The Jacksonian Era 1824-1840 Chapter 12
Section 1 Jacksonian Democracy
The House Chooses the President
John Quincy Adams Son of Abigail and John Adams Harvard University Intelligent and high morals Seemed hard and cold Andrew Jackson Hero of New Orleans In the War of 1812 Old Hickory Man of the people William H. Crawford Farmer, school teacher, lawyer Secretary of War (Madison) Henry Clay Speaker of the House of Representatives
John Quincy Adams Democratic-Republican Massachusetts 30.9% 84 Andrew Jackson Democratic-Republican Tennessee 41.3% 99 Electoral Popular Election Vote of 1824 College Won plurality Winner but not majority William H. Crawford Democratic-Republican Georgia 11.2% 41 Henry Clay Democratic-Republican Kentucky 13.0% 37
Andrew Jackson received the most popular votes in the 1824 election but not a majority of the electoral votes. The election would be decided in the House of Representatives
John Quincy Adams William H. Crawford Andrew Jackson According to the 12 th Amendment the House had to decide between the top three candidates. Henry Clay was out of the running, but.. Henry Clay as Speaker of the House he was able to influence the results. Speaker of the House
There was cheating and corruption and bribery, too! Winner!! John Quincy Adams William H. Crawford Andrew Jackson Henry Clay Secretary of State I cannot believe that killing 2,500 Corrupt Englishmen at New Orleans Bargain qualifies for the various, difficult, and complicated duties of the Chief Magistracy. Clay hated Jackson. Clay urged members of the House to vote for Adams. House Vote Adams 13 Jackson 7 Crawford 4 Jackson was shocked because he was the winner of the plurality of both the popular and electoral votes. Once Adams was named President he appointed Clay as Secretary of State.
Adams as President
Adams took office in March 1825 but the election had angered many Americans and this seriously hampered President Adams s efforts to unify the nation. Until the 2000 election John Adams and John Quincy Adams were the only father and son to both serve as President. He made time nearly every day to skinny-dip in the Potomac River The only President to be elected to the House of Representatives after his Presidency. (Massachusetts) First President to be photographed, although it was taken after he was out of office.
Adams Goal: Adams thought that the federal government should promote economic growth. This would help farmers to transport goods to market Economic Plan called for the government to pay for new roads and canals promote the arts and the sciences by building a national university and observatory from which astronomers could study the stars
Most Americans objected to spending money on such programs. They feared that the federal government would become too powerful. Congress approved money for a national road and some canals but turned down most of Adams other programs.
Election of 1828
New political party Jackson is dangerous! The Democratic-Republicans He will split become between a those dictator who supported : like Napoleon! Jackson - Democratic Republican Adams - National Republicans John Quincy Adams National Republicans Adams is an aristocrat! Remember the corrupt bargain! Andrew Jackson Democratic-Republican
WINNER!
Growing Spirit of Equality Alexis de Tocqueville arrived in America in 1831 to study the American prison system. He observed a democratic society that inspired him to write the book Democracy in America. Tocqueville wrote that America was going through a revolution incomparably greater than anything which has taken place in the world before. Of all the countries in the world, America is that in which the spread of ideas and of human industry is most continual and most rapid... The American... Is less afraid than any other inhabitant of the globe to risk what he gained in the hope of a better future... There is not a country in the world where man.. Feels with more pride that he can fashion the universe to please himself Alexis de Tocqueville
Growing Spirit of Equality Suffrage: the right to vote Who could vote in the 1800s? white Men 21+ What had changed since the 1600s/1700s? you no longer had to own property no religious requirements Limits on Suffrage women Native Americans most African Americans Slaves had no political rights
First President to ride on a train. Chief Justice John Marshall Andrew Jackson was the only President to pay off the national debt during his presidency. During his life he suffered from: smallpox, depression, malaria, dysentery and dropsy
Making Government More Democratic Jackson s inauguration in 1829 reflected the growing spirit of democracy. First westerner to occupy the White House (Tennessee) man of the people born in a log cabin and his parents were poor farmers it was the first time ordinary people went to the capital to watch the President take the oath of office
