As the United States became more industrialized, the understanding of freedoms began to change. New systems of transportation began to emerge that allowed people to be able to travel quicker, a new economy emerged, and participation in the democratic system grew. Socially and politically the nation altered its concept of freedom, but select groups were still left out. At the turn of the 19th century transportation was being revolutionized as the United States became dedicated to improving transportation. Some forms of transportation that emerged were the steamboats, railroads, turnpikes, and canals. The government sponsored the construction of the railroads by supplying companies with land grants to build them. In the document Baltimore …show more content…
As a result there is a large gap between rich and poor, with the top 1% holding most of the wealth. With many Americans in poverty, The American Frugal Housewife, was written in order to explain how to endure poverty. The author stresses that a religious, thorough education is the best defense against misfortune. People were unhappy about the new society the market had created, which bred selfishness and made a fast paced society that was hard to keep up with. This was taking away from family life, and placed focus on being rich and having material possessions. Early on in American history, elections and voting were usually done only by the elite in society. This was changed when Andrew Jackson came and created the Age of Democracy. He got the common man into politics by holding debates, parades, and rallies. He also created the political primary, in which the common man could choose the candidates they wanted to have run for office. Andrew Jackson became president on the idea that he would champion the little guy. With increased transportation a domino effect seemed to take place in the country. Increased transportation led to a new market, which in turn led to changes in the democratic system that incorporated the little guy. America was beginning to start a fast paced way of life that left people behind if they did not
During the 1820 's and 1830 's, American political life was transformed as more and more working men were allowed to vote and hold office. Jacksonian Democrats expanded economic opportunity and political participation for the "common man" (white factory workers, craftsmen, and mechanics, small farmers, and land-hungry frontiersmen). Jackson was the first president to view himself as a representative of "the people". As such, he expected to exercise expanded executive powers as the expense of the legislative and judicial branches. The ruling political and economic elite must be removed, he said for "the people" are "the government, the sovereign power" in the United States, and they had elected him president.
In the 19th century, American politics started change drastically from the old system which seemed to be fading away. The idea of democracy was born in America through the influence of politicians. The American people started to realize their place in the growth of the country. They realized that their involvement in politics could benefit them. Andrew Jackson for a time was the face of democracy to the American people.
The era of Andrew Jackson which was nicknames the era of the “common man” certainly lived up to its name. As the seventh President of the United States, Jackson had a major effect on the life of the common man, in such a way that the life of the common man would never be the same again. Jackson’s aim, after the manner in which he was defeated in the Presidential Election of 1824, despite receiving more popular votes than John Quincy Adams who took on the office, was to reduce the power and the authority of the elite. When he came into power after the 1828 election Jackson began to carry out his proposals. Jackson expanded the voting right to all men, in accordance with the Declaration of Independence of 1776 which declared that “all men are created equal” instead of just the elite.
During this time period there were great technological advancements. One of these advancements was railroads. Railroads were a positive change because it helped transport people and goods across the country. Businesses depended greatly upon transportation in order to transport their goods. Despite the positives of railroads, there were negatives.
The founders of the United States did their best to create a government that would not allow erroneous decisions to greatly harm the nation. They set a percent of presidents being politically sound and well-known; their beliefs for how the nation should be handled were essential to their campaign. President Andrew Jackson, however, did not follow this system, instead winning primarily by his personality and popularity amongst the common American. While his actions in office often appeared to be for the people, most had a hidden selfish side to them that he easily covered up. With the election of 1828, Jackson radically changed American politics, focusing them more on public appearance and personal character than on intelligence and political views, making personality just as, if not more important than the actual politics of a political term.
Andrew Jackson was from the west, and not a politician making him more of a common man than previous presidents. Serving in the military, being manly, and having a nickname “Old Hickory” made him relatable to the people. Presidents like George Washington, in contrast, came across as other worldly with their wealth, and education. The similarities to Jackson encouraged civilian participation in government. Coinciding with universal white male suffrage that came about in the 1820’s, the percentage of eligible voters that cast a ballot was higher in the 1828 election than any previous election.
Andrew Jackson was one of the greatest presidents who made very difficult decisions for our country. Although his choices were not always the popular decision, he made choices that were always promoting democracy. The things that make a good democracy are: giving people a say in government, having a good leader that you can trust to make wise decisions, peace and stability between each country and other states, and having equal power in the government (checks and balances). Andrew Jackson came into office with a popular vote and great support. His supporters viewed him as a man of the people.
Firstly, one of the goals of the President Andrew Jackson was to give more power to the common person. As President Andrew Jackson wrote in his letter to Dr. Bronough, 1822. He took away the land requirements which led to many more people voting. Previously only landowners were allowed to vote therefore only favoring high-class citizens.
In the time between the 1890s and 1920s, America experienced a massive amount of growth. People in poverty-stricken, overcrowded cities suffered greatly. In big cities, politicians kept power using several political machines. Companies created monopolies and controlled the nation’s economy. Many Americans were concerned about this, and believed that great change was needed in society to protect everyday people.
Throughout American History, revolutions in transportation have affected the American society politically, socially and economically. Soon after the war of 1812, American nationalism increased which leads to a greater emphasis on national issues, the increase in power and prevalence of the national government and a growing sense of the American Identity. Railways, canals, and Turnpikes began to increase making many people employed. The era of 1830-1860 represents a shift from agrarianism to industrialism. Overall, during the transportation revolution, construction of turnpikes, roads, canals, and railroads led to the market economy expansion, an increased population in America and alternations of the physical landscape of America.
The Tremendous Impact of Railroads on America In the late 19th century, railroads propelled America into an era of unprecedented growth, prosperity, and convenient transportation. Prior to the building of the railroads, America lacked the proper and rapid transportation to make traveling across the country economical or practical. Lengthy travel was often cumbersome, costly, and dangerous.
According to the article The Railway Journey, modern transportation “created a definite spatial distance between the places of production and the place of consumption did the goods become uprooted commodities” (40 Railroad Journey). Basically, this means that since the railroad allowed goods to be shipped to further distances at faster rates which resulted in mass productions and shipments of goods which resulted in a stable economy for the United
Andrew Jackson’s victory in the presidential election against John Quincy Adams in 1828 would bring about the “common man era” in America. This was a time during the Jacksonian Democracy that promoted the common man, states’ rights and strict construction. For the first time in the United States history, a man born in humble circumstances (who did not have a college education) from west of the Appalachian Mountains, was now President. In the past, politicians had been elected because of their social status due to their family background, wealth and education.
The building of roads, canals and railroads played a large role in the United States during the 1800s. They served the purpose of connecting towns and settlements so that goods could be transported quickly and more efficiently. These goods could be transported fast, cheap and in safe way through the Erie Canal that was built to connect the Great Lakes to New York. Railroads were important during Civil War as well, because it helped in the transportation of goods, supplies and weapons when necessary. These new forms of transportation shaped the United States into the place that it is today.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like without transportation? In the 1890’s the railroad system, the main source of transportation at that time, came to a halt after a strike called the Pullman Strike. A severe depression had hit the United States in 1893. This hit a railroad manufacturing company called the Pullman company hard.