President’s 6 and 7

Jacksonian Democracy

Main Aspects of Jacksonian Democracy 1. increase in white man’s suffrage 2. spoils system 3. opposing national bank 4. Right to control sectional differences

Electing a President Expansion of voting rights

The Right to Vote Prior to the 1820’s, only property owning white males could vote. Some states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut allowed free black men to vote. The idea was that the country would be best served by being run by wealthy, property-owning men, but small farmers, frontier settlers, and others wanted their say as well. With the changes to allow whites who didn’t own property to vote, virtually all white men were eligible to vote.

The Common Man’s President With voting opened up to the non-elitist population for the first time many Americans felts like their voice could be heard and the turnout almost doubled the last election. Additionally, the 1828 election once again pitted Jackson, who was born to poor Irish immigrants and was a self-made man, against a well-to-do John Adams, a Harvard graduate, who’s father had been the 2ns President of the U.S.

Spoils System “To the victor, belongs the spoils” Upon being elected, Jackson broke tradition and implemented what he called a rotation system, where many government officials were to be replaced by him as the incoming President. Some of these people had been in office since Washington’s Presidency. President Jackson said his intention was to replace officials who were either corrupt or who had become ineffective due to how long they were in office.

Spoils system continued Opponents said Jackson was simply replacing qualified officials with his friends and political supporters who were too inexperienced. By putting loyalty over effectiveness they argued Jackson was reducing the efficiency of the government.

President Jackson’s Inner Circle Jackson appointed Martin Van Buren, who would go on to be the 8th President, as his Secretary of State. Van Buren, newspaper editors and personal friends of President Jackson made up his informal group of advisors who he was said to have relied on more than his official Presidential Advisors (cabinet). They were known as the “Kitchen Cabinet” due to their tendency to meet up in the White House kitchen…therefore, we now call the Presidential Advisors …the CABINET!