born in a log cabin parents died before he was 15 and he basically raised himself fought in the American Revolution at age 13 lawyer refused to clean a British soldiers boots and the soldier slashed Jackson s hand and face with his sword. fought in the War of 1812 led American forces to victory in the Battle of New Orleans defeated the Creek Indians in Georgia and Alabama fought in 13 duels most for the honor of his wife Jackson Biography challenged Charles Dickinson to a duel in 1806 Dickinson shot first and the shot broke two of Jackson s ribs and lodged two inches from his heart. Jackson fired second and killed Dickinson. Jackson was shot in 1813 in the arm by Jesse Benton. The doctors suggested amputation but Jackson refused. The bullet was finally removed in 1831 (without anesthesia)
Andrew Jackson as President He wanted to expand the powers of the president made full use of veto power believed the President represented all the American people opponents called him King Andrew
Advocate for Indian removal Creek Indians called him Sharp Knife Andrew Jackson as President he defeated them in the battle of Horseshoe Bend in the War of 1812 As President he continued to negotiate the removal of the Indians to lands in the west He threatened to kill their leaders if they did not give up 20 million acres of lands that had been guaranteed to them by earlier treaties Treaty of Fort Jackson August 1814
The Spoils System Spoils system: the informal practice by which a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as rewards. Jackson did it on a much larger scale than previous Presidents. Critics accused him of rewarding Democrats rather than choosing qualified men Jackson argued that he was serving democracy by letting more citizens take part in government.
Kitchen Cabinet When Jackson rewarded his supporters with government jobs he did not necessarily pick them for their qualifications for the position. A term used by political opponents to describe the collection of unofficial advisors Jackson consulted with. He soon stopped meeting with his official Cabinet and met with a group of unofficial friends. Jackson s Kitchen Cabinet Francis P. Blair, Duff Green, Isaac Hill, Amos Kendall, William B. Lewis journalists or editors of newspapers Democratic leaders
The Tariff Debate
Congress passed the highest tariff in the history of the nation in 1828. John Quincy Adams signed it in May, 1828. This was one of the reasons he was not reelected. It put a 62% tax on 92% of imported goods. To protect industry in the North from European goods. North mostly factories/industry pro tariff South mostly agriculture against tariff Tariff of Abomination!!
Many people thought the tariff was States unconstitutional. are the final authority on the One of the biggest Constitution because opponents to the Tariff they created the was the Vice President national government! John C. Calhoun. Calhoun was from South Carolina. He claimed that a state had the right to nullify a federal law that it considered to be unconstitutional. Because Calhoun strongly disagreed with Jackson he resigned as Vice President in 1832. (He was the first Vice President to resign from office.) He was later elected as a Senator from South Carolina. John C. Calhoun
Nullification Crisis South Carolina passed the Nullification Act in 1832. Declared the tariff was illegal It threatened to secede from the Union if the Nullification Act was challenged This could lead to a civil war! President Andrew Jackson Reacts Publicly he supported a lower tariff Asked Congress to pass the Force Bill it allowed him to use the army, if necessary, to enforce the tariff. John C. Calhoun
Nullification Crisis After other states saw President Jackson s firm stand nobody decided to support South Carolina. Calhoun supported the compromise tariff that was offered and repealed the Nullification Act. The Nullification Crisis was over. However, the tension between the North and South was increasing.
Section 2 Conflict Over Land
Jackson and the Native Americans Native Americans in the Southeast Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Seminole Many hoped to live in peace with their The land should belong white neighbors to the white settlers. The land was fertile and ideal for growing cotton and the settlers wanted the land for themselves
Jackson supported a bill in Congress called the Indian Removal Act, 1830 Terms: It forced Native Americans to move west of the Mississippi. Whites thought the land west of the Mississippi was desert and therefore useless.
