Unit 4: Jacksonian Democracy
John C. Calhoun
- South Carolina Senator - advocate for state's rights, limited government, and nullification - in 1828, he lead the fight against protective tariffs which hurt the south economically - created the doctrine of nullification which said that a state could decide if a law was constitutional - this situation became known as the Nullification Crisis.
Universal Manhood Suffrage
- newly admitted western states adopted state constitutions that allowed all white males to vote and hold office, omitting any religious or property qualifications for voting - eastern states followed in suit - all white males could vote regardless of their social class or religion and political offices could be held by people in lower and middle ranks of society
Two-Party System (summary thus far)
- popular election of presidential electors had important consequences, as presidential campaigns had to be conducted on a national scale >> to organize these campaigns, candidates needed large political parties Two-Party System Formation: 1) Federalists vs Democratic-Republicans - following the revolution of 1800 > the opposing parties, Federalists who lost, and the Jeffersonian Republicans who won a. Federalists: - focused on containing the attempted encroachment on federal power, establish better economic relations with Great Britain, and support economic expansion of manufacturing and commerce - believed the future of the country rests on manufacturing and commerce. The United States Government must have the power to protect the country from foreign attack and internal rebellion. b. Democratic-Republicans: - focused on limiting the power of the federal government and returning power to the states - believed that government is best which governs least. Democratic/Republicans envision a nation of small farmers and are more afraid of tyranny than anarchy. They favored rule by the educated common man. 2) Democratic-Republicans - following election of 1820 > the death of the Federalist Party, largely due to the Hartford Convention and the "Era of Good Feelings" - begins to split into two major groups: some continue to favor a nation of small farmers and limited powers for the national government; others favor Henry Clay's American System composed of a Second Bank of the United States, protective tariffs, and federally funded internal improvement 3) Democratic-Republicns - following election of 1824 > known as the "corrupt bargain", the election was decided in the U.S. House of Representatives because no candidate received a majority of electoral votes. The election of 1824 gave testimony to the fact that regional factions were developing within the Democratic Party - death of the Federalist Party and growing sectional divisions within the Republican Party - regional platforms espoused by regional candidates and regional ideological variations 4) Democrats vs. National Republicans - following election of 1828 > Jeffersonian Democrats divide into Democrats and National Republicans a. Democrats: - favored limited government, an end to protective tariffs, extension of voting privileges to the common man - favored rule by the common man, limited federal government, state funded internal improvements b. National Republicans: - principally favored northern manufacturing and commercial interests - supported federally funded internal improvements, protective tariffs, re-chartering of the Bank of the United States - believed a strong national government was necessary to promote a national market economy and preserve domestic stability 5) Democrats vs. Whigs - following election of 1836 > marks the beginning of the Second American Party System composed of Democrats and Whigs a. Democrats: - following Jackson's retirement, the party desired to continue to implement his policies - rejection of re-charter of the Second Bank of the United State, lower the protective tariff, continue to oppose federally funded internal improvements, continue advocacy of limited government, support for the institution of slavery - supported limited government, opposition to the Bank of the United States, federally funded internal improvements and protective tariffs, support for loose-money policy b. Whigs: - fueled by Jackson "killing" of the Bank of the United States, Democratic opposition to protective tariff and internal improvement initiatives - supported chartering of a Third Bank of the United States, high protective tariffs, federally funded internal improvements, support for commerce and manufacturing - believed in a powerful national government that would create a national market economy through protective tariffs, federally funded internal improvements, and sound money policies of a central bank
"common man"
- slogan for Andrew Jackson's campaign - championed greater rights for the common man (working class) and was opposed to any signs of aristocracy in the nation - Jacksonian democracy was aided by the strong spirit of equality among the people of the newer settlements in the South and West. - was also aided by the extension of the vote in eastern states to men without property
Jackson's Presidency
1) Defeated Adams by large margins in 1828 a. Inauguration: conservatives coined him "King Mob" as the ceremony was open to the masses 2) Jackson's background ("Old Hickory") a. first president from the West b. was previously a judge and Congressman c. did not have a college education d. "frontier aristocrat" (risen from the masses, did not live among them) 3) Spoils System: rewarding political supporters with public office a. Jackson administration implemented the system on a large scale b. Influenced party politics: encouraged supporters to stick with a party because of the possible rewards
John Quincy Adams' Presidency
1) He did not replace federal officials with his supporters 2) Committed nationalist: urged Congress to construct roads and canals, create a national university and astronomical observatory a. Southerners disliked the tariffs that would continue as a result of expensive federal projects 3) Wanted to deal peacefully with Native Americans in Georgia 4) Political Divisions a. National Republicans: led by Adams, believed in a strong federal government b. Democratic- Republicans: led by Jackson, championed him as the "common man," angered by most of Adams' decisions 5) Tariffs: protective tariffs were good for American industry a. Tariff of 1824: increased the protective tariff significantly; some still called for a higher tariff b. Tariff of 1828: high-tariff bill passed by Congress; also known as the Tariff of Abominations or "Black Tariff" - Would later be inherited by and dealt with by Jackson
