Rise of Old Hickory

As the election of 1828 approached, Democrats formed political alliances on state and local levels. Rather than focusing on specific issues, they focused their campaign on building the image of Andrew Jackson. Democrats portrayed him as a war hero and a friend to the common man. In their newspapers, Americans read all about "Old Hickory," the farmer from Tennessee. The Jackson campaign effectively downplayed the reality that their man had accumulated great wealth as a lawyer, land speculator, and cotton planter. Over one hundred slaves worked Jackson's Hermitage plantation near Nashville.

Examine these two primary sources from the campaign. What conclusions can you draw?

In 1828, the Democrats capitalized on a new trend in American politics. Throughout the 1820s, states had been reducing or eliminating property and religious requirements for voting. More and more citizens could participate in choosing their leaders. Recognizing this trend toward a broader democracy, the Jackson campaign worked tirelessly to mobilize the masses. Adams, in contrast, remained rooted in the old style of politics and was reluctant to actively campaign. The National Republicans struggled to build support for their candidate and their policies.

Continuing a trend in American politics that had begun decades earlier, the campaign of 1828 turned nasty. The Jackson campaign attacked Adams as a corrupt aristocrat. The President's supporters struck back with personal attacks against Jackson.

In the end, the Democrats' superior campaign organization carried the day. Old Hickory swept to victory with a 178 to 83 margin in the Electoral College. Jackson won all of the southern and western states, along with Pennsylvania and most of New York's electoral votes.

How did the changing American political culture benefit Jackson's candidacy?

Jackson's supporters built a strong campaign organization that was able to effectively reach the larger number of citizens eligible to vote. Jackson also was the first candidate to emphasize his humble, common status, which has become ingrained in American politics today.

Jackson's inauguration came to symbolize the new democratic nature of American politics. With the White House opened to the public for this event, thousands of citizens descended upon Washington, D.C. Crowds of common people pushed into the President's house, where they smashed furniture, broke china, and ruined carpets and draperies. Jackson himself had to escape the press of humanity by exiting through a side door. The champion of the common man had to escape to avoid being crushed by his rabid supporters.