfection. During the Jacksonian Period there were movements followed by many