The Age of Jackson
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The Age of Jackson, 1824-1844 APUSH: LECTURE 3D MRS. KRAY Jacksonian Democracy The Rise of a Democratic Society Visitors to the U.S. in the 1830s, like Alexis de Tocqueville, were amazed by the informal manners and democratic attitudes of Americans Men and women from all classes ate together at hotels. Stagecoaches, steamboats, and railroad cars had only one class for all passengers so rich and poor sat together. Men and women from all classes dressed in the same styles Equality was becoming the governing principle of American society People shared a belief in equality of opportunity for white males Hero of the age was the self-made man Politics of the Common Man: Universal Male Suffrage Newly admitted western states like Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri adopted state constitutions that allowed all white males to vote and hold office any Eastern states followed suit These newer constitutions also omitted religious or property qualifications for voting 1842: Dorr Rebellion in Rhode Island = example of Americans demanding expanded suffrage Effect: voter participation increased significantly! Politics of the Common Man: A More Democratic System Party Nominating Conventions Replace Caucus System In the past candidates for office had been commonly nominated by state legislature or “King Caucus” – a closed-door meeting of a political party’s leaders in Congress Anti-Masonic Party was the first to do this Conventions more open to popular participation Popular Election of the President 1832: All put one state had adopted the more democratic method of allowing the voters to choose a state’s slate of presidential electors Politics of the Common Man: A More Participatory Democracy Rise of political parties Change w/presidential electors meant campaigns for president had to be conducted on a national scale; large political parties were needed for this Third Parties emerged More Elected Offices instead of appointments Gave voters more voice in their government and tended to increase their interest in participating in elections Popular Campaigning Candidates directed their campaigns to the interests and prejudices of the common people Reached out to people who previously had shown little interest in politics Ex. Anti-Masons and Workingmen’s Party. Anti-Masons attacked the secret societies of the Masons and accused them of belonging to a privileged, anti-democratic elite Politics became a form of local entertainment Led to more personal attacks and less focus on issues Politics of the Common Man: A More Democratic System? Spoils System Winning government jobs became the lifeblood of party organizations President Jackson believed in appointing people to federal jobs strictly according to whether or not they had actively campaigned for the Democrats This practice of dispensing government jobs in return for party loyalty was called the spoils system Rotation of Office Jackson believed in this system By limiting a person to one term in office he could then appoint some other deserving Democrat in his place Both systems affirmed democratic ideal one man was as good as another and ordinary Americans were capable of holding any government office In reality system led to corruption Jackson vs. Adams Election of 1824 Ended the Era of Good Feelings Congressional Caucus System had broken down and as a result four Democratic-Republican candidates ran for president In states that counted popular votes (6 did not) Jackson was the clear winner but b/c the votes were split 4 ways in the Electoral College, Jackson did not have a clear majority The “Corrupt Bargain” Election thrown to the House of Representatives where they had to choose between the top 3 candidates Henry Clay used his influence to get John Quincy Adams the votes he needed to become president When Adams appointed Clay Secretary of State, however, Jackson’s supporters charged there had been a “corrupt bargain” President John Quincy Adams, 1825-1829 First minority president Further alienated Jackson’s followers when he asked Congress for money for internal improvements, aid to manufacturing, and even a national university with an observatory Jacksonians viewed all these measures as a waste of money and a violation of the Constitution 1828: Quincy Adams approved a new tariff law which satisfied northern manufacturers but alienated southern planters They called it the “tariff of abominations” The Revolution of 1828 Jacksonians were now ready this time Used discontent of southerners and westerners and the new campaign tactics of party organization to help Jackson win the presidency Smear campaign Jackson’s supporters attacked Adams and accused Adams’ wife of being born out of wedlock Adams’ supporters retaliated in kind accusing Jackson’s wife of adultery Mudslinging