Chapter 6, Section 3
The Age of Jackson
p. 223-228
There is a growing spirit of democracy
during Andrew Jackson’s presidency
(the only age of U.S. History named for
an American president!)
6.3 Section Focus Question
How did the people gain more power
during the Age of Jackson?
Adams and Jackson in Conflict
The Election of 1824
John Q. Adams
Henry Clay
• Ultimately, 4 candidates
run for president
• All are members of the
(Democratic)-Republican
Party
• No one wins a majority of
the Electoral votes
– However, Jackson gets the
most POPULAR and
Electoral votes
– The results…..
Andrew Jackson
William Crawford
Election of 1824 - Results
Popular Vote
Presidential
Candidate
Party
Andrew
Jackson
Dem-Rep
John Quincy
Adams
Dem-Rep
William
Crawford
Henry Clay
Dem-Rep
Dem-Rep
Home State
Electoral
Vote
Count:
Percentage:
Tennessee
151,271
41.3
99
Massachusetts
113,122
30.9
84
Georgia
40,856
11.2
41
Kentucky
47,531
13.0
37
365,833
100.0%
261
Needed to win:
131
What does the Constitution say
Total:
about how presidents are elected?
No one has a majority of Electoral votes.
The election will have to be decided in the
House of Representatives.
Adams and Jackson in Conflict
The Election of 1824
• Election goes to the House of
Representatives
• Henry Clay is Speaker of the
House.
– Clay asks his supporters to
give their votes to Adams
John Q. Adams
Andrew Jackson
Henry Clay
William Crawford
• Adams “wins” the presidency
– Adams names Henry Clay
Secretary of State
• Jackson is furious!
• Jackson & his supporters
(Jacksonians) claim Clay &
Adams made a “CORRUPT
BARGAIN” to steal the
election from the American
people!
The Presidency of John Quincy Adams
• Adams has big plans:
- Support Clay’s American
System (build infrastructure)
- Government to play larger role
in supporting the economy
- High tariff to protect industry
- Create national university &
build observatory in D.C.
• Accomplishes very little
Why?
- Congress is controlled by
“Jacksonians”
• Elected to Congress 1831,
serves until death, in 1848
– Dedicates his later career to
the abolition of slavery
John Quincy Adams
(photo taken in 1843)
AMISTAD
• Award-winning Hollywood
film
• Directed by Steven Spielberg
in 1997
• About an 1839 slave ship
taken over by the slaves!
Starring:
–
–
–
–
Morgan Freeman
Matthew McConaughey
D’Jimon Hounsou
Anthony Hopkins (as J.Q.A.)
Rated R – So get parent permission.
A New Era in Politics
• “Corrupt bargain” causes many states to
extend suffrage (the right to vote) to all
white males, dropping the property
requirement
• By 1824, most states hold popular
elections.
Democracy in the Age of Jackson:
• Jackson believed ordinary people
(“the common man”) should vote &
hold office
“the rich and the poor, the educated
and the ignorant, the polite and the
vulgar, all … feed at the same table.”
p. 225
Voter participation doubles between
the 1824 and 1828 elections.
– wealthy complainer
• Jacksonians don’t trust the
government
• They are suspicious of banks & the
wealthy
A New Era in Politics (continued)
Birth of the Democratic Party • The old (Democratic)-Republican
Party of Jefferson splits into the...
– Democrats & National Republicans
– (Later becomes Whig Party)
• Previously, Congress held a caucus to
select presidential candidates
– a meeting of members of a political party
• Beginning in 1831, national
nominating conventions open the
nominating process to more people
making it more democratic
– large meetings of party delegates to
choose candidates for office
Symbol of the Democratic Party
Why?
Jackson Becomes President
• The election of 1828 one of
the most vicious in history
– Election is about character, not
political issues
– Adams’ supporters even attack
Jackson’s wife & his dead
mother!
• Jackson wins a “landslide”
victory over Adams
– Rachel Jackson dies of a heartattack two weeks after Jackson
wins the election.
Rachel Jackson
(Andrew’s wife)
Their tomb at
The Hermitage in
Nashville, Tenn.
“To the victors belong the spoils!”
• Jackson’s election is called a
victory for the “common man”
• Jackson’s inauguration turns
into a riot when White House
opened to the public
• Jackson establishes spoils
system
Victory for the “common man” leads to riot
at the White House.
– the practice of rewarding
government jobs to loyal
supporters of the party that wins
an election
• Fires political enemies, hires
political supporters & friends
• His victory begins a 20 year
period know as the “Age of
Jackson”
6.3 Section Focus Question
How did the people gain more power
during the Age of Jackson?
A growing spirit of democracy led to the
extension of suffrage and the creation of
nominating conventions. The “common man” felt
more a part of the government process.