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It is a time when people are awakened to the importance of politics and the era reflects a wider form of democracy than ever seen before. Photo Credit:

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The Rise of Jacksonian Democracy Photo Credit: Though Andrew Jackson himself served only two terms as President, he was a dominant political figure in the 1820s, 1830s and 1840s. This era is often characterized as the Age of Jackson Photo Credit: It is a time when people are awakened to the importance of politics and the era reflects a wider form of democracy than ever seen before. Photo Credit: The presidency of James Monroe (the 5 th President of the U. S.) was largely uneventful. Photo Credit:James_Monroe_02.jpgJames_Monroe_02.jpg The U.S. and Great Britain signed the Rush-Bagot agreement in 1818 which established a northern boundary to the Louisiana Purchase and limited naval power on the Great Lakes. During the Monroe Presidency, there were still respect issues regarding Great Britain and the War of 1812 to be ultimately settled. Florida was purchased from Spain for $5 million. (1819) The Panic of 1819 began (real estate values dropped, the cotton market collapsed, and bank loans were unavailable). The Tariff of 1824 offered protectionist measures for manufacturers. The Supreme Court ruled in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) that under the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution, it was constitutional for the national government to create a bank. The Court also ruled that states could not tax federal agencies. After months of fierce debate regarding rules about slavery when admitting new states to the Union, Congress agreed to the Missouri Compromise line. (1820) With the exception of Missouri, which was admitted as a slave state, all future states admitted to the U. S. north of the line were to be free, and all states admitted to the U. S. south of the line were to be slave states. Photo Credit:ise.jpgise.jpg Monroe enunciated a policy of neutrality towards Latin American countries seeking independence, though he does, in his second term, state an intention to acknowledge them. Monroe also began to formulate what would become later known as the Monroe Doctrine a sort of U. S. exclusivity to the western hemisphere. Monroes attempts to negotiate with the Seminoles and Cherokees of the South (who protested the white encroachment upon their land) failed. Though offers to purchase were made, in the end, the natives were forced from their land. Separate political parties all but disappeared during Monroes presidency. Most folks called themselves Republican in this Era of Good Feelings. (Political parties returned with a vengeance as the Jacksonian era progressed.) As more land became available for settlement, the common man owned land as never before. The requirement to own property in order to vote became moot. The common man exercised his newly acquire right to vote with vigor! Photo Credit: Jacksonian era politics are characterized by: strong political parties noisy, mudslinging elections high voter turnout new election procedures (i.e. national nominating conventions) The election of 1824 set the stage for the era. Andrew Jackson won the popular vote, but not a majority (over 50%) of the electoral vote. According to the Constitution, the House of Representatives selects the President when there is no clear electoral winner. Candidate John Quincy Adams met secretly with Speaker of the House (and candidate) Henry Clay. Subsequently, at Clays urging, the House selected Adams to be President. Adams then appointed Clay Secretary of State. Society saw a corrupt bargain. John Quincy AdamsHenry Clay Photo Credits:and Adams policies of keeping efficient office holders in their jobs, careful opening of western lands, and fair dealings with the Native Americans all hurt his image and his presidency. In keeping with the American System (which Adams liked), anti-Adams congressmen rigged a tariff bill to damage Adams presidency. The Tariff of 1828 placed very high tariffs on certain manufactured goods and raw materials (especially wool). The congressmen thought Adams supporters from the northern states would vote it down, thus giving Adams a political black eye. However, the northern states liked protectionist tariffs and voted for the bill. Southerners were heavy consumers of manufactured goods. High tariffs = high prices of goods = harmful to the Southern economy. Southerners also produced raw materials; foreign nations bought less Southern raw materials when Americans bought less of European goods due to tariffs. (balance of trade) Southerners began to call this tariff the Tariff of Abominations. John C. Calhoun of South Carolina anonymously proposed in his pamphlet The Exposition that the States should declare the tariff null and void within their borders. Photo Credit: The Election of 1828 Seldom has the public mind been so successfully poisoned against an honest and honorable president. John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson met again as opponents. The election was ugly, replete with mudslinging from all sides. Adams was accused of mishandling public funds, Jackson was accused of murder and adultery. Though Andrew Jackson emerged the victor, Rachel Jacksons reputation was destroyed. Rachel died less than 3 months before her husbands inauguration.President Jackson firmly believed the attacks on Rachels character killed her and referred to the attackers as murderers Andrew Jackson was a frontier aristocrat and a states rights man large landholdings many slaves no college education Jackson and his Vice-President, John C. Calhoun, seemed a perfect match. States rights advocates were optimistic. Instability in the Government Jackson favored rewarding loyal supporters with government jobs. Though Jackson, himself, did not do this extensively, his acceptance of this spoils system led to its widespread practice and a grave increase in government corruption. From Harper's Weekly, April 28, 1877, page 325. Dangers of the spoils system: no job security for federal employees unqualified and/or unscrupulous people get important jobs and mishandle (or steal) government assets growth of corrupt political machines and bosses Instability in the Cabinet When Peggy Eaton, the wife of Jacksons minister of war became enveloped in scandal, the wives of the other cabinet officials refused to accept her. Jackson eventually demanded that all except one (Martin Van Buren) of his cabinet members resign. (SeePhoto Credit: Photo credit:This scandal was called The Petticoat Wars or The Peggy Eaton Affair. Jackson did not have an