•Battle of New Orleans–War of 1812
•The Native Americans–Success against the Seminoles in GA & FL
Memorable Events
“Common Man”
• Born into a poor family• Not well educated• Became wealthy later in life – but
had “common” roots• Regular people identified with him
Rachel Jackson• His beloved wife• Scandal!
– She was married before
– Married Jackson while still legally married to her 1st husband
– Her divorce was never finalized
The Candidates
John Quincy John Quincy AdamsAdams[MA][MA]
Henry ClayHenry Clay[KY][KY] William H. William H.
CrawfordCrawford[GA][GA]
Andrew Andrew JacksonJackson
[TN][TN]
All are from the SAME political party:Democratic-Republicans
The Decision•No one had a majority of the
Electoral College votes needed to win
•Election sent to the House of Reps•Only the top 3 were eligible for
contingent election•Henry Clay out, but he is the
Speaker of the House–He HATES Jackson–Economic beliefs are similar to J.Q. Adams
Corrupt Bargain• Clay throws his support behind Adams• Adams wins the election
– Even though Jackson beat him in the EC & popular election
• As president, Adams appoints Henry Clay as Secretary of State– Position seen as the
training ground for the next President
• Jackson supporters claim that Clay & Adams had made a bargain
• Seen as being “Corrupt”• Era of Good Feelings is OVER
Split of the Democratic-Republicans
• Democratic Republicans split into 2 factions:– National Republicans (Adams)– Jacksonian Democrats (Jackson)
• Same ideology so they ARE NOT 2 DIFFERENT PARTIES
The Beginning of the End• Spoils System: appointing
supporters to government offices
• Adams refused to do this– Appointed those that were
qualified
• Lost the support of National Republicans
• Accomplished little while in office
Tariff of Abominations (1828)
(aka Tariff of 1828)• Tariffs raised in 1824 to 37%– South angry
• 1828 – Jackson supporters intentionally created a high tariff to reduce Adam’s support base – Did not intend for it to pass– It passes– Raises the rate to 45%
• South hurt as consumers & exporters by tariffs
John C. Calhoun's Reaction• He is the Vice President
– Also a Jackson supporter– Also the man who proposed the
tariff– Angry that it passed
• Writes "The Southern Carolina Exposition” anonymously
• Calls for the South to revisit the idea of nullification
• Called for SC to secede if the tariff was not repealed
• No other states supported & the issue died
The Candidates
John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams[National [National
Republicans]Republicans]Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson
[Jacksonian [Jacksonian Democrat]Democrat]
Dirty election tactics• Jackson started campaigning in 1825
• Jackson labeled Adams as “corrupt”• Adams attacked:
– Jackson & his wife– his campaigns against the Indians– Killing of deserters in the Army
The Results• Highest % of voter turnout to date
• Jackson wins
Jackson as President• He called his election “Revolution of 1828”• Two term president• Jackson believes in the supremacy of the
Federal government over the states• Uses the Power of Veto 12 times
– Had only been used 10 times before him• Believed the Executive Branch should be
the strongest branch• 1st and only president to pay off the debt• Wife died before he took office
– Blamed J.Q. Adams
Age of the Common Man• Intense distrust of Eastern
“establishment” & monopolies– Reforms made to American society
• During Jackson’s tenure in office, suffrage will be extended to most white males
Voter Turnout: 1820 - 1860Voter Turnout: 1820 - 1860
Rise of the National Convention
• Candidates are nominated based on the results of primary elections
• Replaces “King Caucus”– Small elite group chose who would be
nominated
Spoils System• “Rotation in Office” – wanted to replace the
people that had held government offices for long periods of time
• Used the spoils system to replace those he dismissed– Made government more ineffective
• Cabinet positions not given to the best advisors, but party supporters
• Kitchen Cabinet: 13 Jackson’s advisors not officially being part of the Cabinet
• Angered Congress– Were not accountable to them
The Peggy Eaton Affair (1831)
• Secretary of War Eaton married Peggy O’Neal
• Scandalous background• Other cabinet member’s
wives refused to socialize with her
• Jackson infuriated (b/c of Rachel)
• Re-organization of his entire cabinet
• Calhoun (VP) resigned over this incident
Tariff of 1832• Jackson did not repeal the Tariff of
Abominations• 1832 a new tariff is passed• Reduced the tariff to the levels of
1824• Is everyone happy?
