America
1828–1850
Essential Questions
• What challenges did the nation face between 1828
and 1850?
• In what ways did the two-party system and partisan
politics both help and hinder the government’s ability
to address the nation’s problems?
• How did governmental leaders and policies affect
Native Americans during this time period?
• In what ways did the country evolve and grow
between 1828 and 1850?
• How did social movements during this period work
against the status quo?
Andrew Jackson:
Early Life and Career
• Born in 1767
• Experiences in
Revolutionary War
instilled hatred of
the British
• Career as a lawyer
• TN congressman, senator,
and Supreme Court justice
• Cotton farmer and
general store owner
Illustration showing Jackson as a child
getting wounded by a British soldier
Early Life and Career (continued)
Painting depicting Jackson at the
Battle of New Orleans
• War of 1812:
– Creek War, Battle of
Horseshoe Bend
– Battle of New Orleans
• First Seminole War
(1817–1819)
• Governor of Florida
Territory (1821)
The Election of 1824 and the
“Corrupt Bargain”
• Four DemocraticRepublican candidates
• Jackson, JQ Adams,
Clay, Crawford
• Jackson won the most
electoral votes but not
a majority
• Election decided by the
House; Clay supported
Adams, who won
A cartoon depicting the 1824 election as
a foot race between the four candidates
The “Corrupt Bargain” (continued)
• Jackson
likely won the
popular vote
• Accused Clay
of backing
Adams in return
for secretary of
state position
• Little supporting
evidence
John Quincy Adams
Henry Clay
The Election of 1828
• Adams vs. Jackson again
– Adams: National Republican
– Jackson: Democrat
• Bitterness and accusations
during the campaign
• Jackson’s strong base
of support
• Van Buren campaigned
for Jackson
• Jackson won
“Jacksonian Democracy”
• Strict interpretation
of Constitution
• Hands-off approach
to economy
• “Spoils” (patronage)
system
“Jacksonian Democracy”
(continued)
• Manifest Destiny
• Indian relocation
• Increased suffrage
for white men
• President for the
“common man”
“As long as our government
is administered for the good
of the people, and is
regulated by their will; as
long as it secures to use the
rights of persons and of
property, liberty of
conscience and of the press,
it will be worth defending.”
—Andrew Jackson
Jackson’s Inauguration
• Mobs of “regular
people” attended
inauguration for
champion of the
“common man”
• Unruly crowd
followed him to
Executive Mansion
• Chaos in
the mansion
• Jackson fled to
a hotel