Chapter 9—Jacksonian America
“BIG PICTURE” QUESTIONS FOR SECTION I:
1) How did the American electorate change in the early 1800s? How did political parties (and people’s opinions
about them) change during this time?
I. The Rise of Mass Politics
1. Jackson’s Inauguration—What happened at Jackson’s inauguration? How did common people view it? How did the wealthy
view it?
A. Expanding Democracy—What is “the franchise”? What is “suffrage”?
1. Broadening the Franchise—Until the 1820s, who had been able to vote? How did this begin to change?
2. The Dorr Rebellion—How did the Dorr Rebellion represent the struggle for a broader franchise? Did all people enjoy an
expanded right to vote?
B. Tocqueville and Democracy in America—What did Tocqueville study? What were America’s strengths? Its limits?
C. The Legitimization of Party—How did opinions change about political parties in early America? How did Van Buren and
New York exemplify these changes? What was the main goal of the leaders of these political parties?
1. The Second Party System—Who were the two main parties? Why did the Whigs form?
D. “President of the Common Man”—What policies did Jackson stand for?
1. The Spoils System—What was the spoils system, and how did Jacksonians use it?
2. Limited Nature of Democratic Reform—How widespread did opportunities become under Jackson’s administration?
“BIG PICTURE” QUESTIONS FOR SECTION II:
1) How did Andrew Jackson’s views on national/state relations differ from John C. Calhoun’s?
II.
“Our Federal Union”—What did Jackson believe about the Union?
A. Calhoun and Nullification—Why did South Carolinians oppose the “Tariff of Abominations”? What did they see as a
solution?
1. Calhoun’s Theory of Nullification—On whose ideas did Calhoun’s theory rely? Who did Calhoun believe should make the
final decision about the constitutionality of national laws? What could states do if they did not agree with a federal law?
B. The Rise of Van Buren
1. Martin Van Buren—What was the “Kitchen Cabinet”? How did domestic drama in Jackson’s administration lead to
Calhoun’s downfall in the Jackson administration?
C. The Webster-Hayne Debate—How did southerners like Hayne view the Northeastern powers?
1. States’ Rights vs. National Power—How did Daniel Webster challenge Hayne? On what side did Jackson come down in this
debate?
D. The Nullification Crisis—What did South Carolina do in reaction to the tariff? How did Jackson react?
1. Compromise—How did Henry Clay defuse the issue?
“BIG PICTURE” QUESTIONS FOR SECTION III:
1) Why and how were the Cherokee Indians removed from their lands?
III.
The Removal of the Indians—What was Jackson’s attitude towards Native Americans east of the Mississippi?
A. White Attitudes Toward the Tribes
1. Changing Attitudes Toward the Indians—How had attitudes toward Native Americans changed?
B. The Black Hawk War—How did the Black Hawk War start?
1. Sauk and Fox Indians Defeated—How did the war end?
C. The “Five Civilized Tribes”
1. Agrarian Tribes of the South—Who were the Five Civilized Tribes? How had they adapted to white society?
2. Removal Act—How did some states in the South begin to negotiate with tribes? What was the Removal Act? How did the
Cherokees fight back? How did Jackson react to the Supreme Court’s decision?
3. Cherokee Resistance—When the Cherokee refused to leave, what did Jackson do?
D. Trails of Tears
1. Cherokee Removal—Where were the Cherokee forced to go?
2. Indian Removal—What was the Trail of Tears? What happened?
3. The Seminole War—What made the Seminoles unique in their struggles with the U.S. government?
E. The Meaning of Removal—What happened to Native Americans moves west of the Mississippi?
1. Alternatives to Removal—How were white attitudes an impediment to any option other than Indian removal?
“BIG PICTURE” QUESTIONS FOR SECTION IV:
1) How did Jackson’s political philosophy weaken centralized power and strengthen “community rights”?
IV.
Jackson and the Bank War
1. Jackson’s Opposition to Concentrated Power—How did Jackson feel about concentrating power in the hands of federal
government or powerful institutions?
A. Biddle’s Institution
1. Nicholas Biddle—Where could the national government deposit its money?
2. Hard and Soft Money—What two groups opposed the Bank? What did Jackson fear?
3. Jackson’s Veto—How did Jackson’s veto of the Bank reauthorization affect his reelection in 1832?
B. The “Monster” Destroyed
1. Removal of Government Deposits—How did Jackson destroy the bank? Where did he put the nation’s money?
2. Jackson Victorious—How had Jackson’s victory affected the U.S. financial system?
C. The Taney Court
1. Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge—What happened to John Marshall? Who did Jackson appoint, and how did he differ
from Marshall? What were the facts of the Charles River Bridge case? How did the Taney court rule on the case? What was the
outcome? What did Jacksonians believes was the key to democracy?
“BIG PICTURE” QUESTIONS FOR SECTION V:
1) How did American politics change under Jacksonians in America?
V.
The Changing Face of American Politics
1. The Birth of the Whig Party—What actions by Jackson caused opposition? What did they call Jackson? Why did his
opposition call themselves the Whigs?
A. Democrats and Whigs
1. Democrats’ Emphasis on Opportunity—How did Democrats in the 1830s envision the future? What was the role of
government?
2. Whigs’ Call for Economic Union—What was the political philosophy of “Whiggery”? Who (geographically AND in terms
of class) supported the Whigs? Who (geographically AND in terms of class) supported the Democrats?
3. Anti-Masons—How did the Anti-Mason movement begin? How did it affect politics?
4. Cultural Issues—What ethno-religious groups supported each party? What three leaders sprang up within the Whig Party?
5. Clays’ American System—What was the “American System”?
6. Election of 1836—How did the Whigs hope to defeat Van Buren? Did it work?
B. Van Buren and the Panic of 1837—How were economic times when Van Buren took office?
1. Distribution Act—What was the Distribution Act and how did it affect state spending? How did Jackson feel about giving
money to the states?
2. Panic of 1837—What was the “specie circular” and how did it affect the economy? How did the Panic affect Van Buren and
the Democrats? How did Van Buren and his administration react to the depression?
C. The Log Cabin Campaign—How did the Whigs change their election strategy and who did they nominate?
1. New Techniques of Political Campaigning—How did Whig present themselves during the election of 1840 (and was it
accurate)? How did both parties try to appeal to voters? Who won the election?
D. The Frustration of the Whigs—What happened to Harrison?
1. Whigs Break with Tyler—How did Tyler disappoint the Whigs? How did they react?
E. Whig Diplomacy—What were some diplomatic accomplishments of the Whig administration?