The Age of Jackson
Chapter 9
Democracy of the Common Man
Inauguration

March 4, 1829 – Americans from all regions
Party continues at the White House
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Changing Electorate
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Ohio - guaranteed all white males right to vote
Massachusetts -at convention many complain
that rich are more represented than the poor
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Daniel Webster “power naturally and necessarily follows
property”
New York -conservatives argue that tax
payers is not enough that for that property
requirements should exist for Senators

property qualification abolished
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Rhode Island
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Dorr rebellion (reform)
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two constitutions /
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two governments
Dorr arrested
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Want expanded suffrage
Trying to take RI arsenal
leads to reform
Limits
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South
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laws passed favoring traditional planters and politicians
People often times had to vote out loud
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intimidation
bribes
Trends
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number of voters increased far more rapidly than did the
population as a whole
change in method of choosing presidential electors
1800 legislation chose electors in ten of the states, by the
people in six
1828 electors chosen by the people in every state but SC
1824 fewer than 27% of adult white males voted
1828 58%
President Jackson
Personal
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Not a philosopher or
Renaissance Man
simple theory to democracy
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“equal protection and equal
benefits “
“favor no region or class”
assault on “citadels” of
eastern aristocracy
firm commitment to the
subjugation of African
Americans and Native
Americans
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Issues

Office holding philosophy (Issue #1)
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belonged to the people, not the entrenched office
holders
“spoils system” officials appoint followers
From caucus to convention for party nominations
(Issue #2)
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caucus is a body of elected officials making a decision
convention is a assembly of commoners
Political Parties
Changes

for more than thirty years, political parties are
considered evil
by 1820’s and 30’s parties are thought of as
desirable and essential to democracy
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parties give each political faction a sense of purpose
attuned to the will of the people
check and balance
Beginnings
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(Martin Van Buren “Bucktails” “Albany Regency”)
Anti-Jackson forces began to call themselves the
Whigs
Jackson’s followers began to call themselves
Democrats
Nullification Crisis (issue #3)
Southern Pride

Calhoun is Jackson’s VP (from SC)
Economy struggling in South
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soil exhausted
“tariff of abominations”
southerners begin mentioning
secession
Calhoun in a tight spot
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comes up with nullification as a
remedy
Nullification = state can override an
unconstitutional law

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idea stemmed from Jefferson’s and
Madison’s Virginia and Kentucky
Resolutions
The Peggy Eaton
Factor
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Van Buren
helps carry NY in 1828
elected gov. the same
year
resigns from governor’s
post to work as
Jackson’s Secretary of
State in 1929
The Peggy Eaton Factor
Cont’d

Tavern company
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Peggy O’Neale was the
attractive daughter of a
Washington tavern keeper
“took lodgings” with both
Andrew Jackson and his
friend Senator John Eaton
O’Neale was married, and
the mother of two
O’Neale’s husband dies in
1828
Peggy O’Neale marries
Senator Eaton shortly
thereafter
The Peggy Eaton Factor Cont’d

Calhoun’s wife
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many administration wives refuse to receive Peggy
Eaton as a member of Washington society
this outrages Jackson (remembering that the stress of
politics killed his wife)
believes it is Peggy Eaton’s modest social background
that is of offense to the elitist women
Jackson demands that members of his cabinet accept
Mrs. Eaton into their social world

Calhoun’s wife refuses the president’s demand and
Calhoun follows his wife
Webster-Hayne
debate

Robert Y. Hayne
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young Senator from SC
argued that the North
East was oppressing
both the South and the
West
Daniel Webster
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Senator from
Massachusetts
attacked Hayne (and
Calhoun) for threatening
the integrity of the union
Webster-Hayne debate Cont’d

