The Return of Sectionalism and
the Rise of Andrew Jackson
Unit 4, Lesson 4
Essential Idea
• Sectionalism returned as the country
expanded and evolved and when Andrew
Jackson rose to power.
Era of Good Feelings?
• Misnomer?
• Even during the “Era of
Good Feelings,” signs
of sectionalism arose
• Sectionalism- growing
separation and tension
between the North
and South (and West)
North vs. South: Federal Power
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Issue #1:
Federal Power
North’s View:
Strong federal government,
weak state governments
South’s View:
Weak federal government,
strong state governments
Why Sectionalism Increased:
John Marshall’s rulings
strengthened federal power
over states
The South feared a strong
federal government
threatened slavery
North vs. South: Vision for Country
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Issue #2:
Vision for Country
North’s View:
Economy based on
manufacturing and
commerce
• South’s View:
• Economy based on
agrarianism—
especially slaverybased cotton
North vs. South: American
System
• Why Sectionalism Increased:
• Federal policies, like the American
System, favored manufacturing
and commerce
• The South and West did not trust
the BUS
• The South hated protective tariffs
and had fewer internal
improvements
North vs. South: Westward Expansion
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Issue #3:
Westward Expansion
North’s View:
Did not want slavery to
expand westward
South’s View:
Wanted slavery to expand
westward
Why Sectionalism Increased:
North and South disagreed on
future of slavery in America
Imbalance between free and
slave states would allow one
side to dominate in Congress
The Missouri Compromise (1820)
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Conflict:
Missouri wanted to be admitted as a slave state, which would upset the balance
Tension rose because this would upset the free/slave state balance in Congress
Compromise:
Missouri Compromise
Proposed by Henry Clay, the “Great Compromiser”
The Missouri Compromise (1820)
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Terms:
Part 1:
Missouri admitted as a slave state,
Maine admitted as a free state
Effect:
Free and slave states stayed equal
in number
Part 2:
36’30⁰ Line- divided the rest of the
Louisiana Territory
Future state above the line would
be free
Future states below the line would
be slave
Effect:
Issue of slavery in the West
temporarily settled, easing tension
Missouri Compromise
Election of 1824
• Major Candidates in
1824:
• Andrew Jackson“Old Hickory,” the
war hero
• Andrew Jackson
• John Quincy Adamsson of ex-president
John Adams
• Henry Clay- “Great
Compromiser,”
developer of the
American System
The Election Hits a Snag
• Initial Results:
• Jackson won the
most electoral
votes, but no
one won the
MAJORITY
• The election
was decided in
the House of
Representatives
The “Corrupt Bargain”
• The “Corrupt
Bargain:”
• In the House, Clay
gave his votes to
Adams, who
became president
• Adams made Clay
his secretary of state
• Jackson was furious
and called it a
“corrupt bargain”
Political Parties Return
• Political Parties Return:
• The Democratic-Republican
party split
• The two-party system and
political tension returned
• New Party:
• Democrats
• Supported:
• Andrew Jackson
• Location of Supporters:
• South and West
• Government Power:
• Weak federal, strong states
Political Parties Return
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New Party:
Whigs
Supported:
Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams
Location of Supporters:
North
Government Power:
Strong federal, weak states
Universal White Male Suffrage
• Universal White Male
Suffrage:
• From 1824 to 1828, many
states dropped their
property requirements for
voting
• Consequences:
• Universal White Male
Suffrage- white men, even
poor (“common”), could
vote
• This gave the “common
man” more influence in
elections
• The common man loved
Andrew Jackson
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Election of 1828
Candidates in 1828:
Democrats- Andrew Jackson
Whigs- John Quincy Adams
Impact of Universal White Male Suffrage:
Jackson got more votes than in 1824 because he
appealed to the common man, who could now vote
Candidates had to campaign for the first time to
attract votes from the common man
Mudslinging- candidates used negative criticism of
each other to attract votes
Election of 1828
• Results:
• Jackson won
easily
• Sectionalism
returned to
politics
• Jackson’s
election helped
usher in the “Era
of the Common
Man”