NATIONALISM AND SECTIONALISM IN POLITICS

Politics and Sectionalism/Nationalism

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING AND ESSENTIAL QUESTION

EU: Sectional priorities can shape the policies of a national government.EQ: In what ways were nationalism and sectionalism reflected in the politics and issues of the time period?Objective: Assess political events, issues and personalities that contributed to sectionalism and nationalism.

I. ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS POLITICS

A. ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS

During James Monroe’s presidencyReason 1: Little conflict between political parties

Reason 2: Booming national economy

B. MONROE DOCTRINE

1823: The U.S. told Europe it couldn’t colonize America anymore – specifically Latin America. This meant America would control the Western Hemisphere. Why did the U.S. want this?

Poor European reaction, but they eventually respected it.

C. McCulloch v. Maryland

• Most important court case while John Marshall was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

• Ruling: the federal government can do whatever it needs to do in order to fulfill its responsibilities. This means that the federal government can even do things that are not written down in the Constitution, and the states cannot interfere.• How does the federal government have power not explicitly

stated in the Constitution?

II. GROWING SECTIONALISMObjective 2.04

Remember: HENRY CLAY: one of the most popular and influential political leaders of the time. Clay was known as the “Great Compromiser” because he tried to settle the differences between the North and the South.

CLAY’S AMERICAN SYSTEM: an economic development program that included tariffs to help industry, a national bank to stabilize the economy, and transportation projects to build commerce and trade – Leads to Nationalism.

ELECTION OF 1824: No one received enough Electoral College Votes to be President. So, the House of Representatives had to vote to decide who would be the President.

But, even Henry Clay, who helped create nationalism, was a politician would make deals to get what he wanted.

People who support Clay (4th place) all vote for John Quincy Adams for president. When he beats Andrew Jackson, Adams chooses Clay as his Secretary of State.

All of Jackson’s supporters call it the “CORRUPT BARGAIN:” Jackson’s supporters believe that Clay and Adams had made some secret deal to trade Clay’s supporters for a powerful job in Adams’ presidency.In the next election, Jackson uses the “corrupt bargain” as an argument for why he should be elected president. He wins the Election of 1828, and a new era of American politics begins.

Candidates for President

Electoral Votes

Popular Votes

Andrew Jackson 99 153,544

John Q Adams 84 108,740

William Crawford 41 46,618

Henry Clay 37 47,136

HOW SECTIONALISM GREWSeries of steps:Election of 1824 – Corrupt Bargain – major turning point from nationalism to sectionalism

Andrew Jackson is elected and creates policies that cause sectionalism (remember, it means anything that divides people’s or parts of the country’s from different beliefs): Tariff of Abominations/Nullification Crisis Spoils system Pet Banks

Compromise of 1850 – not a real fix to one of the major causes of sectionalism (slavery) Think of as band-aid on one of the biggest wounds – it doesn’t heal the wound.

C. JACKSON’S POLICIES All of the previous American presidents had been rich members of an elite group. Jackson is different. Andrew Jackson was a military man, and had lived out on the western frontier.

Jackson wanted to clear out the government of all the people he thought were from that elite, rich class. He replaces many government officials with people from his political party, even if they are not qualified for the job.

SPOILS SYSTEM: the process of replacing government officials with political allies regardless of their qualifications.

D. STATES RIGHTS VS. FEDERAL RIGHTS TARIFF OF ABOMINATIONS: an extremely high tariff passed in 1828; Southerners claimed that it was damaging their economy.

SOUTH CAROLINA NULLIFICATION CRISIS: South Carolina’s claim that they have the right to nullify the law leads to Jackson threatening to use the military to force South Carolinians to pay the tariffs.

In the end, Jackson negotiates with Congress and the tariff is lowered.

Impact: Division between the federal government/North and the South is getting bigger.

E. NATIONAL BANK ISSUES Jackson thought that the national bank was dangerous. He blamed the national bank for the Panic of 1819.

PANIC OF 1819: an economic crisis; the Panic 0f 1819 is important because it is the first time that Americans ever experience the economic cycle in which the economy does really well and then takes a downturn.

REMEMBER: MCCULLOUGH VS. MARYLAND (1819): the Supreme Court had ruled that the federal government can do whatever it needs to do in order to fulfill the responsibilities that the national government has. This means that the federal government can even do things that are not written down in the Constitution.

E. NATIONAL BANK ISSUES Jackson doesn’t agree with McCullough vs. Maryland; he thinks the bank is unconstitutional.

Jackson takes all of the government’s money and deposits in into pet banks.

PET BANKS: selected private banks that get the government’s money.

This move is disastrous for the economy and it leads to another economic crisis.

F. COMPROMISE OF 1850 California applied to join the Union as a free state

Started debate over whether we should have slavery in new territory This territory was acquired from Mexico in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Northern for free states, Southern for slaves states

California is tricky – half is above the Missouri Compromise line, half is below it.

F. COMPROMISE OF 1850 Henry Clay created the Compromise of 1850.

Four parts – the North got:1) California as a free state2) Ended the slave trade in Washington, DC

The South got: 3) Fugitive Slave Act:

All police/law enforcement had a duty to arrest a runaway slave and would receive a bonus for doing so.

Those caught were not given a jury trial or right to testify in their own defense

Anyone suspected of helping the runaway slave would be fined and go to prison for 6 months

4) No more interference with the slave trade

NATIONALISM VS. SECTIONALISM

Nationalism Sectionalism-Era of Good Feelings: American pride during James Monroe’s presidency because of good economy and little political conflict.

Create a T chart like the one here for events. Choose whether each event created nationalism or sectionalism, and write a 1-2 sentence description of the event after it. You can use your notes and/or find the following events in your textbook (pg. 190-288):

Monroe Doctrine American System “Corrupt Bargain”/Election of 1824 McCulloch v. Maryland Nullification Crisis Spoils system New Art and Literature Pet Banks Technological Innovations Compromise of 1850

EXIT TICKET1) Of the following, which is an example of the spoils system put in place by Andrew Jackson?

a. A loyal supporter receives special consideration when it comes to legislation that the president intends to push through Congress.

b. A loyal supporter is given a position in government as a reward for his support.

c. A loyal supporter is promised money for his support.d. A loyal supporter is forgotten by the president after the election;

thus the term “spoils.”

EXIT TICKET2) What effects did Henry Clay hope his “American System” would have the on the U.S.?

a. He hoped it would serve to unite the national economically and make it more self-sufficient.b. He hoped it would serve to increase the North’s industry while devastating the South, thereby bringing about an end to slavery.c. He hoped it would lessen the role of the federal government and serve to make state governments stronger.d. He hoped that it would eliminate tariffs and boost the agriculturally based economy of the Deep South.

EXIT TICKET

3) Why did Andrew Jackson’s supporters call the Election of 1824 a “corrupt bargain”?