Period 4: 1800-1848
President's Levee, or all Creation going to the White House / Robert Cruikshank fect.
This illustration by artist Robert Cruikshank depicts the first inauguration of President Andrew Jackson in 1829. In the image, a large crowd has gathered outside of the White House in wild, outlandish celebration. Jackson opened the White House to all after the reception, and Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story observed “the reign of the King Mob seemed triumphant”. This image aptly captures the Age of Jackson and the political sentiment surrounding period 4. Many favored change after the what they had deemed the “corrupt bargain” that was John Quincy Adams’s election. For the first time, many felt that the President was capable of championing their cause -- the cause of the common man. After becoming President, Jackson continued in the unconventional fashion captured by this picture. He instituted what is known as the “spoils system” where he gave political offices to his supporters. Giving political positions of great responsibility to those who are unqualified may be seen as undermining democracy, but Jackson and his supporters did not see it this way. Throughout the period, the United States experienced turbulent growth. Indian removal escalated, the British were defeated once again, and opportunity expanded further for the lower classes. This image shows the rise of grassroots that came with Jackson, as the Second Great Awakening also marked an important turning point. Overall, the growth of mass political movements and expansionism is accurately shown through this image signifying a new era.