In Cherokee the event is called Nunna daul Isunyi which means The trail where we cried. Date: 1838 Who: Cherokee Indians What: The United States Army forced 15,000 Native Americans to march hundreds of miles over several months to reservations in the West. Outcome: 4,000 died (mostly women and children)
* The Seminoles were defeated. The government forced the Seminole leaders and most of their people to leave Florida. The Seminole War is also known as the Florida Wars. There were 3 wars in Florida between various groups of Native Americans. First Seminole War * 1817 1818 * Treaty of Moultrie Creek was signed in 1823. Seminoles moved to southern Florida. Second Seminole War * 1835 1842 * Indian Removal Act passed in 1830 said Native Americans had to move west of Mississippi but the Seminoles refused to leave * This is known as the Seminole War and was the most expensive Indian War fought by the United States and lasted longer than any war involving US. Third Seminole War * 1855 1858 Chief Osceola
Section 3 Jackson and the Bank
Second Bank of the United States Philadelphia, Pennsylvania founded in 1816 by President Monroe charter from 1816 1836
Andrew Jackson objected to the Bank of the United States 1. unconstitutional Only states could charter banks and the bank was too powerful 2. undemocratic run by private bankers 3. disliked the President, Nicolas Biddle Jackson thought he was arrogant and vain and he used the bank to benefit the rich 3 Jackson vetoed the bill to renew the Bank. The Bank would have to close in 1836. Jackson ordered the federal government to stop putting money in the Bank. The loss of federal money crippled the Bank and this led to an economic crisis
Two months after taking office, Van Buren faced the worst economic crisis the nation had known. Causes 1. Banks and the Speculators 2. Cotton prices fell because of surplus. The planters could not repay loans 3. Bank Failures lead to hardships
Banks and the Speculators Speculators borrowed $ from banks to buy land Banks loan paper currency even if not backed by gold Jackson said all land must be bought with gold Speculators went to banks to trade paper money for gold Banks did not have enough gold and had to close closed
Planters had borrowed money to buy land to plant more cotton. This created a surplus. Cotton Prices Fell The price of Farmers could cotton fell due not repay to the surplus. their loans As a result more banks closed closed
Bank Closures Cause Hardships Banks closed People with money in the banks lost their money Businesses and factories closed Factory workers lost jobs President Van Buren
New Political Parties National Republicans Democratic- Republicans Whigs wanted the federal government to spur the economy supporters eastern business people southern planters Former Federalists Democrats for the ordinary people supporters frontier farmers factory workers in the East
Election of 1836 Martin Van Buren Democrat William Henry Harrison Whig - West Hugh Lawson White Whig - South Daniel Webster Whig New England Willie Person Mangum Independent South Carolina The Democrat party chose Martin Van Buren. The Whig party was split and had 3 candidates. South Carolina ran its own candidate as an Independent
Winner! With the Whig party split Martin Van Buren easily won the election.
Martin Van Buren First President to be born a United States citizen (born after the Declaration of Independence) First President who did not experience the American Revolution firsthand He was born in Kinderhook, New York Only served one term (though he did run for reelection) He was said to have said that the two happiest moments of his life were the day he took office as President and the day he left office. Only President not to have spoken English as a first language (he grew up speaking Dutch) His autobiography does not mention his wife, Hannah, once.
Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!!!! Winner! William Henry Harrison I may not have won, William Henry Harrison but everything is still Political Party O.K. Van Buren is O.K. Whig with the Democratic Running Mate Party!!! John Martin Tyler Van Buren Home Political State: Party Ohio Democratic Presented Home state as a commoner (actually wealthy) New York Nickname Nickname Tippecanoe Old Kinderhook Martin Van Buren
On March 4, 1841 William Henry Harrison gave the longest inaugural address in history; it was 8578 words. The speech lasted almost 2 hours. Harrison gave the speech in the middle of a snow storm. He refused to wear a coat or gloves. Harrison caught pneumonia and died 32 days later. He served the shortest term of any President.
Vice President John Tyler became the President. Tyler failed to live up to Whig expectations Tyler was a former Democrat and he opposed some Whig plans for developing the economy. Tyler vetoed a bill to recharter the Bank of the United States. Most of Tyler s Cabinet resigned. The Whigs officially threw Tyler out of their party Because he was the first vice president to inherit the office of the presidency his detractors gave him the nickname His Accidency He fathered more children than any other president He had 15 children.