Post-Jackson Politics
1) Whig Party a. Born out of hatred for Jackson "tyranny" - Combined groups he alienated: southern states' rights supporters, supporters of Clay's American system, large northern industrialists and merchants b. Supported a more active national government, economic development (American System) and humanitarian reform 2) Election of 1836 & Van Buren's Presidency a. Martin Van Buren wins on the democratic ticket (backed by Jackson) b. Panic of 1837 - Failure of wheat crops - Closing of the second bank of the U.S. and inflationary currency - British financial woes caused them to call in foreign loans c. Conflicts in Canada: Northern border of Maine was disputed - British wanted to build a road from Halifax to Quebec, which would go through disputed territory **Both Canadians and Americans entered the territory, called the ++Aroostook River Valley Aroostook War (1838-1839) also called "lumberjack war" - Border dispute settled under President John Tyler d. Lost re-election campaign to Whig William Henry Harrison in 1840 3) Two - Party System after Jackson a. Jacksonian Democrats: liberty of the individual, federal restraint in economic and social affairs b. Whigs: favored a national bank, protective tariffs, internal improvements public schools, moral reforms c. Both parties had social diversity and were not concentrated in one region of the country, holding off sectional tensions for a while
Bank War (Pet banks & Specie Circular)
Bank War a. Jackson felt the national bank was unconstitutional and kept the power in the hands of the elite b. Clay, who supported the bank, tried to pass a bank re-charter bill in 1832 - Hoped it would go through Congress, and Jackson's veto of it would cause him to lose support in the 1832 election c. Bank re-charter bill passed in Congress in 1832 and was vetoed by Jackson - Increased the power of the Presidency (veto went against the 1819 McCulloch vs. Maryland decision) - Bank veto was supported by westerners and common people & Congress did not override it d. Jackson set out to kill the bank before its original charter was up in 1836 - Began to withdraw federal funds and deposit in "pet banks" (state-chartered banks) - Pet banks printed inflationary paper money e. Species Circular: required that all land purchases be bought with hard currency - Land sales plummeted - Paper bank notes lost their value
Clay v. Tyler
Clay wants to repeal Independent Treasury, Re-Establish Bank of the United States (3rd), Send Federal Land sale money to the states, and higher tariffs. Tyler vetoes the bill, infuriating Clay and the Whigs. a. Clay tried to establish a new Bank of the United States, which Tyler vetoed b. Tariff of 1842: reluctantly signed by Tyler, 32% tax on imports to collect additional revenue
American System
Economic program advanced by Henry Clay that included support for a national bank, protective tariffs tariffs, and internal improvements; emphasized strong role for federal government in the economy
John Tyler's Presidency
John Tyler's Presidency 1) William Henry Harrison died in office after 4 weeks from pneumonia a. VP John Tyler became President 2) Tyler was at odds with many Whig policies a. Against the bank, protective tariffs and internal improvements 3) Clay vs. Tyler 4) Canadian Border Dispute a. After Aroostook War, Secretary of State Daniel Webster negotiated with British Lord Ashburton b. Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842): set the northern border of Maine, and Britain was able to build their desired Halifax-Quebec route
Mexican and Texan Independence
Mexican Independence 1) Mexico achieved independence from Spain in 1821 a. Stephen Austin secured a right to colonize Mexican land in Texas - Immigrants were to be Catholics and assimilate into Mexican society b. Texans developed their own culture - Ignored Mexican laws and officials c. Mexico's dictator, Santa Anna, raised an army in 1835 to suppress Texans Texan Independence 1) Texans declared independence in 1836 2) Battle of the Alamo: Mexican forces under Santa Anna wiped out Texans in a 13-day siege a. "Remember the Alamo!" became the battle cry of revolutionary forces 3) Texans defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto a. He signed a treaty recognizing the Rio Grande river as the southwestern border of Texas
Jacksonian Democracy: Rise of Mass Democracy
Participatory Democracy in the United States 1) Many property qualifications were removed for voters a. New western states allowed all white males to vote and hold office so many eastern states began to follow suit >> universal male suffrage 2) Nominating Conventions: presidential candidates were now nominated by party politicians and voters rather than by state legislatures in a closed-door meeting 3) Campaigning a. Parties now began to appeal to the masses b. Candidates also resorted to personal attacks on other candidates, rather than focusing on presidential issues
Spoils System
Spoils System: rewarding political supporters with public office a. Jackson administration implemented the system on a large scale b. Influenced party politics: encouraged supporters to stick with a party because of the possible rewards
Jackson vs. Adams: the Election/Corrupt Bargain of 1824
The Corrupt Bargain of 1824 1) 4 candidates for the 1824 election a. John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, William H. Crawford and Andrew Jackson b. Jackson won the popular vote but failed to win a majority of the electoral vote c. Clay, as speaker of the House, pledged his support for Adams - Once President, Adams then appointed Clay to Secretary of State d. "corrupt bargain:" Jackson & his supporters claimed Adams had bribed Clay for his support in the House to win the Presidency
How did voting change in the Age of Jackson? How did political campaigning change?
