The year is 1834. Andrew Jackson, a Tennessean, is in his second term as President. Twenty-four states have been admitted to the Union and the population is over 13 million.

This era in American history is known as the Jacksonian period. During this period, a movement grew to champion greater rights for the common man. Many states nationwide were working to adopt new constitutions in response to this movement.  

On May 19, 1834, the Tennessee General Assembly met in Nashville to update the constitution Tennessee adopted in 1796. State constitutions established the basis for the state's laws, and Tennessee delegates in 1834 wanted to address the weaknesses of the original state constitution.

Some weaknesses included a lack of preparation for a growing population and the need to expand voting rights to the common man, which was made popular by Jacksonian Democracy ideals. Keeping these factors in mind, the new Tennessee State Constitution was created to expand voting rights for non-property owners in Tennessee.

In this digital breakout, travel back to 1834 to discover more about the Constitutional Convention and the final product, the 1834 Tennessee State Constitution.