Chapter 11
The Jacksonian Era
Chapter Study Outline
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I. A new era
o A. Population and economic growth
o B. Shift from local to national and international markets
o C. A democratized society
o D. Limited boundaries of Jacksonian equality
II. Jackson the man
o A. A violent upbringing
o B. A combative temperament
o C. Jackson’s presidential agenda
III. The Jacksonian presidency
o A. Nature of appointments
o B. Political rivalry between Van Buren and Calhoun
o C. The Peggy Eaton affair
IV. Policies of conflict with Calhoun
o A. Internal improvements
 1. Jackson’s veto of the Maysville Road bill, 1830
 2. Attitude toward other internal improvements
o B. The nullification issue
 1. South Carolina’s concern about the tariff
 2. Calhoun’s theory of nullification
 3. The Webster-Hayne debate
 a. Original issue of the debate
 b. Views of Hayne and Webster
 4. Jackson’s toast at the Jefferson Day dinner
o C. The final break with Calhoun
 1. Crawford’s letter relating to Calhoun’s disciplining of Jackson
 2. Cabinet shake-up
 3. Van Buren’s appointment to Britain killed by Calhoun
 4. Calhoun takes lead of nullifiers
V. The nullification crisis
o A. The tariff problem
o B. South Carolina’s actions of nullification
o C. Jackson’s response
 1. Nullification proclamation
 2. Troop reinforcements
 3. “Force bill“
 4. Compromise tariff
o D. Resolution of the crisis—who won?
VI. Jackson’s Indian policy
A. Jackson’s attitude
B. Indian Removal Act and treaties
C. Indians in the Old Southwest
D. Black Hawk War
E. Seminole War
F. Cherokees’ Trail of Tears
 1. Georgia’s legal actions against the Indians
 2. Supreme Court rulings
 3. Jackson’s reaction
 4. Cherokee removal
VII. The bank controversy
o A. The bank’s opponents
o B. Jackson’s views
o C. Biddle’s effort to recharter
o D. Jackson’s grounds for veto
o E. The election of 1832
 1. Innovations of the Anti-Masonic party
 2. National conventions of the National Republicans and the Democrats
 3. Results of the election
o F. Contentious politics
o G. Campaign innovations
o H. Jackson’s removal of deposits
 1. Basis for his actions
 2. Changes in the secretary of the treasury
 3. Removals to pet banks
o I. Economic reaction to the removal
 1. Contraction of credit in Biddle’s bank
 2. Speculative binge
 3. Increase in land sales
 4. State indebtedness
o J. Bursting the bubble
 1. Distribution Act
 2. Specie Circular
 3. International complications
 a. Specie from Britain, France, and Mexico
 b. Decrease in British investments
 4. Banks in crisis
VIII. Van Buren and the new party system
o A. Emergence of the Whigs
 1. Sources of support
 2. Whig philosophy
o B. Van Buren, the Democratic nominee
o C. Whig candidates
o D. The 1836 election
IX. Van Buren’s administration
o A. Van Buren characterized as the Little Magician
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B. The panic of 1837
 1. Causes and effects
 2. Government reaction
o C. Proposal for an independent Treasury
 1. Basis for the concept
 2. Passage in 1840
o D. Other issues of the times
 1. Slavery in the District of Columbia
 2. The northern boundary
X. The election of 1840
o A. The Whigs pick Harrison
o B. Nature of the campaign
o C. Results of the election
XI. Assessing the Jackson years
o A. Voter participation increased
o B. Historical interpretations
o C. A closing assessment