Two issues
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Hayne (and Calhoun) end up arguing for nullification
Webster “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and
inseparable!”
President Jackson’s response
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at banquet in honor of TJ
“Our Federal Union – It must be preserved” and while
delivering this speech, he looked directly at Calhoun
Calhoun, reportedly, trembled and responded “the
Union – next to our liberty most dear”
The Removal of the Indians (Issue #4)
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White Attitudes towards the Tribes
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concept of “noble savages” being replaced with hostility
principal whites should not be expected to live in close
proximity to “savages”
desire for land and protection
Legal History
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only the federal government had authority to negotiate with
the Indians over land
Supreme Court (under John Marshall) rules that the Native
Tribes are “nations within a nation”
court further rules that tribes are sovereign nations, but
also dependent ones
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The Black Hawk War
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Sauk and Fox Indians fight last battle for the old North
West in 1831-1832
“Black Hawk”
Black Hawk refuses to obey treaty ceding lands in Illinois
to USA
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Rival tribe had signed it for them
Roughly 1000 tribe members move back onto the disputed
territory
White leaders vow to exterminate “invaders” and attacked
even as Black Hawk attempted to surrender
Sauk and Fox Indians fled West and Whites (and Sioux)
slaughtered them as they fled
Black Hawk sent on tour
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The “Five Civilized Tribes”
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Cherokee, Creek, Seminole,
Chickasaw and Choctaw
most had established settled
agricultural societies and
successful economies
Cherokee had written
language and formal
constitution policies of the
“Cherokee Nation”
Some whites even argued
that the Cherokees should
be allowed to keep their
lands
Jackson overrides the Court
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When the state of Georgia
tried to expel the Creek
Indians with it’s territory,
President Adams objected.
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi
passed similar laws supported
by President Jackson and US
Congress Indian Removal Act
of 1830
Cherokees attempted to stay
In Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
and Worcester v. Georgia the
Supreme Court supports the
tribe
Andrew Jackson laughs and
replies, “John Marshall made
his decision... Now let him
enforce it.”
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Trails of Tears
 Jackson sends General Winfield
Scott and an army of 7,000 to
round up the Cherokee and move
them west
 From Georgia to “Indian Territory”
(Oklahoma) by foot
 started in the winter of 1838
“Even aged females, apparently
nearly ready to drop in the grave,
were travelling with heavy burdens
attached to their backs, sometimes
on frozen ground and sometimes on
muddy streets, with no covering for
their feet.”
 Thousands, roughly 1/8 died
before or soon after reaching their
destination
 Between 1830 and 1838 virtually
all of the “Five Civilized Tribes”
were expelled
 Seminoles fight and are never
officially defeated or relocated
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Meaning of Removal
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Tribes ceded over 100 million acres, and in return
they got $68 million and 32 million acres of land
that was much less hospitable
policy adopted by westward settlers largely
mirrors that of original British “transplantations”
but evidence all through North America of tribes
and whites living together peacefully
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fur trading posts in the Pacific Northwest
pueblos of New Mexico
parts of Texas and California
Lewis and Clark
Canada
The Removal of The National Bank
(issue #5)
Federal vs. State Power inconsistent and
convenient
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Exercising federal power
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rebellious states (tariff of abominations)
Indian Removal
Limiting federal power
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Maysville Road veto
extravagant expenditures
Biddle’s Institution
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Bank Growth
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centered in Philadelphia
branches in 29 other cities
most powerful financial institution in the nation
Biddle’s Institution Cont’d
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Bank Growth Cont’d
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by law, bank was the only place that the federal
government could deposit it’s own funds
government owned one fifth of bank’s stock
dependable medium of exchange
Opposition
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“soft money”
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wanted more currency in circulation
state bankers
Hard money
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gold and silver only basis of money
condemned banks that issued bank notes
Andrew Jackson
Biddle’s Institution Cont’d
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Support
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North-eastern aristocracy
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Daniel Webster
Henry Clay
Political handiwork
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charter set to expire in 1836
Webster and co. persuade Biddle to apply early for new
charter
plan is to make Jackson veto it and cause the public to be
angry for 1832 election
Jackson veto’s proposal, but the public doesn’t respond
with as much anger
Jackson beats Clay in 1832 election
Biddle’s Institution Cont’d
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Destroying the “Monster”
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Jackson’s original secretary of Treasury refuses to sign the
order and was fired
The replacement also has reservations, and is fired
Jackson hires his friend Roger B. Taney to the post and they
begin placing government deposits into state banks (aka “pet
banks”)
Nicholas Biddle tries to slander the President
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called in loans
raised interest rates
Biddle’s plan backfires, Jackson grows stronger
Taney would succeed John Marshall as chief justice of the
Supreme Court
Now what?
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lost a valuable financial institution
fragmented and unstable banking system
cause problems in the economy for the next century
Democrats vs. Whigs
Democrats
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steadily expanding economic opportunities for
white males
limited role of gov’t, create opportunities and
avoid obstacles
defending union
attack centers of corrupt privilege
drew on support of
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smaller merchants and workingmen of northeast
southern planters suspicious of industrial growth
westerners who favored an agrarian society
Whigs
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expand power of federal gov’t
encouraged industrial and commercial development
embraced progress, cautious about expansion
drew support from
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wealthy merchants in Northeast
wealthy planters in the South
rising commercial class in the West
Election of 1836
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“Great Triumvirate”
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(Clay, Webster, Calhoun)
Whigs have trouble deciding who should run, thus decide
to run three
Democrats run Van Buren (hand picked by “King
Andrew”)
Votes are not split enough and Van Buren wins
President Van Buren
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Politically savvy and gifted, but not as popular as Jackson
from 1835-1837, only period in history US is Debt Free
Panic of “1837”
Before leaving office, Jackson passes policy known as “specie
cicular” states that payment for public lands can only be made with
gold or silver coins or currency backed by gold or silver
Sparked a financial panic that would haunt Van Buren “Panic of
1837”
Worst depression in US up to that point... lasted five years
Independent Treasury System
gov’t would place it’s funds in an independent treasury at
Washington and sub treasuries in other cities
No private banks would have the government’s money
government and banks are “divorced”
President Van Buren
Other events
Harrison beats Van Buren
in 1840 elections
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penny press
Log Cabin Campaign
Dies within a month of
taking office
Tyler takes over... not a
genuine Whig, alienates
party members
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war with Canada
Creole affair almost sends us
back to war with G. Britain
trade with China