The Era of the Common Man

The Era of the Common Man
The Jacksonian period from 1824 to 1848 began a new era of change and growth, which is celebrated as the era of the “common man.” For the first time in American history, a man born in the west, considered part of the common people, was elected president. Andrew Jackson’s election showed that politics didn’t have to be about where someone came from, but rather focus on the greater good of the commoners of the United States. Jackson represented a usual citizen; therefore, his presidency is known as the era of the “common man.” This title is reflected in the political parties, economic developments, and the domestic issues of the Jacksonian period, all of which were greatly affected during this time period.
During this time, the political parties changed in favor of the common people. New political parties began to emerge and they had to begin to appeal to the people. Because of this, the candidate for presidency was often portrayed as a “rough-hewn frontiersman and a stalwart champion of the common man” (275). The controversial election of 1824 between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson involved the “corrupt bargain” between John Q. Adams and Henry Clay and thus was a catalyst for the change in political parties. The “corrupt bargain” was a name given to the way Henry Clay helped get Adams elected and then Adams made Clay the Secretary of State. Ironically, though Jackson violently slandered Adams for his use of the “corrupt bargain,” the spoils system became popular during Jackson’s presidency. Although portrayed as a negative in most situations, “the spoils system was an important element of the emerging two-party order, cementing as it did loyalty to [a particular party]” (280). It was actually important because those that supported Jackson were given political positions. Considering he was a commoner himself, this means that a lot of his followers were given political positions. Though corrupt, he opened the door for more people....