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preface
March 4, 1829 was Jackson's inauguration day. In front of 15,000 people, Jackson delivered his inaugural address, then took the oath of office, and then rode to the White House, where he was warmly watched. Crowds rushed into the White House, creating chaos, shoving and shouting, furniture scrambling and discs strewn all over the floor.
Jackson Period
To Jackson supporters, the "messy" White House celebration marked the success of "democracy" and "ordinary people," but it was undoubtedly a victory for the "rabble" in the eyes of its opponents. In any case, the United States began to enter a new democratic period in history, the "civilian period."
Jackson, the "protector of the people," was the first president in U.S. history to be born west of Appalachian Hills. The six presidents before him were either born in Massachusetts or from Virginia, and were the children of well-educated and prestigious families. And Jackson, the hero of New Orleans, is closer to ordinary people, both in origin and upbringing.
By this time, the United States had more than doubled its westward expansion, producing a more democratic and equal west, demanding its own political representation, not wanting the eastern elites to control the country's politics forever, and they were already capable of challenging the east. By 1820, eight western states had joined the Union, holding 16 seats in the 44-member Senate and 43 members of the House of Representatives.
Jackson's election was the result of the democratization of the western states, and at the same time it would further promote the process of American democracy. The public saw Jackson as their own president, calling his election the "Revolution of 1828" in which democracy triumphed over oligarchy. Since then, the presidential candidate in the United States has to flaunt his status as an ordinary person, even if he is not so ordinary.
In fact, Jackson, the "protector of the people," was by no means ordinary, and although he came from a poor background, he was already a propertied man with a lot of land and more than 100 slaves because he knew how to get rich. Although he had little formal education, he was basically a self-taught, not only could read and write, but also worked as a lawyer and judge.
Jackson, therefore, resembled conservative Washington in many ways: first a fighting hero, then an avid western land speculator, and then a large estate owner and slave owner. As a political leader, Jackson was also one of the most courageous, charismatic and inspiring presidents since Washington.
Michel Chevallier, a shrewd French observer, said of Jackson: "The character of a knight, a noble personality, and a strong sense of patriotism. Indeed, Jackson encapsulates the characteristics that many Americans admire: patriotism, informality, natural manners, and democracy; Likes good horse beauties, but abides by moral creeds; Brave and strong, but also gentlemanly.
Therefore, all social strata in all regions, including peasants in the west, manor owners in the south, urban workers, bankers, and merchants, supported him. In the eyes of his followers, Jackson was "destined to be", ordinary and perfect. During Jackson's two presidential terms, American politics underwent a series of important changes, mainly in response to the trend of society becoming more and more popular, and the virtues and abilities of ordinary people were celebrated as never before. Because Jackson trusted the common sense and intuitive judgment of ordinary people, this period was also summarized as "Jacksonian democracy."
First of all, politically, the participation of ordinary people has been greatly expanded. The Midwest took the lead in removing property restrictions on voters and introducing universal suffrage for all adult white men, and other states followed suit. Some states have also increased the number of elected officials, reduced the number of appointed officials, and shortened their terms. In the presidential elections, the selection of candidates was broadened from a conclave to a national nominating conference. The Electoral College was also elected from the state legislature to direct voters.
In 1800, Congress selected electors in only 10 states, citizens of 6 states could participate in popular suffrage, and by 1828, electors in all states except South Carolina were elected by universal suffrage. At the same time, as people's participation and enthusiasm increased, the proportion of actual voters among eligible voters increased rapidly, from 25% in 1824 to 58% in 1828 and 80% in 1840.
Second, Jackson took a completely different stance toward political parties than all of his predecessors, ushering in the second two-party system in American history. In his view, party rivalry is no longer a negative political ill, but an inevitable phenomenon in democratic institutions, and a positive factor that can enliven politics. A New York newspaper commented in support: "Some form of multiparty system should exist in order to be consistent with the nature and nature of our government." ”
By the 1930s, a well-established two-party system had taken shape at the national level, with each party serving its own institution-building and each acknowledging the legitimate existence of the other. After the renamed Democratic Party and the Whig Party were formally established, the organizations of the two parties began to become two huge machines, and party workers did their best and tirelessly to "turn on the machine" in order to make their leaders successfully elected.
Since then, presidential elections in the United States have become more and more like a holiday, and politicians have begun to reach out to the general public to solicit votes for their own propaganda. Xon expanded the president's powers and exerted greater influence over the rest of government. During his eight-year term, Jackson used his presidential veto 12 times, more than all his predecessors combined.
Jackson sometimes denied statehood, sometimes flouted Supreme Court rulings, and sometimes urged Congress to pass laws he approved, but in whatever he did, he claimed to be in the interests of the people. Jackson believed that it was his duty to use the power of the presidency to combat and abolish the monopoly of privilege of the few, and to defend and expand the political and economic rights of ordinary people.
He opened the door for pioneers in land policy, approved the division of public land into small plots and sold to settlers at a reduced price, and gave pre-emptive rights to "squatters" who had been reclaimed without permission, which allowed large numbers of landless people to acquire their own farms and greatly encouraged new owners. Trade unions that defended workers' interests also began to emerge and expand, and workers had a legitimate platform to make their own political and economic demands.
bibliography
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Religious History of the American People.New Haven:Yale University Press, 1972.