Jacksonian Democracy
Democratization of Politics
1. universal male suffrage-no property requirement
2. decline of caucus-candidates for office selected in conventions
3. written ballots
4.more elected offices-sheriff, judges, register of deeds
5. people select presidential electors
6. voter turnout (1824-27%, 1828-55%, 1840-78%)
Election of 1824
1. 4 candidates-Jackson-99, JQ Adams-84, Crawford-41, Clay-37
2. HOR selects JQ Adams president
3. Clay convinces HOR to select Adams, Clay becomes Sec. of State
4. Democratic Party organized after "corrupt bargain"
Election of 1828
1. Jackson-178, JQ Adams-83
2. charges against Adams-wore silk underwear, purchased gambling equipment, pimping
3. charges against Jackson-murderer, adulterer, mother a prostitute
Revolution of 1828
1. age of "common man" (mobocracy)
2. 1st strong executive-"King Andrew I"
3. 1st western president
Spoils System/Rotation in Office
1. reward political supporters with jobs in public office (no skills or education necessary)
2. incompetence & corruption
Veto Power
1. states' rights & reduced role of federal gov't
2. vetoed 12 bills (9 vetoed by earlier 6 presidents) to limit federal influence
3, Maysville Road (Kentucky) Veto-internal improvements a state responsibility; or, Clay from Ky.
Kitchen Cabinet/Peggy Eaton Affair
1. wife of Secretary of War who was snubbed by wives of other cabinet members (Calhoun's wife)
2. Jackson demands cabinet wives include her (Van Buren's wife does)
3. Jackson meets with unofficial & informal advisors known as "Kitchen Cabinet"
1837 Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge
1. Charles company had Massachusetts charter to build bridge in 1780
2. Warren company given permission in 1828 to build new bridge due to increased traffic
3. Ruling-states can void contracts when public good/interest is at stake
Flowcharts
1. Indians
2. Nullification Crisis
3. "Bank War," Panic of 1837, Whigs & Election of 1840
Abolition Movement
1820-1.5 Million Slaves
1860-3.9 Million Slaves
Issues
1. Immediate End
2. Gradual End
3. Compensation
4. Social Equality/Rights for African Americans
I. Early Abolition Movements
A. 1775 Quakers-1st Antislavery Society
B. 1816 African Methodidst Episcopal Church (Richard Allen)
1. schools, meeting places, assist fugitive slaves
2.1830 Black National Convention-settlement of free African Americans in Canada
C. Colonization-return to Africa
1. 1815 Paul Cuffe-Sierra Leone (Freetown)
2. 1817 American Colonization Society-Liberia (Monrovia)
3. Blacks & Whites Can't Coexist; Blacks Inferior & Not Wanted
D. 1833 American Antislavery Society-William Lloyd Garrison (The Liberator)
1. Immediate Emancipation & No Compensation
2. Threatened to Secede From the "Wicked South"
3. Publicly Burned a Copy of the Constitution
4. full rights to women & African Americans
5. 1835 dragged through streets of Boston with rope around neck (from Boston)
6. "I shall be heard"
E. Other Leaders
1. 1839 Theodore Weld American Slavery as it Is
2. Angelina & Sarah Grimke-only white southern women to become leading abolitionists
3. Elijah Lovejoy-militant editor of antislavery newspaper; printing press destroyed 4 times;
killed by pro slavery mob
4. Frederick Douglass-publisher of The North Star; education & knowledge were keys to
emancipation; looked to government to end slavery
II. Rebellions
A. 1739 Stono Rebellion-SC slaves to escape to Spanish Florida
B. 1800 Gabriel Prosser-kidnap governor of Virginia; Prosser & 26
executed
C. 1822 Denmark Vesey-capture arms & ammunition; 35 hanged
D. 1829 David Walker-"Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World" take up arms & fight for
freedom
E. 1831 Nat Turner-60 to 70 slaves kill 57 whites; Turner & 17 others hanged; 100 other slaves
in Virginia & NC killed for being part of conspiracy
F. Slave Codes (restrictions)-no preaching gospel, no weapons, no assembly, no literacy
III. Successful Rebellions
A. 1839 Amistad
1. 54 African slaves take over Spanish ship & sail for Africa
