Chapter 12 Lesson 1: The Jackson Era- Jacksonian Democracy

Favorite son

A candidate for national office who has support mostly from his or her home state

Mudslinging

A method in election campaigns that uses gossip and lies to make an opponent look bad

Bureaucracy

A part of government in which specialized tasks are carried out by appointed officials rather than by elected ones

How did Adams and Clay react to the claim that they had rigged the election?

Adams and Clay denied any wrongdoing. No one ever uncovered any evidence of a bargain. Still, the charge cast a shadow over Adams's presidency.

How did Adams's proposals upset his opponents? What did did Adam get?

Adams's proposals upset his opponents. They wanted a more limited role for the federal government. It would be wrong, they believed, for government to spend money on such projects. Congress finally approved funds for improving rivers, harbors, and roads, but this was far less than Adams wanted.

What qualities did Andrew Jackson have that most Americans admired?

Andrew Jackson had qualities most Americans admired. He was a patriot, a self-made man, and a war hero.

How did Henry Clay use the Constitution to his advantage?

As the House prepared to vote, Clay met with Adams. Clay agreed to use his influence as Speaker to defeat Jackson. With Clay's help, the House chose Adams for president. Adams quickly named Clay to be secretary of state. In the past this office had been the stepping-stone to the presidency.

What happened to the Democratic-Republican Party in 1828?

By 1828, the Democratic-Republican Party had split. Jackson's supporters called themselves Democrats. The National Republicans supported Adams.

What did Democrats want for the people?

Democrats wanted to further open government to the people. They argued that ordinary citizens could do most government jobs. They were disturbed that the federal government had become a bureaucracy, a system in which nonelected officials carry out laws.

What new campaign strategies were used in the Election of 1828?

During the campaign, both sides resorted to mudslinging, or attempts to ruin their opponent's reputation with insults. The candidates also used slogans, buttons, and rallies. Such practices became a regular part of American political life.

What was the only major political party in the United States from 1816-1824?

From 1816 to 1824, the United States had only one major political party. This was the Democratic-Republican Party. The party was far from united.

Majority

Greater than half of a total number of something

Who from the Democratic-Republican candidates competed for the presidency in 1824?

In 1824, four Democratic-Republican candidates competed for the presidency. Party leaders chose William H. Crawford, a former senator from Georgia, to be their candidate. Three other candidates were favorite sons. Their views reflected the interests of their regions.

What did Congress pass in 1828?

In 1828 Congress had passed a very high tariff law.

Describe the events at the 1930s Washington dinner party.

In 1830, at a Washington dinner marking Thomas Jefferson's birthday, Jackson had a chance to make his feelings on nullification known. He offered a toast. Looking directly at Calhoun, the president declared, "Our Union! It must be preserved!" Answering Jackson's challenge, the vice president rose with a toast of his own: "The Union, next to our liberty, most dear." To make sure his meaning was clear, Calhoun added, "It can only be preserved by respecting the rights of the states."

What did Congress pass in 1832? How did South Carolinans react?

In 1832 Congress passed a lower tariff. It was not enough to cool the protest. South Carolina passed the Nullification Act, declaring it would not pay "illegal" tariffs. The state threatened to secede from the Union if the federal government interfered.

What were Adams's plans for the nation? How did this prove that he was a man ahead of his time?

In his first message to Congress, Adams announced his plans. In addition to improving roads and waterways, he wanted to build a national university and support scientific research. This proves that he held many values that we have today, especially within the role of the government.

Who won the popular vote in the Election of 1824?

In the election, Jackson received a plurality of the popular vote. No candidate received a majority, or more than half, of the electoral votes.

For whom did the American people vote for?

In the election, Jackson received most of the votes cast in the frontier states. He also received many votes in the South, where his support for states' rights was popular. John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, who had been Adams's vice president, switched parties to run with Jackson. Calhoun also supported states' rights. Jackson won the election easily.

How did Andrew Jackson expand voting rights?

In the nation's early years, only men who owned property or paid taxes could vote. By the 1820s, many states had loosened these requirements. White male sharecroppers, factory workers, and others could now participate in the political process. By 1828, nearly all states let voters, rather than state legislatures, choose presidential electors. Women still could not vote. African Americans and Native Americans had few rights of any kind.

What is the Force Bill? What was its purpose?

Jackson believed in a strong Union. He asked Congress to pass the Force Bill. This act allowed him to use the military to enforce federal law. South Carolina accepted the new tariff but nullified the Force Bill.

How did Andrew Jackson's followers react to Clay's and Adams's agreement?

Jackson's followers accused the two men of making a "corrupt bargain" and stealing the election.

What else did Jackson's supporters abandon? What replaced it?

Jackson's supporters also abandoned the unpopular caucus system, in which top party leaders chose the party's candidates for office. Instead, parties began using nominating conventions, where delegates from the states choose the party's presidential candidate. This system allowed many more people to participate in the selection of candidates.

What were the Democratic and Republican stance on issues?

Most Democrats favored states' rights and distrusted strong central government. The National Republicans wanted a strong central government. They supported measures such as building roads and a national bank to facilitate economic growth.

What did Congress pass after the dinner and why did Jackson veto it?

Not long after Jackson and Calhoun faced off at the dinner, Congress passed the Maysville Road bill. The bill provided federal funds for the building of a road in Kentucky. Jackson vetoed the bill. Jackson argued that because the road would be entirely within Kentucky, it should be a state project. In other words, the federal government should support only projects that benefited the entire nation.

Spoils system

Practice of handing out government jobs to supporters; replacing government employees with the winning candidate's supporters

What did Jackson promise to Americans?

President Andrew Jackson promised "equal protection and equal benefits" for all Americans—at least, all white American men. Jackson's promise reflected the spirit of the times.

What happened after the Election of 1828?

Shortly after the election, Jackson's supporters officially formed the Democratic Party.

How did Jackson employ the spoils system?

Soon after taking office in 1829, Jackson fired many federal workers and replaced them with his supporters.

Why did Southerners dislike the tariff?

Southerners disliked the tariff. They had a profitable trade selling their cotton to Europe. They feared that taxing European goods might hurt this trade. In addition, tariffs meant higher prices for the goods they bought from their European trading partners.

What does the Constitution require when there is a plurality?

The Constitution requires that the House of Representatives select the president when no candidate has won a majority of the electoral vote.

How did Jackson's mass firing victims react to actions?

The fired employees protested. They charged that the president was acting like a tyrant.

How did tariffs help the northeastern factory owners? How did it affect the price of European goods?

The high tariff on European manufactured goods was pleasing to Northeastern factory owners. Tariffs made European goods more expensive. This encouraged Americans to buy American-made goods.

Plurality

The largest number of something, but less than a majority

Who came to Jackson's inauguration and reception?

Thousands of ordinary people came to Washington for his inauguration. Later, many attended a White House reception.

Describe Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams and the platforms on which they campaigned on.

Two favorite sons, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay, were from the West. Clay, of Kentucky, was Speaker of the House of Representatives. Jackson, of Tennessee, was a hero of the War of 1812. Raised in poverty, he claimed to speak for Americans who had been left out of politics. The third favorite son, John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, was the son of former president John Adams. He was popular with merchants of the Northeast.

What did the Vice President of 1828 claim? Why did President Jackson agree?

Vice President Calhoun claimed that a state had the right to nullify, or refuse to accept, a federal law if it was not in that state's best interests. President Jackson disagreed with this reasoning. He feared that nullification would destroy the Union.