The Age of Jackson

Ch. 7 Section 4-5

Terms and People

• caucus - a meeting of party members for the purpose of choosing a candidate.

• Andrew Jackson – popular war hero elected president as a Democrat in 1828

• Martin Van Buren – Jackson’s campaign manager who ran the first modern election campaign in 1828

• Jacksonian Democracy – a movement toward greater popular democracy and recognition of the common people as symbolized by Andrew Jackson

• spoils system – practice of giving government jobs to loyal party supporters

• Indian Removal Act – 1830 Act forcing the relocation of the Five Civilized Tribes from the southeast to present day Oklahoma

• Trail of Tears – forced march to Oklahoma in the winter of 1838, during which 4,000 Cherokees died

Tariff of Abominations – name that opponents from the agricultural south gave to the high protective tariff of 1828 John C. Calhoun – vice president who resigned to lead South Carolina’s fight over nullification in the Senatenullification – concept that a state could void a federal law that it deemed unconstitutional•Whig – member of a political party formed in the

1830s, favored a strong federal government,

protective tariffs, a national bank,

and internal improvements

The Election of 1824

President Monroe would not seek a third term. 4 candidates sought the Presidency in 1824:

– Secretary of State John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts was the most experienced.

– A congressional caucus of Democratic Republicans favored Georgian William Crawford.

– War hero Andrew Jackson of Tennessee and Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky were seen as Adams’ greatest competition

WhenAdamsnamed Clay to be Secretary of State, Jackson angrily called it a “corrupt bargain” and started preparing early to defeat Adamsin 1828.

Jackson received the most popular votes, but no candidate won a majority in the electoral college.

In the House of Representatives, Adams was selected after Clay threw his support behind Adams.

Tension between Adams & Jackson

Adam’s Policies are Unpopular• J. Adams/T. Jefferson

die July 4th 1826.• Very proud/patriotic

man- never got over the fact he was a minority president.

• Continue to push the Republican agenda inherited from the Federalists (strong central gov’t)

• However, most voters wanted less power and less influence from the east.

• Adams promoted a national university, financial backing of scientific expeditions, reform patent system, and help sponsor the arts & literature.

• “ the spirit of improvement is abroad upon this earth”

• His opponents however, felt he was stretching the constitution too far.

• Jackson’s friends were determined to make Adam’s administration look bad.

• People began to believe he “stole” the election from Jackson.

The Democratic Party is Born

• The Presidential campaign of 1828 marked a fundamental change in the national attitude toward political parties.

• Since the collapse of the Federalist Party (1820) the Republican Party was the only political party.

• Between 1826 & 1828, Adams and Jackson both are Republican- Adams – National Republican and Jackson-Democratic Republican

After the election of 1828, Jackson’s Party is known as the

Democratic PartyMartin Van Buren (Little

Magician)• Political machine in NYC-

favors for votes• Revive Jefferson’s

philosophy of gov’t- States’ Rights and little federal spending.

• Unite the “planters of the South and the plain people of the North.”

Jackson Wins the White House

• With a new campaign style, still popular today.

• Most states eased voting qualification; few require property.

• Voter turnout was 3x than that of 1824.• Jackson claim he is of humble origins and

Adams is intellectual elitist.• Jackson wins the election by a landslide.

Born poor in a log cabin, Jackson was orphaned as a boy and wounded in the Revolutionary War.

As an adult, he ventured west, earned a fortune as a lawyer and planter, and fame as an Indian fighter, and he was the hero of the Battle of New Orleans.

His inauguration was attended by a rowdy crowd of common people.--- King Mob now ruled the nation

As the “People’s President,” Jackson symbolized America’s

“get ahead” and “self-made” image.

Jackson’s Appeal to the Common Citizen

• Jackson seemed to symbolize the virtues of the new America- a common man who climbed the ladder of success, read to destroy aristocratic privileges wherever he found them.

Jackson’s New Presidential Style

Jackson’s Spoils System• Jackson limits appointees to

federal jobs to 4-yr terms.• Uses spoils-system-replaces

former appointees with own friends.

• Friends become primary advisers, dubbed “kitchen cabinet.”

The Kitchen Cabinet

• It was characteristic that most of his cabinet positions went to undistinguished men.

• Van Buren (Sec. of State) was exception.• The core of his “Kitchen Cabinet” were

Western Newspaper editors• 13 of which slipped through the kitchen

door of the White House. (White House Advisors)

A Political Alliance• The 1820’s and 30’s

saw the arrival of many Catholic immigrants, especially from Ireland.

• The Republicans disliked the new arrivals.

• The Democrats welcomed them, this alliance would continue for years to come.

Jackson “Removes” Native Americans

Indian Removal Act of 1830• Whites want to displace or assimilate

Native Americans.• Jackson- only solution is to move Native

Americans off their land.- thinks assimilation can not work- too many troops needed to keep white out of native lands.

