The Evolution of Democracy in the Early Republic

During his term in office, President Thomas Jefferson displayed a towering personality towards the American citizens. According to Tata (2013), he was the third President of the United States and the man who wrote the American Independence declaration. Jefferson was also the founder of the Democratic Republic Party and at one time served in the cabinet of President George Washington. Jackson, on the other hand, was the seventh President of the United States and a great democratic man. According to Dautrich, Yalof, & Bejarano (2018), he is known for his policies and strong role in protecting the liberty and democracy of his citizens. Jackson is also remembered for his support for individual States power alongside wanting a strong federal government. Both President Jefferson and Jackson were prominent presidents during their term in office. Through their contrasting political views, they defined the true meaning of democracy.

American Republic under Jackson and Jefferson

Jefferson was a man of the people who did things to protect the interests of the people. He strongly believed that the purpose of the government is to protect the common interests of the wealthy American citizens. For instance, President Thomas Jefferson agreed and authorized the purchase of Louisiana Purchase (“Thomas Jefferson: Constitutionality of the Louisiana purchase (1803),” n.d). Virtually, it was important for the United States to make the Louisiana Purchase because it gave them power over the Mississippi River and the New Orleans port city, which were used by farmers to transport their crops and receive payment. On the contrary, Jackson fought for the common people and even went as far as demolishing the National Bank (“Andrew Jackson, first annual message (1829),” n.d) because he viewed it as a symbol of the privileged oppressing the common individual. He cherished the elimination of the national debt and prided himself into clearing it during his administration. President Jefferson strongly believed in the property requirement for voting. In fact, as McDonnell (2012) notes, when George Mason proposed downsizing the property requirement to the possession of a house as a voting requirement, Jefferson opposed and suggested giving land to every adult male who did not own the required piece of land. Jackson did not ascribe to this doctrine and believed in giving a chance to the educated elite because they had the experience to manage others. By far, Jackson changed the presidency and made it into a symbol of tremendous political power (Dautrich, Yalof, & Bejarano, 2018). Contrary to Jefferson, Jackson wielded power over his office holders and cabinet members, which enabled him to veto the bills.

What Caused the Changes?

Evidently, there were differences between the Jefferson and the Jackson presidency. Perhaps, this can be explained by the personality of the two rulers and their preferences. Jackson was a man of the people who related and favored the common individuals and fought for their rights. He vetoed more bills than the former presidents did in an attempt to fight for the rights of the common people. In fact, throughout his eight years term, Dautrich, Yalof, and Bejarano (2018) noted, Jackson did not enact legislative programs but focused on thwarting the existing policies, which he viewed as oppressive to the people. On the other hand, Jefferson was from a wealthy family who believed in protecting the interests of the wealthy people. Although he was considered a man of the people, his focus was not entirely on the interests of the common people.

Significance of the Changes to the Future Development of the American Republic

Notably, the changes that took place during the period of President Andrew Jackson had a significant impact on the future development of the American Republic. The elimination of the property requirement voting allowed more people to vote and elect their preferred leader. The move also eliminated the special privilege, allowed people from common people to make decisions about their preferred candidate, and even encouraged them to contest for posts.

References

“Andrew Jackson, first annual message (1829).” (n.d). HIS-144 Topic Primary Source List.

“Thomas Jefferson: Constitutionality of the Louisiana purchase (1803).” (n.d). HIS-144 Topic Primary Source List.

Dautrich, K., Yalof, D. A., & Bejarano, C. E. (2018). The enduring democracy. Boston, MA : Cengage Learning.

McDonnell, M. A. (2012). ˜Theœ Politics of War: Race, Class, and Conflict in Revolutionary Virginia. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press Ann Arbor, Michigan ProQuest.

Tata, R. (2013). The Greatest American Presidents: Including a Short Course on All the Presidents and Political Parties. Bloomington: AuthorHouse.