Political shift after War of 1812 and the rise of Andrew Jackson
Following the War of 1812, political positions shifted, with Republicans supporting many former Federalist ideas, like the banks, and Federalists supporting former Republican programs. Why did this occur? How might one connect the phenomenon with the rise of Andrew Jackson and his eventual presidential victory in 1828?
this was the prompt I was given for the essay
ANSWER
Political shift after the War of 1812 and the rise of Andrew Jackson
Political shift after the War of 1812 and the rise of Andrew Jackson
Many believe that the War of 1812 was pointless bloodshed that did not have any effect, most notably because its final Treaty of Ghent stated that all borders and relations should be maintained as they were before the war. However, people who focus on the war’s practical effects have noted significant attitudinal changes in the US after the conflict. The war ushered what historians popularly refer to as the Era of Good Feelings after the battle. The biggest casualty in America of the war was the Federalist Party supported by business people and bankers. Americans despised the party because of its reluctance to support the war.
The Federalist Party had vocal disapproval of the war and gave thought to secession after the conflict had escalated to war. The stance of the party angered many people who believed that the Federalists were not patriotic. After the end of the conflict, the party became obsolete, and its members joined the new parties, Whig and Republican. The former federalists formed a political base in the new parties and championed protectionism, centralization, and ultimately abolitionism later in the 19th century. Americans were elated with the outcomes of the war, noting that a young American nation had gone head on head with one of the strongest armies in the world and fought almost to a draw. Andrew Jackson scored a massive victory at the Battle of New Orleans (Marriott, 2016). The USS Constitution’s accomplishments were also a significant point of admiration for the American military, which lead to the promotion of American image both locally and internationally.
The partisan acrimony, which was at highest during the Federalists’ immolation, waned significantly in the years following the conflict. Thomas Jefferson’s party ascended to the country’s political help, which was helped by the loss of Federalists and propounded a happy future of a nation of free farmers. Domestic policies’ peaceful coexistence made possible by domestic policies soon led to an expansionist foreign policy leading to the purchase of Florida from Spain in the Adam-Onis Treaty of 1819 (Pilson, 2016). However, although the country was inclined towards equality, the common man was not considered until the election of Andrew Jackson as the president.
The election of Andrew Jackson to the presidency is referred to as the age of the common man. Jackson soon became popularly referred to as the common man’s hero, which was reflected in his policies. The political demographics in the country shifted significantly. For example, voting was more widespread as states dropped property requirements for the right to vote. The move resulted in a significant surge in the number of people eligible to vote (Thorne, 2016). The elevation of the common man in the social and political hierarchies was also celebrated in arts and letters, most notably the works of George Caleb Bingham celebrating the common man.
Andrew Jackson’s popularity was promoted because he was focused on uniting the country through his policies supporting the local people. The social perception that political and military authorities were superior was done away with, and the country’s subject matter were the everyday people who were viewed as the true American heroes who were behind the politics and military performance of the country (Thorne, 2016). Thus, Jackson’s popularity after the War of 1812 was escalated by his policies that considered all Americans as necessary to the development of the nation.
Works Cited
Marriott, A. V. (2016). Glorious Victory: Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans by Donald R. Hickey. Journal of the Early Republic, 36(4), 832-835.
Pilson, M. (2016). THE WAR OF 1812 & THE BARBARY WARS: POST-WAR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
Thorne, D. (2016). People That Changed the Course of History: The Story of Andrew Jackson 250 Years After His Birth. London: Atlantic Publishing Company.