campaign attracted a lot of interest and voter turnout soared What’s so revolutionary about 1828? Jackson’s broke the line of presidents from VA and MA Represented the triumph of the common man Jacksonian Era was marked by a distrust of the wealthy elites The Presidency of Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837 Andrew Jackson Different kind of president than his predecessors A strong leader, who dominated politics for 8 years Symbol of the common man Born in a frontier cabin, gained fame as an Indian fighter and hero of the battle of New Orleans Came to live in a fine mansion in Tennessee as a wealthy slave owner but never lost the rough manners of the frontier Self-made man and a living legend Drew support from every social group and every section of the country Jackson’s View of the Presidency Defender of the Common Man Presented himself as the representative of all the people and protector of the common man against abuses of power by the rich and privileged Frugal Jeffersonian Opposed increased federal spending and the national debt Interpreted the powers of Congress narrowly and therefore vetoed more bills tan all six preceding president combined Maysville Road veto in Kentucky Relied on his “Kitchen Cabinet” Actual appointed cabinet had less influence on policy Peggy Eaton Affair, 1829 Wife of Secretary of War John Eaton Target of malicious gossip Jackson tried to get the cabinet wives to accept Peggy socially Most of the cabinet resigned Contributed to Vice President John C. Calhoun’s resignation a year later Indian Removal Act, 1830 Jackson sympathized with land-hungry whites who were impatient to take over lands held by American Indians Jackson felt most humane thing to do was force American Indians to leave their traditional homelands and resettle west of the Mississippi Indian Removal Act authorized Jackson to set aside land west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands in the east and force Indian resettlement By 1835, most eastern tribes had reluctantly complied and moved West 1836: Bureau of Indian Affairs created to assist the resettled tribes – bureau was incompetent and corrupt The Issue of the Five Civilized Tribes Five Civilized Tribes had adopted “white ways” and had been promised by Jefferson if they did so they could keep their lands Georgia and other states passed laws requiring Cherokees to migrate West Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831) Marshall rules Cherokees were not a foreign nation with the right to sue in a federal court Worchester v. Georgia (1832) Court ruled that the laws of Georgia had no force within Cherokee territory “John Marshall has made his decision now left him enforce it” – Andrew Jackson The Trail of Tears, 1838 Most Cherokees repudiated the settlement of 1835 which provided land in the Indian Territory In 1838, after Jackson left office, the U.S. army forced 15,000 Cherokees to leave Georgia 4,000 died on the trek westward Nullification Crisis, 1828-33 Background Information Jackson favored states’ right but not disunion 1828: South Carolina Legislature declared the increased tariff of 1828 (“tariff of abominations”) to be unconstitutional Affirmed theory of nullification advanced by John C. Calhoun 1830: Webster-Hayne Debate Sen. Daniel Webster of MA debated Sen. Robert Hayne of SC on the nature of the federal Union under the Constitution: states’ rights vs. national power Webster attacked the idea that any state could defy or leave the Union The Nullification Crisis 1832: South Carolina held special convention to nullify tariff of abominations and new tariff of 1832 The Impact: • Jackson’s strong defense of federal authority forced the militant advocates of states’ right to retreat. • But Jackson wasn’t always a supporter of nationalism • He used his executive power to stop anti-slavery literature from being sent through the U.S. mail (gag rule). Southerners trusted Jackson would not extend democracy to African Americans. Convention passed a resolution forbidding collection of the tariffs in South Carolina Jackson persuaded Congress to pass the Force Bill giving him authority to act against South Carolina Compromise Tariff of 1833 crafted by Henry Clay averted the crisis Jackson also issued the Proclamation to the People of South Carolina stating nullification and disunion were treason Jackson’s Bank War: Background Jackson’s Problems with the 2nd Bank of the U.S. Like many he viewed it as serving interests of wealthy elites and abusing its power Also thought it was unconstitutional (strict construction) Nicholas Biddle, Bank President Effective manager Purpose of bank was to cushion ups and downs of the national economy Arrogance fed suspicion that the bank abused its power and only served interests of the wealthy Jackson Vetoes the Bank Bill 1832: Jackson’s political opponent Henry Clay