Andrew Jackson's Presidency Essay Example

The Jacksonian Democracy is an accurate name for this time period because of Jackson’s background that led to his success in earning the respect of the people, improving voting rules, and getting elected as president even as a common man. 

Andrew Jackson’s interesting background shows how it helped him succeed in later years. Growing up, Jackson lived in a poor household in the Carolinas. Since he lived in this poorer region, he resented the rich and large landowners, like many others around him. Early in his life, he experienced mistreatment from the British and other rich landowners, which increased his hatred towards people who misused power. Due to his limited resources, he also didn’t have access to a proper education. But Jackson gained success through becoming a politician, where he accumulated many supporters as well. When Jackson was rising to power, many people identified and related to him, rather than the wealthy elite. Because he was just like many of these people considered inferior, as he had come from a “common man” background. Jackson was also well known for his strong-willed and argumentative personality, which propelled him forward in his journey towards power. 

During Jackson’s presidency, he helped evolve the United States from a republic- where only landowners could vote- to a democracy, where the common man was allowed to as well. Before the 1820s, the only people allowed to vote were white men with property. So poor citizens were excluded from the right to vote. Andrew Jackson, who had grown up with these unfair limitations, pledged to rid the nation of the corrupt “monied interests”, and return the government to the people. This made many people in the West satisfied, as people like farmers and small-business owners got more power. The change in voting rules allowed over one million Americans to vote in 1828, which was more than three times the amount that voted four years earlier.

Although Jackson had lost the 1824 election to John Adams, he came back and won the 1828 election. On the quest to the presidency, Jackson was seemingly inadequate compared to all the other candidates. Because about every other politician had been put through extensive education. So Jackson was at a disadvantage here. Especially when he was not considered as distinguished or worthy as many of the other candidates. In the election of 1824, Jackson had originally gotten more electoral and popular votes, but in the end, no candidate received a majority of the electoral college vote. So the election was deferred to the House of Representatives. Eventually, Adams was selected as president. In 1828, Jackson obtained over twice as many electoral votes as Adams, securing his presidency.