Like today, political discourse and discussion was prevalent in 19th century society. Despite being unable to vote, children voiced their opinions on candidates running for president. An example of this is The American Politician written by Charles W. March in 1830. March wrote about the two candidates running for the 1832 presidential election, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay.
The American Politician
Charles Wainwright March lived in Greenland, N.H. with his parents and five siblings. He likely attended Brackett Academy for his studies. He took a deep interest in both national and international politics from an early age. He studied law at Harvard University and practiced in his hometown of Portsmouth, N.H. He also served for a time in the New Hampshire legislature. He moved to New York to work as an editorial writer for several newspapers under the penname "Pequot." March also became a recognized author, most notably for "Daniel Webster and His Contemporaries" in 1850 and "Sketches in Madeira, Portugal, and Spain" in 1856. In the latter part of his life, he became involved international politics and served as the U.S. viceconsul to Egypt. It is easy to see how the interests he wrote about in the newspaper of his teenage years later became accomplishments in his career.
Greenland, N.H. used to be part of the city of Portsmouth until it was incorporated as a separate town in 1721. In the 17th, 18th, and early 19th century, its economy focused on fishing, farming, lumber, and trading. This slowly decreased with the development of tidal mills and waterpower in the 18th and early 19th century. However, reliance on tidal waterways declined by the 1840s with the introduction of railroads in the state.
In his newspaper, March wrote about local news and statistics, international news, for sale, lost, and death notices, and anecdotes. He also specifically wrote about national politics, especially the presidential race between Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay for the election of 1832. He described how several of the western states were disillusioned with Jackson's administration and had elected governors who were sympathetic to his opponent Henry Clay. He also writes about the news that John C. Calhoun would possibly run for president instead of Jackson seeking reelection. March welcomes this news, writing that "truly there is need of a new candidate, since the Old General's popularity is declining so fast." Throughout his paper, March clearly states his political opinion and makes no attempt to remain unbiased.
Pine Tree State
Samuel B. Neal was born in 1842 in New Hampshire, but his family had moved to Kittery, Maine by 1850. He received his education there and was registered as eligible to serve on the Union at the start of the Civil War. However, it is unclear if he ended up fighting in the war. He graduated from Phillips Exeter and Harvard College. Neal never lost his interest in law and politics, becoming involved in the local politics in Kittery and serving as judge at the Kittery Police Court until his retirement.
Kittery was settled in 1623 and incorporated in 1647, making it the oldest town in Maine. The town was used early on as a strategic military position since the early 1700s, with multiple fortifications, including Fort William, initially built against British invasion, and later used in conflicts with the local Armouchiquois tribes. Since the mid-1600s, fishing and shipbuilding dominated Kittery's industry and economy. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was built in 1800 and continues in service today. However, tourism rose as a powerful economic force in the town in the late-19th century. Several large hotels were built along Kittery's coast, including one at Appledore Island in the Isles of Shoals. These were built mainly to cater to seasonal visitors from Boston, who could easily make the trip by railroad built along the coast.
Neal writes various articles in his newspaper supporting and advocating for John C. Fremont's presidential campaign in 1856. He also includes an original poem about the state of Maine and Fremont's campaign and jokes about Fremont's rival James Buchanan. One of the jokes reads "The Buchanists looked horrid sheepish before the election and after the election they looked as though they had been lambed." Neal lists the number of votes each candidate obtained in the state of Maine and the lead they had on each other. He also alludes to a local group called the "Fremont Guards," which he was likely a member.
Suggested Classroom Questions and Activities
- How were children able to participate in the political process during the 19th century?
- Do you think that children nowadays have ways of participating in the political process?
- How important are election politics and voting to you?
- Ask your students to research a presidential election in the 19th century and report about it as if they were writing a newspaper article. Ask them to reflect on how difficult or easy it was to find sources and to judge the credibility and bias of those sources.
To add on, ask your students to share their opinion on the election that they researched.
(MA 8.T4 5. Describe how a democracy provides opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process through elections, political parties, and interest groups. 7. Apply knowledge of the meaning of leadership and the qualities of good leaders to evaluate political leaders at the community, the state and national levels)
- Ask your students to brainstorm as a group what sources would someone writing about election politics in the 19th century would use.
- Additionally, ask your students to compare election facts and candidates in the 19th century to ones in the 21st century.
To expand, ask your students to research what issues appealed to voters in the 19th century and compare them to what appeals to voters today.
(MA 8.T4 6. Evaluate information related to elections (e.g., policy positions and debates among candidates, campaign financing, campaign advertising, influence of news media and social media, and data relating to voter turnout in elections))