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Analyze the growing sectionalism during the Age of Jackson and how his presidency fueled regional political passions. How much did the era of New Democracy contribute to the growing political parties?
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During Jackson's presidency, the two-party system revived. While the Jacksonian Republicans created the Democratic Republican Party, the Republicans who supported John Quincy Adams and Alexander Hamilton's ideal of a strong federal government, established the National Republican Party. They made contrast in advocating plans and emphasis, which fueled the sectionalism.
ReplyDeleteSince Jackson was from the growing West, many of his policies were in favor of the western region to help its expansion. For instance, he abolished the National Bank, which restrained the speculation and bank loan. On the other hand, the protectionist tariff was a great advantage for the manufacturing East, however, was a great disadvantage for the South. These kinds of policies benefitted some region, but at the same time became a huge blow to the other regions and thus fueled the sectionalism of the states depending on the position they had, concerning the policies.
During the age of Jackson, two parties exsisted.
ReplyDeleteDemocratic Republican Party and National Republican Party. The National republican party insisted in having a strong central government and a national bank. On the other side, Democratic party wanted to give freedom for states. Jackson giving freedom to states encouraged regional political passions. The era of the democracy contributed to the rise of the democratic party to a large extent. Since people wanted freedom and imporve their lives, they supported Jackson.however some people defined freedom differently. Powerful business owners welcomed the intrusion of National governement supporting the Nationalist. so the nation was clearly divided into two.
As conflicting ideas continued to nurture the regional divide in the United States, sparking a spur of sectionalism, the Jacksonian Era presented a time when two sperarate parties, the Democrats, lead by Andrew Jackson, and the Whigs, lead by Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, coexisted. Jackson's new Democratic party was initially rooted from Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party and was opposed to a strong central government, a national bank, and focused on eliminating elitism; making way for the "common man". On the other hand, the Whigs where were opposed to the Jacksonian democracy, calling for a strong federal authority, and had the support of bankers, merchants, and industrialists in New England and planters in the South.
ReplyDeleteDuring Jackson's presidency he felt that the National Bank served only to improve the fortunes of an "elite circle" of industrial and commercial entrpreneurs at the expense of farmers and laborers. He succeeded in destroying it by withdrawing funds in 1833. Tensions between Jackson's supporters and opposers also increased due to the Nullification Crisis. Southerners argued that the high tariffs on European goods benefited northern industrialists at the expense of southern farmers. South Carolina soon declared the tariffs placed on European goods by Jackson as void in attempt to "nullify" the tariff legislation of 1828. Vice President Calhoun politically split from Jackson and later resigned to join the senate of his home state, South Carolina.
As political disputes emerged in the Jacksonian Era the party's foundations were tested. Under the Era of New Democracy, Andrew Jackson of the Democratic Party would be pushed to the forefront of holding the Union together. He would soon come to literally "dodge a bullet" for his cause as the Nation persisted to split. Later along into the 1850's the issue of slavery would split both parties and a further compromise would be called for. His Democratic party would last until modern times as a remnant of his efforts whilst the Whig party would dissolve and spring forth the Republican Party.