In What Ways Were Racial Tensions Intensified in the South During the Jackson Era - Essay Example

“The Jackson’s Era” In chapter 4 of A Short History of the United s, Remini describes a series of events and changes that occurred during Jackson’s tenure. The changes in the U.S. social structure gradually resulted in the creation of new political alignments within a one-party system (Remini 124). The changes that occurred during this time include; the agrarian revolution in the southern states, which led to increased slavery especially in the cotton farms, and the development of the nation westwards, which mainly comprised of pioneer farmers whose community was more of a democratic society (Remini 125).

Jeffersonian democracy sufficiently served the interests of a group and class of southern and western frontiers including the emerging class of urban workers. The policies introduced by Federalist Party were still common among the minority of Americans who still supported the position of the federal government in reviving the economy (Remini 125). The second two-party system emerged slowly while the Republicans began engaging in regular conflicts over several issues. The followers of John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, who demanded that the federal government still required putting more efforts into a developing economy, became known as National Republicans (Remini 143).

The followers of Andrew Jackson, Democratic-Republicans, became Democratic in 1828. During Jackson’s era, his contentious personality and controversial policies created no chance for reconciliation with the National Republicans (Remini 145). Halfway through his second term, the rebelling group defected from the party and became known as the Whig Party led by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. The Democratic Party controlled the federal government from 1828 to 1860, before losing two presidential elections to Whig Party (Remini 131).

The Democrats soon became the main supporters of slaveholders in the south. Other parties such as Whigs, The Free-Soil Party, the political arm of the abolitionists, and the Liberty Party strongly opposed the Democrats (Remini139). The development of a new Republican Party that called for the abolishment of slavery, and entry into slave-free states, and reducing the influence of slave-owners in the federal government, saw them overpower other political parties including the Democratic Party (Remini 134).