Lesson 2: Jacksonian Democracy

Lesson Focus

This era, named for President Jackson, was about more than just one man. It celebrated the “common man” and expanded political rights, reflecting a new democratic spirit and optimism across the nation.

People to Know

Andrew Jackson, John Marshall, Black Hawk

Learning Objectives

• Identify three key democratic changes from the Jacksonian era, such as new voting rights and the spoils system.
• Describe the prevailing attitudes and harsh government policies toward Native Americans and African Americans during this period.

As more white men without property gained the right to vote, politicians began to seek the support of the “common man.”

This led to the belief that elected officials must act according to the people's will, not their own judgment.

Consequently, states made more government positions elective rather than appointed and shortened terms of office, making government more directly responsive to popular opinion and changing the nature of political campaigns.

President Jackson believed that long-serving officials lost touch with the people and that government jobs were simple.

He enacted a policy of rotation in office, leading to the spoils system—the practice of appointing loyal party members to government jobs.

This was the first time a president ousted large numbers of employees to reward his followers. Pay special attention to how this system prioritized political loyalty over experience, consolidating party power.

President Jackson saw himself as a direct representative of the people, which he believed gave him more authority.

He used his presidential powers more forcefully than his predecessors, especially the veto, to challenge Congress.

Note that he also used the pocket veto, killing bills by taking no action. By using the veto more than all previous presidents combined, Jackson significantly strengthened the power and influence of the executive branch over the legislative branch.

The expansion of democracy did not include women, who could not vote.
However, reformers established female academies, which greatly increased literacy among white women by 1850.
In the 1830s, some states passed property acts giving women the right to control their own property. While women still lacked political power, these gains in education and legal rights were important early steps toward greater equality in American society.

The U.S. government pursued a policy of removing Native Americans to land west of the Mississippi.
When the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall protected Cherokee lands, President Jackson refused to enforce the decision.
The army forced the Cherokee on the deadly Trail of Tears. Leaders like Black Hawk and Osceola led resistance efforts but were ultimately defeated, and their people were moved to reservations in a process that many felt stained the nation's honor.

The growing cotton industry in the South made slavery more entrenched, while free blacks in the North remained second-class citizens.

To avoid a national crisis over slavery, a policy called “the great silence” emerged after the 1820s.

Anti-slavery literature was banned from the mail, and Congress ignored petitions against slavery from 1836 to 1844. This policy suppressed discussion of the issue, leaving African Americans without rights or a political voice.