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The Age of Jackson
Path to the Presidency
Jackson served in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812
Jackson was nicknamed “Old Hickory” by his soldiers at New Orleans
1824 election – Jackson won popular vote, but did not get majority of electoral vote
-House of Representatives would decide the race -Henry Clay gave his support to John Quincy
Adams -Adams won / and he named Clay his Sec. of State -called the “corrupt bargain”
New Political Party Forms
Jackson was not happyHe created a new political party (Democratic
Party)Adams became known as the National
RepublicansJ.Q. Adams was not popular with the peopleJackson, in contrast, was a “man of the people” -many states lifted voting (property)
restrictions in the 1820s so that more poor people could vote
1828 Election
Jackson easily defeats J.Q. AdamsHe was supported by ordinary American peopleLater, the use of political power by ordinary
people became known as “Jacksonian Democracy”
Once in office, Jackson replaced many officials with his supporters
-This type of reward became known as the “spoils system”
-But only 1 in 10 officials were replaced
Indian Removal Act
Indians occupied major sections of the southeast US
-5 tribes in southeast: Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek, Seminole
This was limiting American settlement / farming
Jackson concluded that the best solution was to relocate the Indians
Indian Removal Act (1830) – would move 5 tribes to modern day Oklahoma
Indian Relocation
US Army forced the Chocktaw, Creek, & Chickasaw to march west
¼ died en route (disease, malnutrition, exhaustion)
Seminole Indians resisted -They hid in the swamps of Florida -They used hit & run fighting techniques -They were never officially defeated -Seminole indian descendants still live in
Florida today.
Trail of Tears
Cherokee Indians fought in courtThey sued the US gov’t stating that they should
be respected as a foreign nationJohn Marshall refused to hear the case, saying
that Cherokee were neither citizens nor a foreign country
Cherokee Plan B – Sam Austin Worcester – white American and friend of the Cherokee
-Georgia orders Worcester to leave Cherokee lands
-Worcester refuses and goes to court for himself & the Cherokee Indians
Worcester v. Georgia
1832 – supreme court ruled against Georgia, denying them the right to take Cherokee lands
Jackson was furious: “John Marshall has made his decision—now let him enforce it.”
Getting around the Supreme Court ruling -U.S. gov’t officials signed treaties with some
Cherokee leaders who favored relocation-4,000 Cherokee died along the relocation march-called “Trail of Tears” due to Cherokee suffering – hunger, disease, bandits, exposure
Second Bank of the U.S.
Second Bank of US was born in 1816; given a 20 year charter
Purpose was to regulate the rapidly growing state banks.
Jackson believed that the constitution did not give Congress the authority to create the Bank
-State banks were more likely to give loans to poorer farmers in the South & West (Jackson supporters)
-National Bank was seen as supporting the interests of wealthy northern businesses
1832 Election
Jackson defeats Clay by a huge marginIn 1833, Jackson had his secretary of treasury
take the money out of the National Bank and place it in the state banks
-these banks called “pet banks” – loyal to Jackson
-reduced Bank of US to just another state bank
Tariff Controversy
Tariff created on British manufactured goods in 1816
-This import tax was raised in 1824 and 1828Northern industry favored the tariffBut Southern agricultural states disliked it -Tariff forced them to pay more for northern goods
than to buy cheaper (before tariff) British goodsJohn Calhoun – V.P. – against the tariff -proposed idea that states could nullify, or reject,
any law passed by Congress that violated the constitution or was not in best interest of the state
Hayne-Webster Debate
Famous senatorial debate in 1830Robert Hayne (SC) v. Daniel Webster (MA)Hayne: gov’t was a compact between the
statesWebster: U.S. was one nation, not just an
agreement between states -”Liberty and Union, now and forever, one
and inseperable!”
Nullification Crisis
1832- Congress passed yet another tariffSC declared law null & void, and threatened to
secede from the Union if US gov’t enforced the tariff
-This is called the “nullification crisis”Calhoun felt strong about the issue & resigned the
vice presidency to become a SC SenatorJackson got Congress to create the Force Bill,
allowing him to use military force to collect tariff in SC
-But SC declared this law “null & void” alsoHenry Clay creates a compromise- tariffs would be
gradually reduced over a period of 10 years.