Voting: 1) Universal Male Suffrage: Western states recently admitted to the Union (Indiana in 1816), (Illinois in 1818), and (Missouri in 1821) adopted state constitutions that allowed all white m ales to vote and hold office, omitting any property or religious requirements; eastern states followed suit Political Campaigning: 1) Party Nominating Conventions: - the common people previously had no opportunity to participate - in the 1830s, however, caucuses were replaced by nominating conventions >> party politicians and voters would gather in a large meeting hall to nominate the party's candidates; this method was more open to popular participation, hence more democratic 2) Popular Election of the President: In the 1832 election, majority of states adopted a more democratic method of allowing the voters to choose a state's slate of presidential electors 3) Two-Party System: - popular election of presidential electors & president had important consequences for the two-party system - campaigns for president now had to be conducted on a national scale - to organize these campaigns, large political parties were needed >> while only the large national parties (the Democrats and the Whigs in Jackson's day) could hope to win the presidency, other political parties also emerged (3rd parties) 4) Popular Campaigning - candidates for office directed their campaigns to the interests and prejudices of the common people - politics also became a form of local entertainment - candidates would often resort to personal attacks and downplay the issues
What were the ideas at the heart of the Whig platform? What about the Jacksonian Democrat platform?
Whigs: 1) Issues supported (American System) - national bank - federal funds for internal improvements - a protective tariff 2) major concerns - crime associated with immigrants 3) base of voter support - New England and the Mid-Atlantic states - Protestants of English heritage - Urban professionals Democrats: 1) Issues supported - local rule - limited government - free trade - opportunity for white males 2) major concerns - monopolies - national bank - high tariffs - high land prices 3) base of voter support - the South and West - urban workers
Jackson and the Native Americans
a. "Five Civilized Tribes:" Native tribes that attempted to assimilate into white society (Cherokees, Chickasaw, Creeks, Choctaws and Seminoles) b. Georgia legislature declared the Cherokee Tribal Council illegal in 1828 and asserted its jurisdiction over Indian affairs and lands - Cherokees appealed to the Supreme Court and Marshall ruled in favor of them three times; Jackson refused to support his decisions c. Indian Removal Act (1830): this act provided for the relocation of Indians still living east of the MS river to newly established Indian Territory in Arkansas and Missouri; tribes resisting eviction were forcibly removed (primarily affected the five civilized tribes) - Called the Trail of Tears by natives - Black Hawk War: Sauk and Fox tribes resisted eviction and were crushed by American troops in 1832
Tariff of 1828
a. Tariff of 1828: (high-tariff bill passed by Congress; also known as the Tariff of Abominations or "Black Tariff"), inherited from Adams' presidency - Angered southerners who felt the "Yankee" tariff supported New England and Middle states manufacturing - South had little manufacturing of their own and relied on foreign markets - Incited fear about federal control over other states' rights issues (primarily slavery) b. South Carolina Exposition: pamphlet written by John C. Calhoun to denounce the Tariff of 1828 and propose that states nullify the tariff (declare null and void within their borders)
Nullification Crisis
a. Tariff of 1832: attempted to cut back from the tariff of 1828, but still far from meeting southern demands b. Compromise Tariff of 1833: passed as a measure to resolve the nullification crisis, provided for a gradual lowering of tariffs over ten years, to 1816 levels - Written by Henry Clay in response to division between Andrew Jackson and state of South Carolina c. Force Bill: authorized the President to use the army and navy to collect federal duties if necessary
Annexation of Texas
a. Texas wanted to become part of the U.S. after they achieved independence b. U.S. public opinion supported the annexation c. Anti-slavery northerners were worried about slave & free state balance if Texas was annexed
What issues divided America in the first half of the nineteenth century?
economic interests: a. The Industrial North favored high protective tariffs to protect Northern manufactured goods from foreign competition b. The agricultural South opposed high tariffs, that made the price of imports more expensive slavery: a. north supported abolishment b. south remained dependent on slavery role of federal government: - South was hoping for was equality. Now, if the federal level is run by representation and North had greater population - South supported state government and local rule while North supported American System
How did the Jackson administration support the "common man"? How did it reflect tyrannical rule?
support for the "common man: - universal manhood suffrage without property requirements - implementation of public schooling systems (primarily in the North)` reflected tyrannical rule: - abused power as president >> bank veto, Indian Removal Act, etc. >> ignored decisions of Congress and Supreme Court
