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.