The Jackson Era
Goal Two Part 2
Topics to Consider
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Election of 1824-
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The New Democratic Party – Martin Van Buren,
new campaign strategies and practices
Election of 1828(same information as above)
The War on the Bank
Indian Removal
Spoils system
Tariff of 1828
The Whig Party
The Jackson Legacy
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candidates/party/issue/outcome/significance
Andrew Jackson
Election of 1824
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Candidates: John Quincy Adams (New England), William
Crawford (Georgia), Andrew Jackson (Tennessee), Henry
Clay (Kentucky)
Party: Democratic Republican
Issues: American System (internal improvements, tariff,
bank), sectional issues,
Outcome: Jackson secured the popular vote, but did not
receive a majority of the electoral votes. Clay swung his
support to Adams, and Adams won.
Significance: Second time an election was decided by the
House (1800, 1824); illustrated sectional interests;
Jackson claimed a “corrupt bargain” had occurred.
The New Democratic Party
Andrew Jackson relied on Martin Van
Buren’s (New York) expertise as a
politician.
 Van Buren redesigned campaigning. He
organized barbecues and rallies to gain
public support for his candidate.
 The new party was named the Democratic
Party.
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The Structure of the New
Democratic Party
Democrats developed a system of local and
state committees and conventions.
 Voters were wooed by public rallies.
 The faithful were rewarded with government
jobs (spoils system). This wasn’t new under
Jackson, but he used it more than others had
before him.
 Van Buren became the Secretary of State as a
reward for his work in helping Jackson get
elected.
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Martin Van Buren
How was the country more
democratic after 1824?
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States were choosing their electors by popular vote.
New state constitutions extended voting rights to more
citizens.
Caucuses were replaced by nominating conventions.
Voter turnout rose to record highs.
All Americans were not included in the expansion of
democracy. Women, African Americans, and Native
Americans were still disenfranchised. (In fact, many new
constitutions actually took the vote away from free
blacks.)
Election of 1828
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Democrats nominated Jackson
John Quincy Adams ran against Jackson.
(Democratic Republicans)
Jackson won.
56% of the popular vote and two thirds of the
electoral votes went to Jackson; it was seen as
the victory of the common man.
The inauguration party was so rowdy that
Jackson had to be taken away for his saftey.
Election of 1828 (continued)
Issues: focus on the common man,
sectional issues
 Significance: A new party emerged,
Jackson claimed to favor states’ rights but
used his role as executive very liberally.
For example, he used his veto power more
than any other president before him.
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The Fight Against the Bank
Jackson saw the Bank of the U.S. as a tool
for the rich, elite, north.
 He wanted to kill the Bank.
 He diverted federal funds to state banks,
called “pet banks”. This effectively
crippled the Bank of the U.S.
 Vetoed the 1832 bill calling for the
renewal of the Bank of the U.S.
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Jackson’s War on the Bank
War on the Bank Video Clip
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Jackson's war on the bank
Indian Removal
Since Jefferson, U.S. policy toward the Native
Americans had been assimilation.
 Jackson favored removal.
 Indian Removal Act, 1830 targeted the Creek,
Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, and the
Seminole.
 Worcester vs. Georgia – Court ruled that
Georgia’s land seizure was unconstitutional.
Jackson’s response was, “John Marshal has
made his decision; now let him enforce it.”
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Indian Removal Act Map
Trail of Tears
The Cherokee were forced to hike from
the east coast lands to Indian Territory
(Oklahoma).
 They traveled over 1000 miles.
 More than 4000 Cherokee perished on the
journey.
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Trail of Tears
Tariff of 1828
Called the Tariff of Abominations by the south
 Called for the highest tariff on imports in
America
 John C. Calhoun, in opposition to the tariff,
resigned as Vice President, and wrote the
document “South Carolina Exposition and
Protest” calling for the nullification of the Tariff
of 1828 and hinting at the possibility of
secession if the tariff was not removed.
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Tariff, continued
Jackson’s response was called the “olive branch
and the sword”.
 The olive branch was a promise to have a
reduction in the tariff. This became the Tariff of
1833. The force was the promise of military
action against any state that did not agree to
follow the tariff law.
 Jackson did want to support states’ rights and
lower the tariff, but he did not believe in
nullification.
 The nullification crisis passed, but not without
damaging Jackson in the eyes of many.
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John C. Calhoun
The Whig Party
Because of the war on the Bank of the U.S. and
Jackson’s use of his veto power, many began to
see Jackson as a tyrant who exerted his
authority in a way that was abusive to Congress.
 The opposition, led by Henry Clay and Daniel
Webster, formed a rival party, the Whig Party.
 The Whigs were nationalists who favored strong
federal government to manage the economy, a
loose interpretation of the Constitution,
protective tariffs, internal improvements, and a
national bank.
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Jackson’s Critics
Andrew Jackson narrowly escapes
assassination — History.com This Day in
History — 1/30/1835
 Jackson's Personality and Legacy —
History.com Video
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Whig Party, continued
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The emergence of the Whigs renewed the two-party
system.
The Whigs challenged Jacksonian Democrats in local,
state, and national elections.
The two-party rivalry brought even more voters to the
polls.
In 1832, the Whigs nominated Henry Clay. Jackson
won, however, in a landslide victory, and Martin Van
Buren became his vice president.
Jackson continued his war on the bank, assisted by his
Secretary of the Treasury, Roger B. Taney. When
Marshall died in 1835, Taney was appointed Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court.
An Attempt on Jackson’s Life
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http://www.history.com/videos/attemptto-kill-andrew-jackson
The Legacy of the Jackson Era
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The formation of a strong two-party system
A greater extension of democracy to the
common man
The forging of the idea of appealing to the
masses when campaigning
Expanded the scope of presidential authority
(example: the kitchen cabinet)
Favored the elimination of a national debt
Laissez-faire approach to economics in the U.S.
The Jackson Era
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Jackson's Personality and Legacy —
History.com Video#jacksons-personalityand-legacy