The Impact of Jacksonian Democracy When Andrew Jackson was elected president in 1828, the Democratic Party began to shape a new era. Unlike many presidents before him, he appealed to the masses, or the “common man”. The mission of the Jacksonian Democrats was to amplify the strength of the poor, and decrease the influence and power of the wealthy. Economically, the Jacksonian Democrats benefitted because during this time, transportation was beginning to improve, and therefore commerce was boosted. However, President Jackson was forced to deal with the issue of the National Bank, which he believed held too much power and control over national economy. He also was forced to handle other important issues such as slavery, westward expansion, and sectionalism, and many people would come to dislike him for his opinion on these topics. For these reasons, Jacksonian Democracy impacted politics, national economy, and the status of the Union in both positive and negative ways. Previous to 1828, most of the men who held a high office were wealthy, aristocratic men who were brought up by established parents. These men were always educated, usually having completed college. Jackson was only the second president to take office without a college education, and this is one of the reasons why he appealed so much to all kinds of people, particularly the middle and lower classes. Jackson’s inauguration changed the way people looked at the government. People came from all around to be a part of the inauguration. The masses really respected him because he acknowledged all people. Many were shocked at his inauguration when he, “…bowed again to the people—Yes, to the people, in all their majesty,”(Document A). After the ceremony, everyone was even invited to the White House to be a part of the celebration! By doing this, Jackson showed the people that they were valued and that it did not matter how wealthy you were or where you came from. Although many believed that Jackson would do great things during his presidency, those who opposed his views were not convinced, especially after he announced his Policy of Rotation in Office, just one year after his inauguration. Some people thought that the only reason he did this was to replace the cabinet members who did not share his views and replace them with his loyal supporters. A woman whose husband was let go because of this policy wrote a letter to President Jackson accusing him, “…by what kind of rotary motion is it, that men who have been but a few years, or a few months in office, are swept from the boards while others (your friends) remain?” (Document C). This shows that not everyone was thrilled by the political changes that President Jackson made. The economic stability of the nation changed over the course of Jackson’s presidency. President Jackson came into his second term having to make a decision regarding the Bank of the United States. His view on the National Bank was that, “…Some of the powers and privileges possessed by the existing bank are unauthorized by the Constitution, subversive of the rights of the States, and dangerous to the liberties of the people,” (Document D). He felt that the bank was controlled by a small group of wealthy men who had too much control over the nation’s economy, and that the bank threatened the rights of states and individuals. For these reasons, and to prevent the economy from becoming unstable he put an end to the National Bank by vetoing its charter renewal. Unfortunately, his action had quite the opposite effect. When the National Bank’s charter was not renewed, state banks had issued too much paper money, and people started using gold and silver in place of paper money. Many banks went out of business, and the nation fell into an economic slump by the end of Jackson’s presidency. Therefore, the Jacksonian Era had quite a negative impact on the national economy of the time.