Constitutional Disputes in the
Age of Jackson
1824-1840
http://www.history.com/topics/trail-oftears/videos#jacksons-personality-and-legacy
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Quick Review…
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1800-1808
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Louisiana Purchase, Lewis & Clark, Embargo of 1807
1808-1816
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James Madison…
War Hawks, War of 1812, “Mr. Madison’s War”
1816-1824
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Thomas Jefferson…
James Monroe…
Era of Good Feelings, Nationalism
S – Summarize (What do
you see?)
C – Contextualize (When
is this being made?)
I – Infer (Message?)
M – Monitor (What does
it lead us to question?)

Is this a positive or
negative depiction
of Jackson? How
can you tell?
The Election of 1824
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All candidates were DemocratRepublicans
None won a majority
John Quincy
Adams (MA)
Andrew
Jackson (TN)
Henry Clay
(KY)
William
Crawford (GA)
Electoral Breakdown
The “Corrupt Bargain”
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The House of Representatives had to vote
Adams and Clay team up

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Adams (President)
Clay (Secretary of State
Jackson claims a “corrupt bargain”
Jackson had won the popular vote
 Clay become the “Judas of the West”
 The people felt overruled
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Election of 1828

The Democrat-Republican party splits

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Democrat Party nominates Andrew Jackson
National Republican Party nominates Adams

Adams’ VP, John C. Calhoun (SC) flips sides to run
with Jackson
John Quincy Adams & the Election of 1824
Election of 1824
The “Corrupt Bargain”
Jackson’s defeat
Martin Van Buren
Election of 1828
Four-way race, no majority
(Jackson has the most popular
and electoral votes)
Henry Clay gives his support
to Adams; Adams wins,
makes Clay Sect. of State
(Jackson = “corrupt bargain”)
After losing, Jackson hires
Van Buren to run his campaign
Jackson = down-to-earth, a
common man; Adams = elitist
wins Election of 1828
“Jacksonian Democracy”
Jackson’s Victory
“Jacksonian Democracy”

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“Old Hickory”
“Log Cabin Candidate”

Appealed to the Common Man
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White Manhood Suffrage
“Westerner”

Elites thought a savage had been unleashed on
the White House
First Known Portrait of Jackson
“The Spoils System”
“King
Andrew” –
appointed
friends and
loyal advisers
to political
positions
Issue or
Conflict
Jackson’s Opinion
about the Issue
Jackson’s Solution
to the Issue
Final Outcome of
Jackson’s Solution
Jackson supports
the spoils system
Jackson was the first
president to use the
spoils system
(Election of 1828)
Leads to corruption;
people getting jobs
are not necessarily
qualified
Spoils System
(what is it?)
Awarding
political jobs to
supporters
Jackson’s Native American
Policy
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Indian Removal Act of 1830 – offered
Native Americans land west of Mississippi
(Indian Reserves) protected by the USA
Affected the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek,
and Chocktaw Indians
The Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Assimilation
Cherokee Alphabet (Sequoyah)
Worchester vs. Georgia (1832)

Cherokee take their case before the
Supreme Court

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John Marshall (Chief Justice)
Court ruled that the Cherokee could stay on
their land
Jackson ignored the order, forced removal
“…John Marshall has made
his decision, now let him
enforce it.”
Indian Removal
Map of the Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
4,000 out of 15,000 die during the journey
Issue or
Conflict
Worcester v.
Georgia
(what is it?)
Supreme Court
ruled that taking
the land from
the Indians
was illegal
Jackson’s Opinion
about the Issue
Jackson IGNORES
the ruling
Wants to remove
the Indians from the
land and give it to
American settlers
Jackson’s Solution
to the Issue
Final Outcome of
Jackson’s Solution
Trail of Tears
Indian
Removal Act
Indians will be
forced to move off
of the land
16,000 Cherokee
travel along this
route
4,000 die before
reaching their
destination
Video:
http://www.history.com/topics/trail-of-tears/videos#jackson-cherokees-tariffs-and-nullification
Discussion:
If you were a member of Congress in 1830, would you have voted
in favor of passing the Indian Removal Act? Why or why not?
Indian Removal Timeline & Primary
Source from the Cherokee
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Review the Timeline as a class & Highlight
or underline key events


Answer the questions
Cherokee Primary Source
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Questions
Issue or
Conflict
Jackson’s Opinion
about the Issue
Second Bank
of the U.S.
(what is it?)
Whig Party
supports
a national
bank; they
believe it
will promote
economic
growth
Jackson believes
the national
bank is corrupt &
and will only
benefit the wealthy
Jackson’s Solution
to the Issue
Jackson vetoes
every bill for a
national bank
Wins re-election
in 1832,
Jackson moves
federal money into
state banks
(“pet banks”)
Final Outcome of
Jackson’s Solution
Panic of 1837
(Van Buren was
President)
Greatly hurt the
US economy
Issue or
Conflict
Nullification
Crisis
(what is it?)
John C. Calhoun
& the South
want to
nullify (void)
high tariffs b/c
they threatened
the southern
economy
Jackson’s Opinion
about the Issue
Jackson’s Solution
to the Issue
Final Outcome of
Jackson’s Solution
Jackson did
NOT support
nullification
The Force Bill (1833)
gives Jackson power
to send troops to
SC if they refuse to
pay the tax
Henry Clay helped
build a compromise;
Congress lowered
the tariff & the
crisis is postponed
SC refused to pay
the tariff &
threatened to
leave the Union
Nullification = belief that states can void a federal law
“Tariff of Abominations”
Jackson as President

1832 – Easily wins a
second term

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Jackson founds the
Democrat Party
Extends Presidential
Power (uses veto
power more than all
other previous
presidents combined
– 12 times)
Opposition to Jackson

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The Whig Party
Formed to oppose
Jackson’s power
Desired an end to
“King Andrew’s”
policies
DISCUSSION
ACTIVITY
The Treasury Department is in the process of deciding
whether or not to remove President Andrew
Jackson from the Twenty Dollar bill and replace him
with someone else. They are seeking the help of
expert historians to determine whether Jackson
deserves to stay on the bill or whether he should be
removed. Why or why not does Jackson deserve
this honor?
Left Side –
Right Side –
In Support of
Jackson on the bill
5 JUDGES
Against Jackson
on the bill
Support your argument
Have at least 3 reasons/factors backing
up your argument!
How do you really feel? Should Jackson stay on the $20 bill?
Politics After President Jackson
Election of 1836
President Martin Van
Buren
Panic of 1837
Election of 1840
(“Tippecanoe &
Tyler Too”)
Martin Van Buren (Jackson’s Vice
President) wins Election of 1836
Economy goes into a full-scale
depression
William Henry Harrison (Whig)
runs for President with
John Tyler
Politics After President Jackson
“Tippecanoe & Tyler Too”
William Henry Harrison
Shortest Presidency
President John Tyler
Harrison defeats Van Buren in
Election of 1840
Three weeks after his inaugural
address, Harrison dies from
pneumonia
John Tyler takes
over, but rejects
all of the
policies of the
Whig Party
(vetoed
national bank)