Jackson and the Age of the Common Man/ Age of Democracy
What is the bank controversy?
-Election of 1832, Henry Clay tries to make Jackson look bad with the issue of the national bank -Jackson states his reasons why he is getting rid of the bank: 1.) Andrew Jackson hated the bank because he thought it only helped the wealthy 2.) British stockholders were in the bank 3.) bank is unconstitutional -Overall message: Don't mess with Jackson; causes a lot of economic problems; need a federal bank to oversee the smaller state banks
Who is Henry Clay?
-Ran in the Election of 1824 (against John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and William Crawford) -He writes the compromise tariff of 1833 -Maysville Veto: Clay wants the federal government to pay for roads
How did voting qualifications change under Jackson?
All white men were allowed to vote. You no longer had to own land to vote.
What is a "kitchen cabinet"?
An informal cabinet that Andrew Jackson created, it would consist of his closest friends. This informal cabinet would meet during the night in the white-house so that Jackson could get the common man's opinion.
What is the Election of 1828?
Andrew Jackson wins the Election of 1828 using his 'common man' approach. This changes the way candidates portray themselves to voters.
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson- Key points in Jacksonian Democracy are: 1) Belief in the common man. 2) Expanded Suffrage. 3) Patronage 4) Opposition to the privileged elites. He ran in the election of 1824 against John Quincy Adams. This was the first election to go to the House of Representatives. In the election of 1828, Jackson campaigned that he was uneducated and a common man. After 1828, nobody ever campaigned that they were better than the common people.
Why do some view Jackson as a "king"? Why do some view him as a promoter of democracy?
Because he expanded the powers of the president because he wanted to be a strong president. He often said he was just like the people; one of the common men. He represented the people as if he were a normal man in the nation. Some view him as a king because he ignored Supreme Court decisions. Some view as a promoter of democracy because he got the "common man" more involved in politics.
Why did Jackson not renew the bank charter? Why does he still win the election of 1832?
He vetoes the bank because he believed that it did not support the common man. He still wins the election because everyone loved this idea that he is trying to help the common man.
Who was John Quincy Adams?
He was involved in the election of 1824. He was a politician from Washington D.C., and during the election Henry Clay encourages the house to vote for Adams. When JQA wins, he forms his new cabinet, and makes Henry Clay his secretary of state.
Who was Nicholas Biddle?
He was the Bank President whenever Henry Biddle made him renew the contract so Andrew Jackson would have to make a decision to keep the National Bank. This was an attempt to make Jackson look bad, because Biddle didn't care for him along with Clay.
Who was John C. Calhoun?
He was the VP for Andrew Jackson. He resigns to write the South Carolina Exposition of protest.
McCulloch v. Maryland
In the McCulloch v. Maryland case the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had implied powers under the Necessary and proper clause of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution to create the Second Bank of the United States and that the state of Maryland lacked the power to tax the Bank.
Why did the South not like protective tariffs?
The South sold their cotton to Britain and the tariffs put a tax on that because they wanted Americans to buy American goods.
What was the spoils system?
It was a system where whoever wins gets the prize. This removed 2,000 out of 11,00 officials.
What did Jackson and the American public think about the Indians?
Jackson and the American people hated the Indians. They thought the Indians were impeding the progress of America and that they could use the land better by building towns and buildings instead of living off the land.
What precedent did Jackson set with the Maysville Veto?
Jackson created the precedent of Presidents vetoing laws that they did not particularly agree with rather than just those that were unconstitutional.
Why did Jackson appoint the "kitchen cabinet"?
Jackson wanted an informal group of people that were friends, along with people that Washington DC would approve of.
Who is John Marshall?
John Marshall was involved in the Marbury v. Madison case (chief justice); he looked over the constitution and from this, came up with the idea of judicial review; under John Marshall the Supreme Court strengthens its power and becomes an equal branch with the legislative and executive branches
What is Fletcher v. Peck?
The Supreme Court has the power to declare a state law unconstitutional.
What is Nullification?
Nullification is the right of states to declare void or "null"; gives the states' power over federal laws.
What was Worcester v. Georgia?
The Supreme Court upheld the right of the Cherokee to keep their land in Georgia. Jackson ignored the decision.
Protective Tarriff
The 14th Congress passed the Tariff Act of 1816 levying a series of 25 percent duties designed to encourage domestic manufacturing. In the wake of the Panic of 1819, a credit crisis sparked, numerous economic interests pushed for protective tariffs.
What is the Nullification Crisis?
The Nullification Crisis was a Constitutional struggle between some states and Andrew Jackson. The states didn't want to pay the protective tariff that Jackson wanted, and the states claimed the right to "nullify," or declare void the tariff (in other words, not pay the tariff). It would have given the states authority over the federal government.
South Carolina Exposition
The document was a protest against the Tariff of 1828. The document stated that if the tariff was not repealed, South Carolina would secede. It stated also Calhoun's Doctrine of nullification, i.e., the idea that a state has the right to reject federal law, first introduced by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in their Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions.
What is the Maysville Veto?
There is an issue as to who will pay for the Maysville Road, which will stretch from Maysville, Kentucky to Lexington, Kentucky. Henry Clay proposes for the federal government to pay for it. Jackson vetoes this proposal because it is simply unconstitutional. Everyone freaks out because this is the first time that a president actually used the veto to deny something that is unconstitutional. The significance is that Jackson sets a precedent for other presidents to use the veto to its fullest capacity to keep bills constitutional.
What was the problem with the spoils system?
This caused over 2000 people to lose their jobs to other people who did not have as much experience in the areas they were now working in.
Did Jackson abuse his power as president?
Yes, he did what he wanted regardless of what the constitution said.