2. Supreme Court rules 54 are free
B. 1841 Creole Incident-British offer asylum to 130 Virginia slaves who seize ship & head to W. Indies
C. Underground Railroad (50,000100,000)
1. destination Canada
2. avoid Fugitive Slave Law & equality
IV. Southern Reaction to "Northern Abolitionist Conspiracy"
A. feared power of federal government after nullification crisis-might abolish slavery
B. antislavery supporters jailed, beaten, murdered
C. southern postmasters destroy abolitionist literature in mail
D. arguments in defense of slavery
1. Bible & ancient history (Greece)
2. civilize & christianize African Americans
3. master/slave relationship like a family
4. slaves in better conditions than northern factory workers
5. slaves cared for in sickness & old age
V. Government
A. 1836-1844 Gag Rule-no antislavery petitions to Congress; no debate or discussion of slavery
issue
B. over 67,000 antislavery petitions ignored-mostly female signatures
C. no politician will support abolition-lose votes
D. Free Soil Movement-no expansion of slavery
VI. North
A. northerners revere Constitution-slavery protected by it
B. northern banks loaned millions to southern planters
C. northern textile factories need cotton
Manifest Destiny Notes
Acquisition of Texas
I. Americans in Texas (Mexico invites US settlers)
A. 1821 Stephen Austin leads 300 families to Texas
1. no drunkards, gamblers, profane swearers, idlers
2. 177 free acres & 10 year tax exemption
B. Rules
1. Catholic
2. Mexican Citizenship-speak Spanish
3. no slavery
C. 1835-30,000 Americans & 5,000 slaves
D. Santa Anna-military dictator of Mexico
1. halt further American immigration
2. free slaves
II. Texas Revolution-independence from Mexico
A. Sam Houston-commander of Texas forces
B. Major Events
1. Alamo-all 187 defenders killed (martyrdom & heroism)
2. Goliad-445 Americans executed
3. San Jacinto-630 Mexican soldiers killed in 15 minutes
4. 2 month war for independence over
5. border dispute-Rio Grande or Nueces Rivers
III. Lone Star Republic 1836-1845
A. 1844 annexation treaty (Calhoun's justification)
B. 1845 US annexes Texas by joint congressional resolution (Tyler administration)
Acquisition of Oregon
I. US & Britain joint occupation
A. US claims to Oregon
1. 1805-1806 Lewis & Clark expedition
2. 1811-John Jacob Astor & American Fur Company
3. Mountain Men-American fur trappers who explored & mapped Rocky & Cascade Mountains
4. 1830's Methodist missionaries convert Indians in Willamette Valley
5. 1840's Oregon Fever-2,000 mile journey along Oregon Trail
6. 1845-5,000 Americans & 1,000 British live below 49th parallel
B. Election of 1844
1. James Polk-"54 40 or Fight"-entire Oregon territory to Alaska
2. campaign slogan (not serious about war with Britian)
C. 1846 Compromise Treaty
1. Canada/Oregon border at 49th parallel
2.slavery not applicable in Oregon
Mexican War 1846-1848
I. diplomat John Slidell sent to Mexico City
A. purchase California & New Mexico territories for 30 million
B. solve border dispute-Rio Grande or Nueces River
II. Causes of war
A. US troops sent to disputed area-11 killed in skirmish with Mexican forces
B. "Mexico has shed American blood on American soil"
C. settle boundary dispute
D. Mexican debt of 3 million to US
III. Northern opposition to war
A. Abe Lincoln's "Spot Resolution"-certify spot where Americans killed
B. slave power conspiracy-plot ot spread slavery
C. Wilmot Proviso-no slavery in any territory gained from Mexico
IV. California
A. 500 American settlers in California
B. John Fremont proclaims California to be an independent republic-Bear Flag Republic
V. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
A. Mexican Cession-California & New Mexico territories ceded to US
B. Rio Grande becomes border
C. US pays Mexico 15 million
VI. Aftermath of war
A. extension of slavery in territories??
B. political parties split on issue of slavery
C. Mexico & Latin America view US as "Colossus of the North"