Jacksonian Democrats.

Jacksonian Democrats viewed themselves and their leader, Jackson, as the guardians of the United States Constitution, political democracy, individual liberty, and equality of economic opportunity. Advancements were made for the common man during Jackson's administration and for practically no one else, which makes this view seem incorrect. Jacksonian Democrats proved to be only the guardians of the "common man" and his rights only to a certain extent. You were labeled a common man only if you fell into their category of what the common man was.

Jackson fully supported the "common man" or the "sturdy American" like no other president before him. At his inauguration, he gave the common man access to the White House and riotous behavior ensued. The locals complained that "barbarians" had invaded the White House; the stewards finally saved day by taking the punch bowls outside . The type of common man that was favored by the Jacksonians was a poor westerner who desired land, freedom of choice, and a say in politics.

English: Andrew Jackson - 7 th President of the Un...

Portrait of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president ...

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The problem with this was that anyone else who would fall out of this category: women, slaves, Native Americans, wealthy, Easterners, Northerners, were often denied their own rights (Doc D). The exempting of those who wouldn't fit the category of the common man, helped stress universal manhood suffrage.

The belief in the common man was a certain aspect of the Jacksonian political democracy. Other aspects of political democracy of the Jacksonians included the spoils system. The practice of dispensing government jobs in return for party loyalty was called the spoils system. At a national level, President Jackson believed in appointing people to federal jobs strictly according to whether they had actively campaigned for the Democratic Party. Any previous holder of office who was not a Democrat was fired and replaced with a loyal...