THE AGE OF JACKSON, REFORM AND INDUSTRIAL GROWTH

1824-1860

1825-1840

The Rise of Mass Democracy

Possible Quick Writes Andrew Jackson and his supporters have been

criticized for upholding the principles of majority rule and federal supremacy inconsistently and unfairly. Assess the validity of this criticism in the cases of two of the following: recharter of the bank, the nullification controversy and the removal of Native Americans

In what ways did the religion of the Second Great Awakening and economic changes influence the reform movements of the period 1820-1860?

How did industrialization change the roles of labor and women in the first half of the 19th century?

I. The Corrupt Bargain Early 1820’s sectional differences

emerge after the Panic of 1819 and the Missouri Compromise

Emergence of two party political systemA. New types of political parties

emerged, became acceptedB. Emergence of new type of voter:

fewer property qualifications means more people eligible to vote (less restriction)

C. New styles of campaigns, banners, badges, politicking

1828 new party, Democrats 1830’s Whig Party emerges Two party system part of checks and

balances of political power More people began to vote (78%

in1840)

I. The Corrupt Bargain 1824- Last of the old style elections Adams (MA), Clay (KY), Wm. Crawford (GA),

Jackson (TN) all running for president Jackson strongest personal appeal, support

from the West Won a majority of the vote, did not win in

electoral college Clay (also Speaker of the House), threw

support behind Adams Clay hated Jackson (from 1818 Florida

foray) Did not like Adams either, but both were

nationalists

I. The Corrupt Bargain 1825 vote in House gave

election to Adams, Clay becomes Sec. of State (seen as stepping stone to presidency)

Supporters of Jackson called it a corrupt bargain

No positive evidence of “corrupt bargain”, Clay becomes Sec. of State

Changed political system, no more elections behind closed doors

II. Yankee Misfit in the White House

Adams could be an irritable loner

Great Sec. of State, poor president

Not good at politics Did not have popular support Kept people in office, didn't

do political favors for supporters

Nationalistic views and ideas in contrast with national mood turning towards sectionalism and state’s rights

Land policies and Indian policies turned off Westerners

III. Going “Whole Hog” for Jackson in 1828

By 1828 Democrat-Republicans split into two groups

National Republicans supported Adams

Republicans supported Jackson Jackson seem as champion

of common man Mudslinging, accusations in

election of 1828 Vote split along sectional lines West and South supported

Jackson New England supported

Adams Vote split in rest of country

but Jackson won the electoral vote

Shift of political power from eastern seaboard to emerging western states

IV. Old Hickory as President Jackson from humble beginnings Force of personality and power of leadership led to rise to national

prominence First president from the west, frontier aristocrat, slave owner Election seen as rise of “peoples champion” Wild inauguration, supporters flooded Washington, and wrecked

White House Conservatives saw this as the rise of the dreaded democratic mob

V. The Spoils System Washington was due for an

overturn in the established powers, many had been around since the early 1800’s

Under Jackson spoils system used on a large scale (rewarding supporters with political jobs)

Promise of “spoils” led to party loyalty instead of economic, class and geographic loyalties

Rewarding cronies led to scandal, but it was an important element to the development of the two party system

VI. The Tricky “Tariff of Abominations”

Tariffs had protected American Industry against European competition

Invited retaliatory tariffs against American goods Tariff raised in 1824, 1828 Southerners thought tariffs discriminated against

them Tariff of 1828 called “Tariff of Abominations”,

“Black Tariffs” Southerners sold goods on world market,

unprotected by tariffs, forced to buy manufactured goods in a market protected by tariffs

Northeast was having a boom in manufacturing, how was the South doing?

Tariff was an easy scapegoat

VI. The Tricky “Tariff of Abominations”

Meanwhile in the South….. Feelings were heightened by the fear

that the federal government would interfere with slavery

Missouri Compromise, Denmark Vesey slave rebellion (1822), mounting pressure in support of abolition (in US and abroad)

Tariff seen as issue to the South as a way to take a stand for states’ rights

South Carolina took the lead 1828 The South Carolina Exposition

secretly written by John Calhoun (vice president)

Wrote that tariff was unjust and unconstitutional, proposed that states should nullify tariff within their own borders

VI. “Nullies” in South Carolina In SC Tariff of 1832 tipped balance to support

nullification Delegates declared tariff null and void in state Threatened to take state out of the Union No other Southern states actively supported

SC actions Jackson would not permit defiance, dispatched

military reinforcements to state to enforce, collect tariff

Jackson endorsed tariff Henry Clay stepped in to broker a compromise

VI. “Nullies” in South Carolina Compromise- Tariff Bill of 1833-

would reduce tariff 10% over 8 years

Debate broke down over sectional lines

South favored compromise, Jackson would not have to use the military

Force Bill also passed at the same time, authorized president to use military to collect tariff

SC delegates met again repealed ordinance of nullification, but they nullified force bill

Only winner was Clay, seen as hero that saved the country

VII. The Trail of Tears Jacksonians committed to Western Expansion, viewed Native

Americans as in the way Since 1790’s American policy toward Indians, they were

recognized as separate nations US acquired land through treaties, terms violated regularly as

Anglo settlement pushed west Some tribes assimilated into American culture, some resisted it Cherokee of GA, NC assimilated into American ways (part of 5

