Same Opportunities As Wealthy White Male Landowners example essay topic

Although Jacksonian Democrats promoted political democracy, equal opportunity, and personal liberty during Andrew Jackson's two terms as president from 1828 to 1836, they were exclusively given to White males. Despite Jackson's proclaimed "politics for the common man", he may as well have said "politics for the common White man". Despite the fact that many poor Whites were finally given the opportunity to partake in the political and economic opportunities that were previously available only to White male landowners, no rights whatsoever were given to women and Jacksonian policies were oppressive toward most minorities. The area where Jacksonian Democrats made the most progress was in the area of political democracy. With the introduction of universal White male suffrage, Jacksonian Democrats created a whole new class of voters.

The number of voting men more than doubled and this led to fairer elections whose results better indicated the will and preference of the people. In addition, the choosing of electors was changed from selection by the state legislatures to popular voting which allowed electors to be chosen by the common people instead of the wealth - and often corrupt - state legislators. The Jacksonian Democrats also supported, like Jeffersonians, a strict interpretation of the Constitution. This was most clearly exemplified by Jackson's veto of the renewal of the national bank, which he stated was unconstitutional.

Jackson also flatly rejected South Carolina's proclamation of nullification and a significant part of his argument against it was that the right to review the Constitutionality of Federal legislation was granted to the Supreme Court by the Constitution. While Jacksonian Democrats preached equal opportunity for all, it was essentially only for white males. While the abolishment of the national bank and the creation of universal white male suffrage greatly increased the opportunities available to previously underprivileged white males, the Jackson administration acted maliciously, viciously, and perniciously against American Indians and black Americans. Jackson himself was one of the largest slaveholders in the Southwest and vehemently pro-slavery. Jackson and his followers showed little or no concern over the morality of slavery. In addition, Jackson organized the removal of entire tribes of American Indians to areas west of the Mississippi River.

Overall, Jacksonian Democrats favored equal opportunity for the poor white farmers of the South and West and cared nothing about the rights or interests of Northerners or minorities. As with equal opportunity, any personal liberties supported by the Jacksonian democrats were for white males only. Even though women and minorities were given virtually no personal liberties, looking at what Jackson called "the common man" (an everyday white man), Jacksonian Democrats provided a great deal of personal liberties. White men were all given the right to vote in general elections and to vote for electors.

By eliminating the national bank, the Jacksonian Democrats eliminated an institution that the wealthy whites had used to increase the economic gap between themselves and the majority of the white population. Although economic and some social distance still existed between wealthy whites and poor whites, one could not often visibly distinguish a rich person from a poor person. Jacksonian Democracy was a great age of reform for the common white man. It provided new opportunities and freedoms for this group that had long been denied the same opportunities as wealthy white male landowners. Though this allowed Southern and Western men, who were not as wealthy as plantation owners and Northern merchants, to vote, the Jacksonian Democrats went even further and - with the notable exception of nullification - favored the interests of Southerners and Westerners over those of Northerners.

Jackson's administration was a self-indulging one that helped the people it wanted too and it did not matter to them who was ignored or hurt in the process. Despite support from the majority of the country, Jackson and his administration acted more on their own opinions and interests than what would be best for the country. Although Jackson presided during a period of relative stability and prosperity, his failure to work with the country as a whole conglomerate only furthered spurred the separation of a nation that was beginning to tear apart. Jacksonian Democrats had a most golden opportunity to strengthen and reunify the United States but squandered it. This chance to unite North and South would never again present and the United States proceeded down a road headed for internal conflict and, ultimately, civil war.