ANDREW JACKSON
7TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Andrew Jackson
7th President of the United States
EARLY LIFE
• Andrew Jackson was born in a log cabin in the
backwoods of the Carolinas in 1767.
• Jackson joined the Patriots during the
American Revolution at the age of 13.
• At the age of twenty, Jackson moved to
Nashville, Tennessee, where he eventually
becomes a wealthy attorney.
PUBLIC SERVICE
• Jackson became the first person from Tennessee to
serve in the House of Representatives and he also
served as Senator before becoming President in 1828.
• As a young general in the army, President James
Monroe sent Jackson to protect the border of Florida
against the Seminole and Creek Indians.
• After defeating the Creeks battle, they began to refer
to Jackson as “Sharp Knife” after Jackson forced them
to give up lands that had been guaranteed to them in
earlier treaties with the U.S.
WAR HERO
• Jackson also gained fame for his military
achievements during the War of 1812 leading
American forces to victory over the British in
the Battle of New Orleans.
• Jackson earned the nickname, “Old Hickory”
after a soldier said that he was “tough as
hickory.”
ELECTIONS
• While earning the most popular votes in the presidential election of
1824, Jackson did not receive enough electoral votes to secure the
victory.
• Henry Clay used his influence as Speaker of the House of
Representatives to convince the House of Representatives to choose
John Quincy Adams. Jackson was furious and called this a “corrupt
bargain”.
• Choosing from the top three vote getters, the House of
Representatives selected John Quincy Adams to be the sixth
president of the United States.
• However, Jackson easily defeated Adams in the election of 1828 to
become the first President from a western state.
• Jackson split from the Democratic-Republican Party and formed the
Democratic Party.
Election of 1824
Q: How many
electoral votes were
needed to win the
election?
+
261 total electoral votes
A: 131 electoral votes
were needed to win the
election to establish a
majority
JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY
• Jackson was extremely popular with the “common man”, which he
considered to be farmers, factory workers and western frontiersmen.
• Jackson’s belief in shifting the political power from the wealthy and
educated elite to the “common man” was part of what became known as
Jacksonian democracy.
• Throughout his career, Jackson helped pass laws that opened voting to
most white males by removing the requirement that they must own land.
• However, Jackson’s critics viewed his popularity as a danger sign that his
presidency was coming to resemble that of a king.
• As a result, Jackson earned yet another nickname. His opponents called
him “King Andrew”, fearing Jackson’s intentions of strengthening the
powers of the presidency.
• Andrew Jackson also use the power of the veto as a weapon to assert his
authority in government.
THE SPOILS SYSTEM
• Upon assuming the Presidency, Jackson fired
over 200 government workers and replaced
them with his own Democratic supporters.
• A supporter of Jackson’s replied to criticism of
the president by stating, “To the victor belong
the spoils.”
• Spoils system – practice of rewarding
supporters with government jobs
• Jackson appointed some of his most dedicated
supporters with jobs within his Cabinet,
although few of them were qualified for the
job.
• Instead of relying on his Cabinet for advice,
Jackson relied on a small group of unofficial
advisors known as the “kitchen cabinet” since
Jackson frequently met with them in the
White House kitchen.
THE NULLIFICATION CRISIS
• High protective tariffs were passed which benefited the
Northern industries, but hurt Southern farmers.
• In 1828 (under John Quincy Adams) an extremely high tariff
(Tariff of 1828) was passed and considered so horrible that
it was nicknamed the “Tariff of Abominations”.
• South Carolina argued that the tariffs could be nullified by
the states because they were unfair, and threatened to
secede from the United States.
• Andrew Jackson threatened to use military force in South
Carolina to enforce the federal law.
• A compromise was made which included lowering the taxbut his Vice President (Henry C. Calhoun- South Carolina)
resigned before the compromise was made.
THE BANK WAR
• Jackson believed that the Bank of the United
States had too much power and served the needs
of the rich over those of average Americans.
• For example, the Bank of the United States had
the ability to limit the amount of money state
banks were allowed to lend to small business
owners such as farmers and merchants.
• Jackson felt particular anger towards the bank’s
president, Nicolas Biddle.
NICHOLAS BIDDLE
Henry
Clay
Andrew
Jackson
• Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, political
enemies of Jackson, devised a plan to exploit
Jackson’s hatred of the Bank of the United
States to help weaken him before the 1832
presidential election.
Well, first we need to get the
president of the Bank of the
United States, Nicholas Biddle in
here. He’ll help us. He and
Jackson hate each other!
Okay, what
have you
got?
Henry Clay Daniel Webster
Hello,
gentlemen. I
came as quickly
as I could!
Nicholas Biddle
• Clay and Webster convinced Nicholas Biddle
to submit his application to renew the charter
for the Bank of the United States earlier than
required.
Yes, thank you for coming. Mr. Biddle, I
would like you to submit an application
to renew the charter for the Bank of
the United States.
Yeah, the current
charter isn’t even
set to expire soon!
What would
that prove?
Henry Clay Daniel Webster
Nicholas Biddle
Don’t be so short sighted! What do
you think Jackson will do when you
apply to renew the charter?
I don’t know. Veto
it?
I’m sure that’s
exactly what
he’ll do.
Henry Clay Daniel Webster
Nicholas Biddle
• Clay, Webster and Biddle predicted that
Jackson would veto the charter application,
angering so many Americans that he would
eventually lose his bid for reelection in 1832.
Precisely! The American people will
be furious with him. He’ll never win
reelection in 1832! (By the way, did
I mention that I’m going to run for
president in 1832?)
Brilliant!!
By golly, I think
it’ll work!!
Henry Clay Daniel Webster
Nicholas Biddle
• It turns out that Clay, Webster and Biddle
underestimated Jackson’s popularity.
• Jackson defeated Clay in the election of 1832
• Jackson also succeeded in destroying the
Bank of the United States by having it shut
down in 1836.
• Jackson withdrew all federal money and put it
in state banks run by his friends.
INDIAN REMOVAL ACT
• Native Americans occupied land that was rich in fertile
soil and contained gold.
• Jackson attempted to buy land in Mississippi, Alabama,
and Georgia from the Native American tribes, but
many groups (Seminole and Cherokee) refused to sell.
• Cherokee petitioned the Supreme Court.
• Supreme Court ruled that the Cherokees could keep
their land in Worcester v. Georgia.
• Andrew Jackson refused to obey the ruling and said
“John Marshall has made his decision, now let him
enforce it.”
• Native Americans were “given” land west of the
Mississippi River in exchange for their land east of
the Mississippi River
• Some tribes went peacefully, but some resisted.
• Cherokee nations were given 2 years to move or
they would be forced out at the end of 2 years.
• At the end of the 2 years, soldiers came and
removed them, while white settlers looted their
homes.
• Their route to the west (Oklahoma) was long and
thousands died from starvation, exposure, and
disease.