The Rise of Mass Politics, 1820-1840
APUSH – Mr. Hesen
The “New Democracy”
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1820s-1840s
Politicians made an effort to appeal to common man
Most politicians were wealthy
Change in emphasis:
– Jeffersonian – Govt. for the people
– Jacksonian – Govt. should be done directly by the people
The “New Democracy”
• Based on universal male suffrage
– No more property qualifications
– No African American males
• New voters demanded politicians that looked out
for common interests
The “New Democracy”
• Rise of workingmen’s parties
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Laborers in the East
Working demands – 10-hour day, etc.
Violent groups (esp. during depressions)
Locos Focos – NY Democrats – demanded worker rights
Percentage of Eligible
Voters Casting Ballots
Rise of Mass Politics, 1824-1840
100
Other
80
60
Whig (National
Republican in
1828 & 1832)
40
20
0
Democrat
1824 1828 1832 1836 1840
Election Year
Election of 1824: “The Corrupt Bargain”
• AKA “The Corrupt Bargain”
• Candidates:
– All “Democratic-Republicans”
– Andrew Jackson
– John Quincy Adams
– William Crawford
– Henry Clay
Election of 1824
• Jackson – most popular votes – didn’t have
the electoral vote
– 12th Amendment – HoR must choose from top
three finishers
– Clay (Speaker of the House) was in charge of
selection process
– Chose John Quincy Adams – hated Jackson
Tariff of Abominations
• Biggest issue of JQA’s presidency
– Congress increased tariffs from 23% to 37%
– Most New Englanders approved the tariff
– West and South opposed tariff
– John C. Calhoun’s “The South Carolina Exposition”
Election of 1828
• Support came from West, South, and East
Coast laborers
• Most support came from political machines in
NY and PA
• “Revolution of 1828” – peaceful, but showed
changes
– Shifting from New England to West
Andrew Jackson
“Old Hickory”
– Personified the new West
– Govt. needed to be for the common folk
• Hated Clay’s “American System”
• Like Jefferson’s ideas
• STRONG PRESIDENCY – “King Andrew I”
Jacksonian Democracy
Spoils System
– Rewarded political supporters with public offices
– Allows any number of people to hold office
– National political machine was built around
Jackson
“Kitchen Cabinet”
– Jackson’s unofficial group of advisors
– Did not answer to Congress – no checks and
balances
– Congress snubbed Jackson
• “KC” was unconstitutional – not really
Webster-Hayne Debate
– Cause: NE senator introduced a bill to
stop the sale of public lands
• Western and southern senators opposed
• New England was by itself
• Webster-Hayne Debate lasted nine days
(January 1830)
Senator Robert Y. Hayne
– From South Carolina – Calhoun protégé
– States rights
– Accused NE of disloyalty
– Proclaimed that nullification was the only
means of protecting Southern rights
Daniel Webster
– Spoke out for NE
– Insisted that people not states framed
Constitution
– Assailed nullification
– “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and
inseparable”
Peggy Eaton Affair
– Wife of Sec. of War – John Eaton
– Snubbed by Jackson’s cabinet members
– Purged Calhoun’s allies from Cabinet
– Calhoun resigns in 1832
• Tariff controversy weighed hard on the relationship
• Became a FIERCE sectionalist
Nullification Controversy (1832)
– South Carolina still fuming over ToA
– Tariff of 1832
• Jackson lowered the tariff to appeal to South
• Lowered only 10% - NOT EVEN CLOSE ENOUGH
• SC – nullified the Tariff – threatened to secede from
Union
• Henry Clay – Tariff of 1833 (Compromise…AGAIN)!
– Favored by South
– Force Bill (1833) – President could use military force to collect
tariffs
Election of 1832
– Henry Clay (National Republican) vs. Andrew
Jackson (Democrat)
– Clay ran on his “American System” – Jackson killed
the BUS
– Jackson beats Clay (219-49)
• Jackson had mass support from voters
Significance of Election of 1832
– Appearance of first 3rd Party System: AntiMasonic Party
– Opposed the Masonic Order – George Washington
and Ben Franklin
– Accused secrecy in government – attracted
evangelical groups (religion)
– National nominating conventions were organized
by all three parties
Jacksonian Democracy
Economics and States’ Rights
• Main aim: Divorce government form economy
– Laissez faire economics
• End of the BUS
– Vetoes charter in 1832
– “Pet Bank” scheme – transferred federal money to
23 state “pet banks” - kills 2nd BUS
– Specie Circular – public land now had to be
purchased with hard currency
Indian Removal
Indian Removal Act (1830)
– Jackson proposed the removal of Indians from
South (Five Nations: Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw,
Chickasaw, and Seminoles)
– More than 100,000 Indians were forcibly uprooted
and moved in 1830s – Bureau of Indian Affairs
– Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1832)
– Worcester v. Georgia (1832)
Trail of Tears
– 1838 – 18,000 Cherokees force marched to Oklahoma
• 4,000 died as a result – malnutrition, exposure, cholera, and
treatment
• 25% Choctaws perished
– Black Hawk War – 1832 – Illinois and Wisconsin natives
refused land removal west of Great Lakes
• Crushed by U.S. troops – opened up Lake Michigan to settlement
Panic of 1837
– Causes:
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OVERSPECULATION…..AGAIN!!!!
Speculated to build canals, roads, and spread slavery
Jackson’s presidency hurt economy
British banks failed and called in foreign loans
– Results:
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American banks collapsed
Prices fell sharply
Factories closed; unemployment soared
Van Buren chose to stay out of the Panic – limited
government
Treasury Bill of 1840 (Divorce Bill)
– Wanted to divorce government from banks
– Felt federal funds given to private banks fueled
Panic of 1837
– Independent Treasury System
• Govt. placed surplus funds in banks in larger cities
• Condemned by Whigs
Election of 1840
– William Henry Harrison (“Tippacanoe and Tyler
Too!!!/Log Cabin and Hard Cider)
– Martin Van Buren renominated by Dems
– Van Buren was blamed for the Panic
– Harrison pummels Van Buren (234-60)
– Significance
• First mass turnout election in history
• Propaganda and slogans set example for future
• Liberty Party – third party in election