affair with Peggy Eaton. Jackson turned to his informal Kitchen Cabinet for advice until a new official cabinet was formed. (See)http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/rcah/html/ah_050600_kitchencabin.htm Cartoon credit: Instability in the Congress The Tariff of 1828 divided the Senate along sectional lines. Senators Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Robert Hayne of South Carolina debated the issue. (The Webster-Hayne Debate) Senator Hayne asserted the states rights to nullify congressional legislation in order to safeguard minority interests. Senator Webster asserted that nullification was an insidious danger that would destroy the Union, and that only the Supreme Court should have the authority to judge the constitutionality of laws. Congress attempted to modify the abominable Tariff of 1828 by passing reduced tariff rates in The reduced rates fell short of southern expectations. South Carolina voted in special convention to nullify the tariff and threatened to secede from the Union if anyone attempted to collect the customs duties. Photo Credit: Though he was a states rights man, Andrew Jackson violently opposed nullification and secession, and prepared for war against South Carolina. In order to prevent war, Congress rapidly passed a compromise tariff which reduced tariff rates over an eight year period. Congress also passed the Force Act authorizing the President to use the Army and the Navy to collect federal tariff duties. South Carolina repealed her nullification ordinance, but voted to nullify the Force Bill. Civil War was staved, for the time being. The Petticoat Wars and South Carolinas position on nullification of legislation led to irreconcilable differences between Jackson and Vice President John C. Calhoun. Calhoun resigned. Conflicts Between Branches of Govt More than any President before him, Jackson liberally exercised his Presidential veto power, kindling the ire of Congress. Arguments regarding the recharter of the 2 nd Bank of the United States sponsored by Senator Henry Clay brought this conflict to the forefront. The Bank of the United States was a private corporation in which the federal government was a major stockholder. Arguments For the Bank of the U. S. Arguments Against the Bank of the U. S. reduced bank failures provided a stable national currency provided a safe depository for the national government promoted economic expansion by providing credit the Supreme Court had ruled in McCulloch v. Maryland that it was constitutional for the national government to create a bank too much competition for small banks catered to the wealthy corrupt lending practices (money lent to influence politicians & newspapers) conflicts of interest (senators chartering the bank were also stockholders and debtors) created a monster monopoly the 10 th Amendment requires banking to be left to the States Jackson hated Henry Clay and therefore hated the Bank of the U.S. Wearing his states rights hat, he vowed to veto the recharter and to kill the Bank. Congressional opponents of Jackson began to call him King Andrew I, because he refused to defer to Congress in policy making. Photo Credit:ImpeachJackson/WQ-ImpJackson-Student-Intro.htmhttp://www.historyteacher.net/AHAP/WebQuests/WQ- ImpeachJackson/WQ-ImpJackson-Student-Intro.htm After defeating Henry Clay in the Presidential election of 1832, Jackson remained true to his vow to kill the Bank of the United States by removing federal funds from the Bank and placing them in his favorite pet state banks. The Bank of the U. S. eventually collapsed, causing 1000s of bank failures over the next century. Native American Policy Over 125,000 Native Americans lived east of the Mississippi in the 1820s. Many were Christian cotton farmers of the 5 civilized tribes (Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole) who attempted to live peacefully with their white neighbors. White cotton farmers, eager for more land, pressured the federal government to acquire Indian land. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 gave the President the power to negotiate removal treaties with Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi. The natives could move west, or become citizens of the States in which they lived. The Choctaw negotiated a treaty. Many who stayed to become citizens were swindled by land hungry whites. The remaining Choctaws sold their land and moved west. The Seminoles were tricked into signing a treaty, and fought removal in a series of wars lasting until In the end, the federal government paid them to move West. See: The Creeks refused to move. They became poverty stricken as land speculators cheated them out of their land. The Creeks began stealing and committing more violent acts. They were move as a matter of military necessity. The Chickasaws signed a treaty in return for government protection until they moved. The federal government did not keep its promise. See: The Cherokee were tricked with an illegitimate treaty. In 1838 (under Van Burens presidency), the federal government sent 7,000 troops who forced the Cherokee into stockades at bayonet point. The Cherokee were not allowed to return to their homes or gather their belongings. See: Thus began the Trail of Tears, the forced march of the Cherokee to Oklahoma territory. 4,000 Cherokee people died of cold, hunger, and disease on their way to the western lands. See: Photo Credit: The Censure of Andrew Jackson Congress was determined to assert control over King Andrew and attempted to impeach him for assuming powers not conferred upon the Chief Executive by the Constitution. The House debated three articles of impeachment: 1. Jackson violated the separation of powers in his actions to destroy the Bank of the U.S. 2. Jackson violated states rights in his dealings with South Carolina during the nullification controversy. 3. Jackson violated laws, treaties and Supreme Court decisions in his dealings with the Native Americans. The vote for the articles of impeachment failed. The Senate voted instead to censure Jackson. Vice President Martin Van Buren ran successfully for President in 1836, with Jacksons sponsorship. Van Burens Presidency was marred by financial depression, Canadian rebellion and debate over the annexation of Texas. Photo Credit: Van Buren hoped to stabilize the economy by creating an independent treasury in which to place government funds. The Independent Treasury Bill (aka Divorce Bill) reversed Jacksons wish to place federal money in state banks. The Divorce Bill created a federal treasury in Washington DC and several subtreasuries in cities across the country. It removed access to federal funds from poorly managed state banks..