decided to challenge Jackson on the bank issue Persuaded Congress to pass a bank re-charter bill early Jackson vetoed the bill denounced bank as a private monopoly that enriched the wealthy and foreigners at the expense of the common people” and the “hydra of corruption” Voters agreed with Jackson and he easily won re-election Jackson kills the bank While Congress was on recess, Jackson removed all treasury funds from the BUS and moved them to “pet banks” This caused the BUS to go bankrupt Jackson was censured by Congress The Return of the Two-Party System The 2nd Party System: Democrats and Whigs The one party system of during the Era of Good Feelings and Monroe’s presidency gave way to a new two-party system under Jackson Supporters of Jackson were now called Democrats Democrats resembled the Republican Party of Jefferson Supporters of Henry Clay were called Whigs Whigs resembled the Federalist Party of Hamilton Both parties also reflected the changed conditions of the Jacksonian Era They had to responded to the challenges like relentless westward expansion and the emergence of an industrial economy Democrats and Whigs in the Age of Jackson Democrats Whigs Issues Supported • • • • Local Rule Limited Government Free Trade Opportunities for “the common man” (white males) Clay’s American System: • A national bank • Federal funds for internal improvements • A protective tariff Major Concerns • • • • Monopolies National Bank High Tariffs High land prices • Crime and immorality (often associated with immigrants) Base of Voter Support • The South and West • Urban workers • New England and the MidAtlantic States • Protestants of English Heritage (WASPs) • Urban Professionals Jackson’s 2nd Term Pet Banks After the bank veto Jackson attacked the bank by withdrawing all federal funds With the help of Treasury Secretary Roger Taney he transferred funds to various state banks which his critics referred to as “pet banks” Specie Circular As a result of Jackson’ financial policies and feverish speculation on western lands, prices for land a various goods became badly inflated Jackson hoped to check this trend by issuing the Specie Circular It required all future purchases of federal land to be made in specie (gold and silver) rather than paper banknotes Soon after bank notes lost their value and land sales plummeted; this contributed to the Panic of 1837 and the depression that followed The Election of 1836 Jackson honored 2-term tradition set by predecessors Jackson persuaded the Democratic Party to nominate his loyal Vice President Martin van Buren to ensure his policies were carried out even after he retired Whigs adopted an unusual strategy Nominated 3 candidates from three different regions hoping to throw the election to the House of Representatives Plan failed President Van Buren and the Panic of 1837 Just as Van Buren took office, the country suffered a financial panic as one bank after another closed its doors Jackson’s opposition to rechartering the 2nd BUS was only one of the causes but the Whigs were quick to blame Democrats for their laissez-faire economics which advocated little federal involvement in the economy Land sales plummeted, credit dried up, businesses failed, unemployment rose The “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” Campaign of 1840 Whigs were in a strong position to defeat Van Buren b/c of the bad economy Also better organized and took campaign hoopla to new heights Built a log cabin on wheels to stress Harrison’s humble origins Passed out hard cider for voters to drink and buttons and hats Name-calling as a propaganda device also developed Martin “van Ruin” Results: 78% of eligible votes participated in this election! Oh, and Harrison won Also revealed how in American politics party ideology would be subordinated to meet immediate political needs Remember Whigs = party of business elites but how do they portray themselves in this election? “Tip and Tye” (Words and Music by "A member of the Fifth Ward Club“, published 1840) What has caus'd this great com-mo-tion, mo-tion, mot-ion our coun-try through, It is the ball that's rol-ling on, For Tip-pi-ca-noe, and Ty-ler too, For Tip-pi-ca-noe, and Ty-ler too, And with them we'll beat lit-tle Van, Van, Van is a us'd up man, And with them we'll beat lit-tle Van. Campaign Pull-Card Criticizing van Buren as an aristocratic dandy. “His Accidency” John Tyler, 1841-45 Election of 1840 est. Whigs as a national party Harrison, however, died of pneumonia less than a month after taking office Tyler became the first vice president to succeed to the presidency Tyler was a states’ rights Democrat who had switched to the Whig Party Vetoed Whigs’ national bank bills and other legislation Favored southern and expansionist Democrats during his term Jacksonian Era in its final stage; came to an end with the Mexican-American War
