Expansion of Democracy (1800-1848)

Introduction

• Focus on the expansion of participatory democracy in the early 19th century America.
• Key period: 1800-1848.
• Causes and effects of this expansion.

Causes of Democratic Expansion

Demand for the Franchise

• Small farmers, workingmen, and frontier settlers demanded voting rights.
• Key event: Panic of 1819.
  • Second Bank of the U.S. tightened lending policies to control inflation.
  • Resulted in many state bank closures.
  • Economic downturn with high unemployment, bankruptcies, and debtor imprisonment.

Desire for Accountability

• Affected laboring men, especially in the West, sought political accountability.
• Voting rights were tied to property ownership.
• Economic frustrations combined with some frontier states offering universal white male suffrage.

Changes in Voting Qualifications

• By 1825, eastern states lowered or eliminated property qualifications for voting.
• Led to increased political participation and party realignment.

Political Party Realignment

Decline of the Federalist Party

• Opposition to the War of 1812 led to the party's decline.
• Democratic Republicans became the sole national party.

Fragmentation into Factions

• Democratic Republicans split into:
  • Democrats: Advocated limited federal power, strict constructionism of the Constitution.
  • National Republicans: Supported expansive federal power, loose constructionism, similar to old Federalist ideals.

The Election of 1824

• Democratic Republicans presented four candidates: John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, William Crawford, and Andrew Jackson.
• No majority in Electoral College votes.
• House of Representatives selected John Quincy Adams, aided by Henry Clay.
• Controversy: "Corrupt Bargain"
  • Jackson's supporters claimed impropriety in Adams appointing Clay as Secretary of State.
  • No evidence of wrongdoing; procedures followed were constitutional.

Formation of New Political Parties

• By 1828, factions solidified into formal parties:
  • Democrats
  • National Republicans

Conclusion

• The period marked significant shifts in political participation and party dynamics.
• Set the stage for future political developments.

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Additional Resources

• Heimler's review packet for further study on the topic.
• Upcoming video to discuss the formalization of political parties post-1828.