The Evolution of Democracy in the Early Republic

The Evolution of Democracy in the Early Republic

Former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson significantly influenced the American Republic. Despite the fact that Jefferson and Jackson served in offices many years apart, they both contributed to the development of new ideas to be used in government that would have an impact on how the country was run. Andrew Jackson was elected President of the United States in 1829, and he immediately began to implement changes to the United States Government. These changes were made to improve the efficiency of the United States government. This is how the American Republic came to be. Because of the changes that took place during Jackson’s presidency, more citizens were able to recognize and appreciate their representation in government. Economic, freedom, and overall social status changes in the United States aided in the development of democracy.

How was the American Republic formed differently under Jackson than it was under Jefferson?

From Jackson to Jefferson, economic, political, and social changes shaped the American Republic. Both presidents valued different aspects of the democracy they presided over. The faith Jefferson had in the people was something he treasured. Jefferson held that “individual freedom must have faith that the common people can conduct their personal affairs with reasonable success” (Hoover, 1951, p. 146). Jefferson only believed in common people, but he did not believe in total equality. Jefferson frequently contradicted himself by stating that he believed everyone should have equal access to education while rejecting human equality. Jefferson saw education as the key to a growing society in terms of economics and social mobility. Education would provide men with the best knowledge to make the wisest decisions in which they could be confident and respected (Hoover, 1951). An educated person was more valued and respected than an uneducated person. Another inconsistency in Jefferson’s statements was that he was anti-slavery while still owning slaves (Hoover, 1951). Not everyone at the time understood Jefferson’s brand of democracy. The actual full development and implementation of the American Republic did not begin until Jackson’s presidency.

When Andrew Jackson was elected President of the United States in 1829, he began to change and develop the way democracy functioned. Jackson’s reforms were viewed as a means of moving the country forward. According to Wulf (2006), “national cohesion was to be put into practice through an internal improvement policy,” and it is “focused on creating a coherently planned economic system” (p. 648). The reason this was so significant was that this was creating the path and conditions for domestic growth that was soon to come to the United States. Throughout his presidency, Jackson was preoccupied with the rights and liberties of the people. Because democracy is for all people, Jackson believed in equal rights for all. One thing Jackson did was help lower women’s suffrage and change the fact that women couldn’t vote, giving them the same rights as working males in the United States (Wulf, 2006). With Jackson’s assistance in improving the quality of human rights and voting rights, as well as providing more economic and social freedom, the American Republic was maturing.

What caused these modifications?

There were numerous reasons for the differences in the representation of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. One of the reasons was that the democracy established by Thomas Jefferson during his presidency lacked organization and structure. Andrew Jackson came into office hoping to create a more structured and better-understood environment that made democracy easier for the people (Schultz, 2016). Another thing Jackson wanted to change was equality in the current democracy. Jackson disagreed with Jefferson’s presidency’s limited rights to education, voting, and other unequal rights. The term “electronic commerce” refers to the sale of electronic goods. As the changes occurred, one of Jackson’s objectives was to establish an executive branch capable of handling westward expansion (Schultz, 2016). During Jackson’s presidency, people were able to gain more civil liberties as well as freedom from Jackson in the executive branch and in plans for westward expansion. One of the primary reasons Jackson decided to make these democratic changes was his belief that anyone involved in politics was an exclusively white male (Schultz, 2016). Jackson shot for more equality in the United States, which resulted in a rise in the number of people involved in politics. To better involve the people of the country, Jackson made to better involve the people of the country and strived for more equality; Jackson helped in the development of the American Republic.

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The changes made during Thomas Jefferson’s and Andrew Jackson’s administrations were critical in the proper development of the American Republic and began to look toward modern-day democracy in the United States. Many of Jackson’s changes have been beneficial to other presidents following his term in office and are still being implemented today. Although some pieces are no longer used in the way Jackson intended, it is easy to see how the ideas were adapted and improved over time to create a better American Republic. During his tenure, Jackson was able to expand voting rights for all Americans, including men, women, and all citizens of the United States (Feller, n.d.). This created an environment in which more people from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints became involved in politics in the United States, as democracy was intended to do. This is still practiced in today’s society and democracy, as voting rights have expanded and become more accessible to a wider range of people. Political involvement is highly valued because the freedom each citizen should have is the freedom to vote. Jackson also advocated for a better educational system for people, which has since improved (Feller, n.d.). Jackson’s use of his office to create more social and economic freedoms aided in the formation of a better democracy and a free American Republic.

Conclusion

Though there were many differences in the way democracy was run under Jefferson and Jackson, both played a key role in the early development of the American Republic. Both Jefferson and Jackson shared some beliefs in their roles, but not all of them. Limitations on areas of government were something both presidents saw fit for the U.S. However, Jackson felt that there needed to be more power and equality for the people in democracy. Jackson aided in representation and voting rights in the United States, which resulted in a more involved political awareness in the country and aided in economic and social equality. The changes made by Jefferson and Jackson paved the way for the development of the American Republic into what it is today.

References

Feller, D. (n.d.) Andrew Jackson: Impact and legacy. UVA Miller Center. Retrieved from https://millercenter.org/president/jackson/impact-and-legacy

Hoover, G. E. (1951). Jeffersonian democracy: Its significance for our time. American Journal of Economics & Sociology, 10(2), 145-151. doi 10.1111/j.1536-7150.1951.tb00032.x

Schultz, K. (2016). HIST4 (1st ed., pp. 146, 197-205). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Wulf, N. (2006). The politics of the past and progress in Jacksonian democracy. The American Transcendental Quarterly, 20(4), 647-655. Retrieved from https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=edsglr&AN=edsgcl.159862530&site=eds-live&scope=site

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Create a 500-750-word essay depicting the evolution of democracy from the time of President Jefferson to President Jackson. Be sure to include the following:

The Evolution of Democracy in the Early Republic

1.      How was the form of the American Republic different under Jackson than it was under Jefferson?

2.      What caused these changes?

3.      Why were these changes significant to the future development of the American Republic?

Use a minimum of three of the sources provided to support your assignment, and be sure to cite the sources.HIS-144 Week 3 The Evolution of Democracy in the Early Republic