Why Was Andrew Jackson\'s Election to the Presidency Considered Such an Important Event?

Andrew Jackson and the Election of 1828

The presidential election of 1828 sparked a turning point in the American political system. With the inauguration of General Andrew Jackson in 1829 and the atmosphere of victory within the populace, it was clear then that Jackson was truly the American "People's President." A war hero, a statesman, a "man of action," it becomes no surprise that the citizens of the United States supported him so. Yet it was not just his popularity that marked the election of 1828 as an important historical event. In fact, not only did he defy the general "image" of U.S. presidency, he was also part of the beginnings of the modern-day two-party platforms.

The tense, wary, and politically hostile atmosphere of the election of 1828 was believed to be a result of the corruption of the election in 1824. Jackson, a soldier-turned-statesman, had run against political rivals John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and William H. Crawford (Badertscher). While Jackson pulled the majority of the popular -- and thus a large portion of the electoral -- votes, he had not gained the majority of the electoral votes needed to win the presidency. The presidential elections were then appealed to the House of Representatives, where the surprising victor became John Quincy Adams. This became a point of injustice, according to Jackson, who was said to have raved that the House elections were filled with "cheating, and corruption, and bribery too" (Remini). Jackson had accused Clay of corrupt bargaining with Adams, who "bought" Clay's votes by offering Clay the post of secretary of state (Badertscher). This unethical display of bargaining politics was never proven, but it became a major issue in the election of 1828; Adams' corrupt bargain with Clay became part of the Democratic Party's "smear" campaign when Adams chose to run for a second term.

Because of the conflicts between the supporters of Adams and Jackson, the election of 1828 saw forth the split of what was once the nation's Republican Party. Adams ran for the party National Republican Party -- the beginnings of today's Republican Party; Jackson ran opposite Adams as part of the Democratic-Republican Party -- the beginnings of today's Democratic Party (Remini). This bipartisan system -- deluged with smear campaigns and large promises on both sides -- has since been the major aspect of the United States' political atmosphere.