Thomas Jefferson University East Falls Campus The Missouri Compromise Discussion

Were the Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and Kansas-Nebraska Act effective or ineffective? Can legislative compromises and the Supreme Court help solve or settle moral issues? Support your opinions with examples and analysis. 

Important Note: You were first introduced to the Missouri Compromise in Unit 5, you will need to pull in prior information and apply it through comparison and analysis into your Unit 7 discussion forum. 

eText:

Spike, T., Mergel, S., Locks, C., & Roseman, P. (2013). History in the Making: A History of the People of the United States of America to 1877. Merlot. [online]

• Chapter 14: Westward Expansion   (Links to an external site.)
• Chapter 15: The Impending Crisis (1848-1861)  (Links to an external site.)

Primary Source Documents:

• Compromise of 1850 (Links to an external site.)
• Senator Henry Clay argues for the Compromise of 1850 (Links to an external site.)
• Senator Thomas Hart Benton Opposes the Compromise of 1850 (Links to an external site.)
• Kansas-Nebraska Act  (Links to an external site.)
• Senator Stephen A. Douglas argues for the Kansas-Nebraska Bill  (Links to an external site.)
• Senator Salmon P. Chase opposes the Kansas-Nebraska Bill (Links to an external site.)

Articles & Websites:

• Horwitz, T. (2011). Why John Brown Still Scares Us (Links to an external site.). American History, 46(5), 38. 
• Missouri Compromise (Links to an external site.) – Collection of primary source documents relating to the Missouri Compromise
• Compromise of 1850 (Links to an external site.) – Collection of primary source documents relating to the Compromise of 1850
• Kansas-Nebraska Act (Links to an external site.) – Collection of primary source documents relating to the Kansas-Nebraska Act
• Mexican-American War (Links to an external site.) – PBS webquest
• Transcontinental Railroad URL: http://www.history.com/topics/ inventions/transcontinental-railroad
• Please cite information in APA format please Important Note: You were first introduced to the Missouri Compromise in Unit 5, you will need to pull in prior information and apply it through comparison and analysis into your Unit 7 discussion forum.Jackson’s PresidencyPresident Andrew Jackson is not the ordinary president Americans want to hear about.From 1824 to 1840, his reign has been referred to as the “Age of Jacksonian Democracy” and the “Era of the Common Man”, describing how he ruled the United States. Despite being the first elected president based on voters and not appealing to the political elites, his era has been controversial. This paper argues that Jackson’s presidency was a mix of democracy and favoritism, confirming the existing controversy.Looking at the modern standards, one may argue this was not a democratic ruling. Nevertheless, during his tenure, Jackson ensured that the tenure or ruling by the political elites was ended through his equal political policy. Before getting into the presidency, America was ruled by and monopolized by few political elites, especially in government(Locks, Sarah, Pamela, & Tamara, 2013). It was all an undemocratic home for all the common men. However, President Jackson would soon change this idea as he fought to give the government back to the people,not the few political elites who monopolized government institutions. From the view of many and that of the common man, this was a democratic act by President Jackson.Before his tenure, the United States in the 19th century had judges who were all appointed. That, to many, does not seem like a democratic move. Nonetheless, President Jackson was one of those who did not believe in this. He rallied to ensure that all judges were elected and not appointed. To ensure that these new regulations became part of the people of the United States, President Jackson ensured that different parts of the United States’ constitution were rewritten to ensure these new values were adopted(Finkelman & Bruce, 2008).It cannot be attributed to President Jackson that most white American men gained suffrage during his era. However, he ensured this was a right enjoyed longer by these citizens.Conclusively, President Jackson’s era. Referred to as the “Age of Jacksonian democracy,” was partly democratic and partly undemocratic. In some areas, his rule involved aristocratic decisions, resulting in the public outcry that he was not the best leader. For example, his decision to ascend to the controversial Indian Removal Act of 1830 was not welcomed by all landowners on the West of Mississippi(Rothbard, 1960). Few tribes accepted to move peacefully, while others rejected such relocations. Critically analyzing such a decision, one can agree that such acts did not reflect democracy in the United States. Some people have decided to refer to such actions as close to those of a monarch. That is an argument refuted by this paper, though maintaining that his leadership style still remains very controversial in the history of a democratic United States of America.ReferencesFinkelman, P., & Lesh, B. A. (Eds.). (2008). Milestone Documents in American History: Exploring the Primary Sources that Shaped America (Vol. 1). Salem PressInc.Locks, C., Mergel, S., Roseman, P., & Spike, T. (2013). History in the Making: A History of the People of the United States of America to 1877. The University Press of North Georgia.Rothbard, M. N. (1960). The Panic of 1819: Contemporary Opinion and Policy. Journal of Finance, 15(3), 420-421.