Chapter 12 Jacksonian Democracy (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Prologue: 1819 • Jacksonian Democracy rooted in 2 events: – Heated debate over Missouri’s admission as a slave state – Severe financial collapse led to Americans’ doubt of the market revolution under Jeffersonian republic (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The West, 1803-1840s • • • • Louisiana—Jefferson’s “empire of liberty” Meriwether Lewis and William Clark Sacajawea Time passes – Americans settle southern part – Sioux dominate northern part (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Argument over Missouri • Slaveholding Missouri applies for admission as a state • James Tallmadge, Jr. – Tallmadge amendments – “three-fifths” rule • House opposed to Missouri as a slave state • Senate in favor of Missouri as a slave state (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Missouri Compromise • Maine detached from Massachusetts as a new free state • Jesse Thomas and the Thomas Proviso – No slavery North of 36’ 30” minutes in Louisiana Purchase area • Crisis brought out evidence of: – South’s commitment to slavery – North’s resentment of southern political power (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Panic of 1819 • Origins of the Panic of 1819 – Drop in American foodstuff exports – Easy credit and speculative boom in the U.S. • Second Bank of the United States – Langdon Cheves • Nationwide collapse in the economy • Rise in unemployment • Resentment against the Bank of the United States (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Republican Revival • Republicans called for a Jeffersonian revival that would limit government power and guarantee southern rights within the Union (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Martin Van Buren Leads the Way • Invented modern, disciplined patronage based party • “Era of Good Feelings” in Van Buren’s view – Led to Federalist state – Sectional politics • Salvation was disciplined national party (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Election of 1824 • William H. Crawford: Candidate of Van Buren and the Congressional Caucus • John Quincy Adams: Federalist convert • Henry Clay: American System • John C. Calhoun: Vice-President • Andrew Jackson: the wild card – Frontier nabob with violent reputation – Florida – Popular war hero (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved “A Corrupt Bargain” • Jackson assumes he won 1824 election • House of Representatives decides • Clay’s support toward a candidate would determine the outcome of the Presidential elections – Clay offered his support to Jackson, then Adams, in exchange for appointment as secretary of state – Jackson refused, Adams accepted • Reaction very negative and dominated Adams administration (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Jacksonian Melodrama • Jackson’s claims that selfishness and intrigue had corrupted the republic – – – – Panic of 1819 caused by corrupt Bank of U.S. National debt a source of corruption King caucus Theft of 1824 election • Individuals can become corrupt and selfish, but the democratic majority was, by nature, opposed to corruption and governmental excess • Republic is only safe when governed by the will of the majority (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Nationalism in an International Arena • Adams’s role in American politics prior to the Presidency • Rush-Bagot Treaty (1817) and the BritishAmerican Convention (1818) • Adams-Onis Treaty (1819) • Monroe Doctrine (1823) (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Nationalism at Home • Adams isolated himself and offended popular democracy • Proposed ambitious national development plan • Easily portrayed as enemy of democracy and proponent of high taxes and intrusive government (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Birth of the Democratic Party • Van Buren – Supports Jackson, but as head of disciplined, Democratic party committed to Jeffersonian ideals – Calhoun – Thomas Ritchie and Virginia Republicans • Rebuilding Jeffersonian Coalition with the Democratic Party – National party committed to states’ rights and minimal government (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Election of 1828 • Slander more than debate of public policy • Adams’s supporters attack Jackson – – – – Duels and brawls Coffin handbill Bigamist with Rachel Donelson Jackson Strategy backfires, many see Jackson as melodramatic hero • High voter turnout and Jackson landslide • Victory of popular melodrama over cultural gentility (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved A People’s Inauguration • Rowdy inaugural crowd • Rachel’s death • No more King Caucus or Corrupt Bargains (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Spoils System • Secretary of State Van Buren • “Spoils system” or “rotation in office” • 10% of officeholders replaced (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Jacksonian Democracy and the South: • Jackson got 80% of Southern vote • How to protect Southern interest in limited government – Calhoun: states veto federal legislation – Van Buren: political party committed to states’ rights within the union Southerners and Indians • “Civilized Tribes” sanctioned by federal government • Resented by white Southerners as challenge to states’ rights • Georgia Governor George Troup’s land grab • Cherokee Republic (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Indian Removal • Indian Removal Act of 1830 • John Marshall – Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1830) – Worcester v. Georgia (1832) – “Marshall has made his decision: now let him enforce it.”