–NO –THE SOUTH IS STILL INFURIATED
Nullification Crisis• Nov 1832 – convention held in SC• Decided that the U.S. tariffs were null
and void in SC• Force Act (1833):
– Jackson authorized by Congress to use force (military) to make SC collect the tariff
• SC threatens to secede from the Union
• War loomed
Compromise Tariff of 1833
• Written by Henry Clay• Would lead to a gradual reduction of
the tariff back to 1816 levels• Crisis averted!• Lesson Learned?
– South can get what they want, if they threaten to secede
The Trail of Tears• Jackson committed to Western
expansion– Native Americans in the way
• “Five Civilized Tribes” tried to embrace “White” culture
• 1830: Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act to force Natives off the land
• Worcester v. Georgia (1832): Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Native Americans
The Trail of Tears• “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him
enforce it”
• For the next decade, the tribes were forced to relocate to Oklahoma
Jackson’s view of the BUS• HATED it
• View shared by the “common man”– Remember the Panic of 1819
• Believed too few controlled too much economically
Re-chartering the BUS (1831)
• Charter set to expire in 1836
• Henry Clay wanted to re-charter the bank early– 1832 Election
• Jackson vetoes the re-charter of the BUS– Believed they created a
monopoly– Violated McCulloch v.
Maryland
War with Nicholas Biddle• Head of the BUS• Loans money to anti-Jacksonites in 1832
election• To retaliate – Jackson moves money out
of the BUS to state banks in 1833• “Pet Banks”: state banks Jackson transferred
money to• Were chosen based on political alliances
with Jackson• Pet Banks began printing their own money &
the money system became un-reliable
Specie Circular• Wildcat banks established in western states also led
to instability
• Land speculation in the West led to unsteady loans
• In reaction, Jackson issued an Executive Order called “Specie Circular”– Called for all land to be purchased in “hard” money
Results of the Specie Results of the Specie CircularCircular
Results of the Specie Results of the Specie CircularCircular$ Banknotes lose their Banknotes lose their
valuevalue
$ Land sales plummetedLand sales plummeted
$ Credit not availableCredit not available
$ Businesses began to failBusinesses began to fail
$ Unemployment roseUnemployment rose
The Panic of 1837!The Panic of 1837!
King Andrew and the Democrats
• Opponents of Jackson denounce him as a dictator
• Start referring to him as “King Andrew”
• After the election of 1832, official break in the party
• Two political parties established
• Jackson’s supporters will form the Democrats
The WhigsThe Party of Misfits
Henry Clay Daniel Webster
John C. Calhoun
Whigs • Supported by northern industrialists and merchants (wealthiest
Americans) • Supported Clay’s "American System" • Sought to reduce the spoils system • Southern states’ rights advocates angry at Jackson’s stand on
nullification • Evangelicals from Anti-Masonic party joined • Later supported moral reforms: prohibition of alcohol and abolition of
slavery • Sought to use national gov’t to solve societies problems (over states’
rights issues)
Democrats • Supported by the common people and machine politicians in the East • States’ Rights – opposed to "American System" • Favored spoils system • Anti-monopoly—favored increased competition • Believed federal gov’t should not be involved in people’s personal
lives
Election of 1836• 1st Election of the Whig Party• Decide to run 4 candidates to try to
force the election to the HOR• Democrats will run Martin Van Buren• Jackson chose him to succeed himself• Seen as Jackson vicariously still
runningthe nation
The Results• Whig plan fails
• Van Buren wins
Van Buren as President
• Inherits Jackson’s problems & enemies– Panic of 1837
• Treasury Bill of 1840 (a.k.a. “Divorce Bill”)– Established an Independent Treasury – Isolated government funds from Banks– Good system, but made banks & people
angry
• Will not be re-elected in 1840