Andrew Jackson
1828 - 1834
Election of 1824

Background

New political era in the 1800s with westward
expansion > SECTIONALISM

Democratic-Republican Party was solid in office
for 23 years

Election of 1824 led to a split (sectional)

John Quincy Adams, William Crawford, Henry Clay &
Andrew Jackson (all Republicans)
Election Chart
Candidate/ Position
Electoral Vote (%)
Popular Vote (%)
Andrew Jackson –
non committal
38
43
John Q. Adams –
central gov’t
32
31
William Crawford –
state’s rights
16
13
Henry Clay – central
gov’t; national bank
14
13
Election of 1824 cont.

Results



Jackson supported in West
 Significance
& South
 John Q. Adams becomes
 Carried most electoral &
popular vote but no clear
Pres.
majority
Crawford had a stroke so
he was eliminated
Clay threw his support to
Adams
 “Corrupt bargain” – Clay
named Sec. of State

New voters in South & West

Democratic-Republican
Party divided
 National Republicans led
by Adams & Clay
 Democrats led by Jackson
Election of 1828

Jackson

Adams

Lacked a formal education

“Write” vs. “Fight”

“Self-made” man


Popular in native South
Claimed Jackson a gambler &
lacked a proper education to
serve in this position

Champion of the people:
“Take for your President a
man from your body”

War of 1812 Hero: Battle of
New Orleans
How does this
political
cartoon depict
Jackson? Do
you think it was
accurate? Why
or why not?
Election of 1828 continued

Results

Jackson carried every state in the South & West

He received 56% of the popular vote

Adams only carried New England states

*Turning point because more people were voting


Reduced state property qualifications to vote & run for
office
3 times more people voted
Jackson’s Policy

Spoils System

Jackson wanted to reform “lazy” gov’t workers so he gave his
friends & supporters jobs as a reward

He felt justified because the best people for the job were
those who were loyal to him

Others claimed it was corrupt (his gambling & poker buddies)

1/5 of office holders were opened up to the future President
> rotation in office

Positives of this? Negatives??
Banking Crisis

When was the 1st Bank
of the U.S. created?
Why?



Bank was up for charter
renewal

Bank

Symbol of privilege (rich
getting rich)

Loaned money to poor
which created a cycle of
debt

Issue= STATE’S RIGHTS
 How is power divided
between the state &
federal gov’t?
U.S. gov’t owned 20% of
bank stock
Jackson believed
Congress did NOT have
the power to do so
Bank continued

State’s rights vs. federal
authority
 No regulations on bank

Bank printed too much
money, gave out too many
loans, people deposited
money into banks run by
friends

Jackson vetoes the bank bill

Congress overrides the veto
(election year)

Jackson saw Congressional
actions as a threat
 He closed the bank &
moved gov’t accounts to the
state banks
 DISASTER for economy >
loans & inflation)
 But he was supported by
the common man
 *Use of checks & balances
 Jackson wins in 1832!
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

STATE vs. FEDERAL





Chief Justice John Marshall sided with the national
gov’t on bank issue
Bank held federal money so states couldn’t tax it
Bank notes represented gold but it gave out too
many > fraud
This caused the Panic of 1837 (economic
depression)
*Made it clear that national interests were more
important than those of the state
Tariff Controversy

Tariff (tax) part of economy
since 1816 but unpopular in
South (why?)



Calhoun

1828 Congress passed a high
tariff on European imports
which angered the South –
why?

Jackson’s V.P. John Calhoun
(from S. Carolina) wrote
essays on State’s Rights &
NULLIFICATION


Resigns V.P. to take seat in
S. Carolina Senate
S. Carolina threatens to
secede if gov’t collects tax
Congress passes a bill to
allow the President to use
military force to collect taxes
Henry Clay develops
compromise: reduce tax over
10 years if S. Carolina doesn’t
secede
American Indian Policy

1830 Indian Removal Act



Jackson favored westward expansion because of
exploits of war – we “earned” it
Supreme Court against policy
Trail of Tears


Not the 1st expulsion of Natives but represents a
betrayal of promises/treaties
Moved 18,000 Cherokees over 1000 miles to
Oklahoma; 4,000 died
Political
Parties

Whigs/ National
Republicans



1834 Jackson’s opponents
united as Whigs
Led by Henry Clay & Daniel
Webster
Included supporters of the
Bank of U.S.,
manufacturers in favor of
tariff, wealthy businessmen,
urban

Democrats



Roots with Jefferson’s
Democratic-Republicans of
1792 but 1st Democratic
Convention in 1832
Led by Jackson
Supporters included
working class, immigrants,
small farmers; rural