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31st out of 39 books
—
8 voters
The Birth of Modern Politics: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and the Election of 1828
The 1828 presidential election, which pitted Major General Andrew Jackson against incumbent John Quincy Adams, has long been hailed as a watershed moment in American political history. It was the contest in which an unlettered, hot-tempered southwestern frontiersman, trumpeted by his supporters as a genuine man of the people, soundly defeated a New England "aristocrat" who...more
Hardcover, 252 pages
Published
May 1st 2009
by Oxford University Press, USA
(first published January 1st 2009)
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The 1828 presidential election, which pitted Major General Andrew Jackson against incumbent John Quincy Adams, has long been hailed as a watershed moment in American political history. It was the contest in which an unlettered, hot-tempered southwestern frontiersman, trumpeted by his supporters as a genuine man of the people, soundly defeated a New England "aristocrat" whose education and political r sum were as impressive as any ever seen in American public life. It was, many historians have ar...more
This book was a compelling enough read because the history of our current political system is fairly interesting and relevant. Many historians point to this election in 1928 between incumbent, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson as the first to employ the modern political machine we know of today--from organized political parties/factions to the use to polls, campaign propaganda and a mobilized group of activists to get the voters to the polls. The author did his research and has an impressive...more
I do not think the book entirely lives up to its title, but that is fine because the writing is so clear overall. It provides a good description of the development of political life in the 1820s (and even before) and includes large sections that offer select biographical details of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. Synthesizing other work it does not overtly take a side though I agree with Daniel Walker Howe's blurb that notes Parsons "respects Adams, but Jackson engages his sympathies." As...more
The Birth of Modern Politics tracks the careers of Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams culminating in the election of 1828 where modern political practices were seen and a clear break from the election of 1800 was made. Factions as the founders believed parties to be were began in the election of 1800 and filtered on and off throughout the early part of the republic with Republicans of Jefferson on one side and Federalists of Andrew Hamilton on the other. In this election the modern practices o...more
This book provided and interesting look at the birth of American Politics. The authors did a nice job of setting the framework and perspectives of both Adams and Jackson. There is little new here about each candidate, but how they navigated their time and place is interesting. I personally have a hard time rooting for either candidate, Adam a cold fish and Jackson an impulsive hothead. This caused me to struggle with a rating. However, my dislike for the candidates (Jackson in particular)ultimat...more
This is one of Oxford University Press’s wonderful “Pivotal Moments in American History” series and its editors (Pulitzer Prize winners David Hackett Fischer and James M. McPherson) chose well in picking Professor Parsons for this book. It’s a lively, deeply-informed and fast paced look at a presidential election that changed America and American politics.
This book deals with more than just the election of 1828. To properly tell the story, Parson includes the elections of 1824 and 1832. Parson does deliver a book which is both engaging and informative. If you seek to understand the birth of modern politics in the United States, this book is a must read.
This was a really good book. It was interesting to see into the minds of Jackson and Adams, but also to get a view of one of the more important but lesser known political dynamos of the the 19th century, Martin Van Buren, who in many ways helped shape the country we live in.
It was very interesting to me how much the lives of Andrew Jackson and John Q. Adams actually paralleled each other. I find both of them fascinating, as well as this time period in general. Quick read.
Great book for anyone integrated in political history and/or Andrew Jackson. It is uncanny how many parallels there are between the campaigns of the mid 1800's and today,
Well written, interesting and entertaining. How the election of 1828 cast the dye for today's election politics.
A well-researched, interesting book on how presidential campaigning arrived. Very entertaining in parts (Andrew Jackson was mostly just crazy, John Quincy Adams was mostly a cardboard cutout), but the strange part is that much of it sounds like it could have been written about today's campaigning ... which is pretty sad.
The birth of modern politics is a very informative, and entertaining book. A good history book will convincingly put you into the time and place. This book succeeds amicably on that score. I could feel what it must have been like to have witnessed the political debate and machinations of this presidential election pitting John Quincy Adams against Andrew Jackson. As one can infer from the title, many of the issues and techniques bear startling resemblance to those of today.
Examination of the process by which, though changing demographics and an open frontier, reduced voting qualifications, mass media and national infrastructure,, the election of 1828 saw in the beginnings of national partisan politics and nastiness. Includes the Andrew Jackson campaign poster "Protector of Beauty & Booty" and the anti-Adams claim linking his purchase of a billiard table to pimping out his household servants to the Czar.
Sep 26, 2012
Gregr209
added it
Interesting book. Proves politics really hasn't changed after all these years.
A detailed, informative account of the root of partisan politics. I'm a political junkie, so I appreciated the details provided regarding the tit-for-tat exchanges between the candidates supporters. That being said, at times I felt like the myriad details was just piling on to the already made point...
Overall, I liked it.
Overall, I liked it.
Fascinating stuff...once again I find myself musing that perhaps we should've just let the South go.
May 01, 2013
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Apr 22, 2012 09:34am