• Congress passes the Indian Removal Act of 1830- funds treaties that force Native Americans west.

• Jackson pressures some tribes to move, forcibly removes others.

The five civilized tribes were removed from their lands in the East and sent to “Indian Territory” in Oklahoma.

The Cherokee Fight Back• In 1832, Chief Justice Marshall ruled that the seizure of

native lands was unconstitutional.

-Worcester v. Geogia- state cannot rule Cherokee or invade their land

-Jackson defied the ruling. “Justice Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it.”

• Federal agents sign treaty with minority who support relocation

• By 1838, 20,000 remain- Van Buren orders removal of rest.

• In 1838, federal troops made 16,000 Cherokee move from the Southeast to Oklahoma.

• 800 mile trip by foot.• Robbed by Gov’t

officals and outlaws. • At least 4,000 people

died on the Trail of Tears.

States’ Rights & the National Bank

• Andrew Jackson confronts two important issues during his presidency.- States’ Rights-National Bank

States’ Rights

The Nullification Theory- British try to flood U.S. with cheap goods; raised tariffs in 1824 and 1828.-V.P. John Calhoun calls it a Tariff of Abominations.- South depends on cotton; cannot buy cheaper manufactured goods from Britain, but forced to by from North.

• In 1828, Congress passed a high protective tariff.

• The goal was to promote industry, but the tariff raised the prices farmers had to pay for goods.

• Southerners called it the Tariff of Abominations.

Tariffs were a continuing source of dispute between the industrial North (favored) and agricultural South (opposed).

Calhoun devises the Nullification Theory- Questions the legality of applying federal law to states.-States can reject law it considers unconstitutional* States have the right to leave Union if nullification is denied.

Resolution to the Nullification Crisis

Hayne & Webster Debate States’ Rights- Senator Robert Hayne argues Southern view of tariff and states’ rights.-Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts defends the Union.-Jackson believes Union “must be preserved” ; Calhoun resigns.

South Carolina Rebels

• In 1832, Congress passes a lower tariff, S.C. is still displeased.

• Encouraged by Calhoun, states’ rights supporters call special convention.

• Tariffs of 1828 &’32 “unauthorized by the Constitution” and “null, void, and no law.”

• Called for the end of customs collection, and if federal forces came to collect, S.C. would immediately secede from the Union.

Jackson Opposes the Bank

• Jackson vetoes bill to recharter Second Bank of the United States

• Presents bank as privileged institution that favors the wealthy.

Pet Banks- Jackson puts federal money in state banks loyal to Democratic Party.- BUS president Nicholas Biddle unsuccessfully maneuvers to save bank.

• felt the National Bank symbolized “money power.”

• believed the new business economy encouraged corruption.

• opposed policies they felt enriched business at the expense of farmers and workers.

• believed the National Bank was necessary to maintain a stable supply of currency.

Jacksonian Democrats

Business Leaders

In 1832, Congress voted to renew the Bank’s charter.

Jackson vetoed the charter renewal.

The Second National Bank divided Americans.

“ The Bank, Mr. Van Buren, is try to kill me, but I will kill it”

Presidential vetoes were rare. Bank supporters denounced Jackson as a power-hungry tyrant and

formed a new political party, the Whigs.

-The Whigs were led by Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Henry Clay of Kentucky.

-Whigs favored a strong federal government, broad interpretation of the Constitution, protective tariffs, internal improvements, and moral reform. American System

Whig Party Forms

-Andrew Jackson, while stressing democracy for the common man, was seen as a tyrant by those who crossed him.

-They referred to him mockingly as “King Andrew.”

Jackson’s LegacyMartin Van Buren win 1836

- Pet banks print bank notes in excess of gold & silver they have.- Gov’t demands specie (gold,silver) to pay for public land.-Rush to exchange paper money for specie, banks stop taking paper money. -With no federal banks, state banks flooded the market with currency, causing extreme inflation.-The government stopped accepting paper money for land purchases, leading to a sudden drop in land values.

Panic of 1837

Panic of 1837- bank closings, collapse of credit system:- people lose savings- more than 1/3 of population are out of work.

Van Buren tries unsuccessfully to solve economic problems. Hurts him and the Democratic Party

• The drop in land values led to bankruptcies. Many planters and farmers lost their land.

The resulting Panic of 1837 became the worst depression the nation had yet experienced.

• Inflation caused by the state banks hurt common people.

• A third of urban workers lost their jobs and wages dropped by 30%.

“Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” Harrison and Tyler

- Whig William Henry Harrison beats Van Buren in 1840 election.-Harrison enacts Whig program to revitalize economy.- Dies one month later; succeeded by VP John Tyler-Tyler opposes many parts of Whig economic plan.-Tyler vetoed legislation to restore the National Bank and to enact Clay’s American System.