—Andrew Jackson • “Trail of Tears” (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Southerners and the Tariff • “Tariff of Abominations” (1828) – Van Buren’s role • Increases sense of Southern unease – Diminished cotton exports – Increased price of imports that the South depended on – Showed willingness of other agrarian regions to make deals contrary to interest of slave owning South (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Nullification • Exposition and Protest (1828) – Virginia and Kentucky Resolves (1798) • Jefferson birthday dinner toasts – Jackson: “our federal union, it must be preserved” – Calhoun: “the union, next to our liberties, the most dear” • • • • Tariff of 1832 South Carolina’s Nullification Convention Force Bill (1833) Compromise Tariff of 1833 (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The “Petticoat Wars” • Peggy O’Neal Timberlake Eaton and Secretary of War John Eaton • Parallels with Andrew and Rachel • Floride Bonneau Calhoun • Widower Martin Van Buren – Nice to Eaton – Leaks anti-Jackson letter from Calhoun (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Fall of Calhoun • • • • Van Buren and rest of cabinet resign “Kitchen Cabinet” New cabinet does not have Calhoun supporters Van Buren is Jackson’s 1832 running mate and designated successor • Calhoun loses (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Petitions, the Gag Rule, and the Southern Mails • Jackson and Democrats successfully opposed moral issues in politics • “Postal campaign” and petitions – Postmaster Amos Kendall – “Gag rule” • Southerners see disciplined Democratic Party as guarantor of their interests (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Jacksonian Democracy and the Market Revolution • Nostalgic loyalty to Jefferson’s agrarian republic • Tried to reconcile Market Revolution to principles of republic • Paper money and the American System were corrupt and anti-republican • Whigs spring up in opposition to Jacksonians The Second Bank of the United States • The Bank of the United States exercised central control over the nation’s monetary and credit systems • Millions resented and distrusted the national bank as a privileged, powerful institution • Jackson saw the bank as concentration of power that threatened the republic (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Bank War • Clay and the 1832 bank recharter • Jackson bank veto message – Bank is special privilege that allows Northeastern and British merchants to take Southern and Western wealth • Election of 1832: pro-Jackson, anti-bank landslide • “Pet Banks” and Roger Taney (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Beginnings of the Whig Party • Origin of the name Whig • “King Andrew I” • Anti-American System – Maysville Road veto • Nicholas Biddle calls in Bank of U.S. loans • Clay and the Senate Censure of Jackson (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved A Balanced Budget • Budget surplus – Tariffs brought in more revenue – Jackson administration spent little – Sale of public lands brought in more revenue • National debt paid off 1833 • Deposit Act (1836) • Specie Circular (1836) (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved “Martin Van Ruin” • Election of 1836 – Whigs 3 candidate sectional strategy – Van Buren’s national Democratic party wins • Panic of 1837 – Whigs blame Jackson’s hard money policy and specie circular – Democrats blame speculation and paper money • “Sub-Treasury” (“Independent Treasury”) (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved The Election of 1840 • “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” – William Henry Harrison – John Tyler • “Log Cabin Campaign” • “Martin Van Ruin” (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Two Parties • Election of 1840 – Signaled the solidification of the second party system – Both parties competitive in all regions – High voter turnout (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved Conclusion • By 1840 American politics was 2 party national system – Whigs: the American System – Democrats: limited government • 1830-1860: The growth of American economy became a question of state and local government actions • Growing political problems surrounding slavery • The 2-party system focused national political debates on economic development, not sectional issues like slavery (c) 2003 Wadsworth Group All rights reserved