Jefferson was a president whose personality led him to write the Declaration of American Independence. He was the third president of the United States. He was also the founder of the Democratic-Republican Party. Jackson, on the other hand, was the 7th president of the United States. He was praised for his efforts in fighting for the protection of liberty and democracy. Although the policies of these two presidents were quite similar, the American Republic was a bit different during their individual times in office. This paper discusses the differences noted, while also identifying the causes of the changes and how they impacted the future development of the American Republic.
Differences in the Form of American Republic at the time of Jefferson and Jackson
The American Republic changed a lot during the time of Jefferson time in office. He managed to purchase Louisiana from France hence further expanding the countrys borders. In his second term, he signed the passage of a bill which banned the importation of slaves into the U.S (Thompson, 2017). Therefore, many people were freed from slavery and were able to live freely in the country, though not as equally as would have been desired.
Jackson, on the other hand, strived to pass laws that gave state governments power, even though he also wanted to have a strong federal government (Bourdon, 2014). He was strongly against the presence of a central bank in the country, which is why he vetoed the renewal of its charter hence leading to its downfall.
Causes of the Changes during these two Periods
The changes brought about by Jefferson were fueled by the fact that he was a man of the people who was also a wealthy farmer. His status in the society led him to do everything in his power to protect the interests of the rich and wealthy rather than the poor (Johnston, 2014). This is why he always supported the central bank and even purchased Louisiana to ensure they had access to a vast piece of land that would further their endeavors. On the contrary, Jackson was a man of the people who identified more with the commoners and not just the rich and wealthy (Bourdon, 2014). This is why he pushed for the downfall of the National Bank so that all would be given equal financial opportunities.
As a result of Jeffersons preference for the wealthy, he believed that citizens who were allowed to vote should at least possess a property as a qualification. He believed so because to possess property, one had to be rich and wealthy, meaning that they would also be educated (Thompson, 2017). In addition, he was also of the idea that only the educated elite possess the required managing skills to rule the commoners who were uneducated and often subjected to slavery. Jackson, on the other hand, held a belief that voting was meant for every citizen of the country. In addition, he was for the idea that the people had a right to chose anyone to hold office regardless of their educational background (Bourdon, 2014).
Significance of Changes to Future Developments
The changes made by both of these presidents contributed to future developments in the American Republic. Jeffersons changes represented a start towards the building of a nation that is against slavery. Although there were still issues of inequality in terms of social class, the changes he brought about also led to improvements in the country. Jacksons changes contributed further by ensuring even the issues of inequality were effectively dealt with. This is the reason why the present American Republic is free from slavery and almost completely rid of social class inequality. These factors are considered illegal by the law.
References
Bourdon, J. N. (2014). "All Must Have a Say": Internal Improvements and Andrew Jackson's Political Rise in North Carolina in 1824. North Carolina Historical Review, 91(1), 63-92.
Johnston, D. C. (2014). Why Thomas Jefferson Favored Profit Sharing. Newsweek Global, 162(6), 62-67.
Thompson, P. (2017). David Walker's Nationalism--and Thomas Jefferson's. Journal Of The Early Republic, 37(1), 47-80.
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