Civilized Tribes- Creek, Choctaw, Seminole, Chickasaw) Cherokee embraced civilization- written constitution, written

legal code, alphabet Some were even slave holders 1830- Congress passes Indian Removal Act, appropriated

money to remove Indians to permanent reservation west of the Mississippi (act supported by Jackson, Southerners and Westerners)

Jackson, like many Westerners thought Indians needed to be removed east of the Mississippi, open land to white settlement

VII. The Trail of Tears 1828- Georgia Legislature declared

Cherokee tribal council illegal, asserted jurisdiction over their lands

Cherokees appealed to Supreme Court (two separate cases)

Court upheld rights of Indians Jackson disagreed with the Supreme

Court, ordered removal of Indians (“Marshall made his decision, now let him enforce it”)

Uprooted more than 100,000 Indians, westward movement known as the Trail of Tears

1836 Bureau of Indian Affairs established to administer relations with Native Americans

Settlers pushed west the permanent frontier for Indians gradually shrank and many guarantees went up in smoke

VII. The Trail of Tears Sauk and Fox Indians in

Wisconsin and Illinois resisted eviction

Led by Black Hawk the rebellion was crushed by American troops in 1832 (Black Hawk War)

Seminoles waged a bitter guerilla war for seven years in the swampy Everglades (1835-1842)

Leader, Osceola was captured under a flag of truce, some fled deeper into the swamps, 80% were moved to Oklahoma

VIII. The Bank War Jackson distrusted big business and the Bank of the

US Why?Good

Banks minted gold and silver coins Paper money printed by private banks (value fluctuated

with health of bank and amount of money printed Bank of US source of credit, principle depository of

federal money, source of credit and stability Acted like another branch of government

Bad Bank not accountable to people, existed to make a

profit for investors, seen as against “American "way

VIII. The Bank War1832 Bank War begins Webster, Clay push for recharter

of Bank to make it a political issue in election of 1832 If passed and signed by Jackson it

would alienate his western followers, if vetoed he would loose support of wealthy, influential easterners

Jackson vetoed, declared bank unconstitutional, found it harmful to nation

Another instance of Jackson regarding executive branch superior to judicial branch

Jackson expands power of executive branch

IX. Old Hickory Wallops Clay in 1832

Clay and Jackson squared off in election of 1832

First time third party ran, Anti-Masonic Party Supporters in NY, Middle states, New

England Against secret societies, support from

evangelical Protestants (use political power to bring moral and religious change)

Jacksonians against government interference in social and economic life

First use of nominating conventions Clay had support from businessmen

and eastern newspapers Jackson wins election handily (219-49

in electoral college)

X. Burying Biddle’s Bank Charter for Bank of US expire 1836 ,

Jackson wants to take it out 1833 Jackson removes federal deposits,

bleed bank dry Had to reshuffle cabinet to find people to

support him Biddle calls in loans from Bank to show

importance, causes financial panic Jackson places funds in state banks (“pet

banks”), banks with pro Jackson sympathies Banks flood country with paper money,

currency becomes unreliable 1836- Specie Circular required public

lands to be purchased with hard currency (gold, silver currency)

Put brakes on land speculation, sales Causes financial panic and crash in 1837

XI. Depression, Doldrums and the Independent Treasury Panic 1837 caused by over-speculation

on lands, borrowed money based on shaky currency and wildcat banks

Causes Jackson’s policies on the Bank of the US Rising grain prices British Banks calling in loans Caused commodity prices to drop, land

sales to fall off, factories closed, high unemployment and bank closures

XII. Election of 1836 Martin Van Buren chosen as

Jackson’s successor Whigs don’t nominate single

candidate, many candidates for regional appeal

Wanted to put election in hands of House

Van Buren won election easily Van Buren inherited problems

over which he had no control Did not have the force of

personality that Jackson had to deal with problems

Depression, possible war with Canada

XIII. The Birth of the Whigs 1830’s new political party emerges-

Whigs Hatred of Jackson was what they rallied

around Whigs were led by Clay, Calhoun, Webster

Attracted groups alienated by Jackson- supporters of American System, southern states righter's, northern industrialists, absorbed evangelical protestants from Anti-Masonic Party

Progressive in support of active government programs and reforms, called for internal improvements

Supported prisons, asylums, public schools and the market economy

Claimed to be defenders of common man (stole from Democrats)

Van Buren’s Problems

Whigs tried to make government more active to end depression (expansion of credit, tariffs), Van Buren kept government out of economy

Van Buren tried to help economy through the “Divorce Bill”, keeping government out of banking by establishing an independent treasury, caused credit to shrink

Not popular 1840- Passed by Congress, repealed

next year, revived in 1846 and continued until the Civil War

XVI. Log Cabins and Hard Cider of 1840

1840 Van Buren runs again for president, Whigs get behind one candidate William Henry Harrison

Harrison, war hero and Indian fighter

Views on issues vaguely known Played as a “common man”, really

from old Virginia family Selected John Tyler as VP Plan was to drive corrupt

Jacksonians from White House Harrison won, time for Whig ideas

of government action to stimulate the economy

XV. Two Party System 1840’s American politics adopt populist, democratic style Old aristocracy seen as bad Politicians wanted to claim humble beginnings, politicians

had to adopt “common touch” Resulted in formation of vigorous and durable two party

system Both parties grew out of Jeffersonian Republicanism Democrats were for the liberty of the individual, state’s

rights, federal restraint Whigs supported national bank, protective tariffs, internal

improvements and moral reforms Both mass based, appeal led to compromise within the

parties, kept extreme views from becoming dominant, reduced sectionalism