chap 13 & 17. ap parts george caleb bingham “the county election” 1845 whig party supporter
TRANSCRIPT
I. Democracy in AmericaA. B/w 1824-1840, voter participation in presidential
elections increased from 27 to 80%1. Citizenship replaced property owning as source of
political authority2. During this period restrictions on voting due to lack of
property owning & taxpaying disappeared for white men3. Western states had adopted universal manhood
suffrage at their inception4. People began choosing electors, instead of state
legislatures5. Franchise still did not exist for women, Indians & blacks
B. Politics were transformed but wealth distribution changed little
II. 19th Century PoliticsA.Two-party system necessary to democracy’s successB. Patronage & loyalty were foundation of the party
1. Jackson saw most men as capable of gov’t bureaucratic work, so political loyalty should be rewarded by the party in power (replaced 20% of officials while in office)
2. Jackson wanted political conventions to nominate presidential candidates instead of congressional caucus
C. Two new parties emerge: Democrats (Jackson’s followers) Whigs (opposition to Jackson)3. Democrats –wanted equality of opportunity & rights to
all (white, male) citizens
D. Alexis de Tocqueville in America1. Democracy in America
a. Examined politics + daily lives of Americans
b. Spread suffrage ideas into Europe + sponsored European Revolutions of 1848
c. Further shaped the notion of an “American” identity
III. The Revival of OppositionA. Election of 1824 (Clay, J.Q.Adams, Jackson,
Crawford)1. 4 candidates, but no electoral vote majority
House of Reps chooses J. Quincy-Adams (Nationalist-Republican)
2. Jackson called the election and the bargain w/Clay to become Sec. of State “the corrupt bargain”
B. Tariff of 18241. Restrict competing British imports2. Ultimately raised the prices on raw materials –
Southerners called it the “tariff of abominations”
C. Election of 18281. Democrats (Jackson) appeal to a wide base2. South, West + Mid-Atlantic =rise of sectionalism*
Indian RemovalIndian Removal Act (1830)Began the 8 year progression of native tribes from Georgia
& Florida to lands west of the MississippiConflict b/w the states, Congress & the Supreme CourtWorcester v. Georgia, 1832
J. Marshall sides with Indians saying that the states cannot make laws regulating interactions b/w citizens and Indians, only the federal gov’t
US gov’t spent $500,000 relocating IndiansHigh mortality rate for nativesOutside brokers in charge of removal put profit ahead of safety
Trail of Tears -1838 removal of 17,000+ Cherokee from Georgia
Nullification CrisisJohn C. Calhoun of SC led the nullies vs.
‘submission men’Tariff of 1832 –SC legislature nullified the
TariffCompromise of 1833 to reduce tariffs Force Bill passed by Congress said that army
can be used to collect tariff –never had to be used
Bank WarJackson thought the bank harmful to the
nationClay/Webster pushed renewal of charter to
create an anti-Jackson issue for the election of 1832Wanted veto to alienate EasternersAcceptance would alienate the west
1833 Jackson removed federal deposits placing them in state ‘pet’ banks
Congress established a Specie Circular which meant that federal land could only be purchased by the public with gold or silverPut the brakes on land speculation in the south
& west
TexasAbandoned by US in 1819 for FL (Adams-Onis Treaty)Mexico declared independence in 1821Contracted with Stephen Austin in 1823 to bring US
settlersMust be CatholicMust become ‘mexicanized’
By 1835, nearly 30,000 settlersIn 1830, Mexico outlawed slavery & slave trade –Texans
refused to complyBy 1836, full scale rebellion
Santa Anna leads Mexico to victory at The Alamo Sam Houston’s Texans capture Santa Anna & his army at San
JacintoRio Grande River becomes ‘border’ b/w Texas & MexicoHouston becomes 1st president of the Lone Star Republic
Never really enforced
Election of 1836Martin van Buren ‘the little magician’ was
Jackson self-appointed successorInherited conflicts with GB over CanadaInherited Panic of 1837
Global panic began in GB with failure of two major banks
caused by speculation in land, canals, roads & even slaves
Destruction of national bank, pet banks collapsed
Whigs in Congress led by Clay, Calhoun and Webster look to thwart MvB
MvB wouldn’t raised tariffs or extend credit
Election of 1840‘Tippecanoe & Tyler, too’ (Whigs) -William
Henry Harrison & John TylerIssue-less electionPropagandized “log cabins & hard cider vs.
mansions & champagne” (Van Buren)Triumph of popular democracyCompetitive Two-party system that was cross-
sectional & represented multi-class supportHarrison dies after 4 weeks in office; Tyler
considered ‘a democrat in whig clothing’
Tyler presidency –foreign policyDisputes with GB
Canada as a British territory offered freedom to escaped slaves
Oregon boundary 54’ 40 or 49’ parallel? Eventually 49’ parallel will become boundary Oregon
Treaty of 1846Maine boundary with Canada –settled by Webster-
Ashburton TreatyCongress wouldn’t annex Texas, so GB made
overtures to Texas to help defend & get a free-trade, abolitionist foothold in the South
Congress relents in 1845 –Texas becomes 28th state
Manifest Destiny
Idea that God manifestly destined the American people to spread their democratic spirit across the continent‘Empire & liberty”
Exemplified through policies of President James K. Polk (1845-49)Desired California, Texas & Oregon
War w/MexicoPresident Polk tried to buy California in 1846 for $25 mil.
Offer refused by MexicoGen Zachary Taylor put on Rio Grande border leading to
bloodshed; Polk asked Congress to declare warAnti-war Congressman Abraham Lincoln called for a to
know where in the US blood had been drawn -‘spot resolution’
Congress declared war in 1846US army fought all the way to Mexico City, John C.
Fremont captured CaliforniaSettled by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848
$15 mil for all of the Mexican CessionWilmot Proviso passes House, but not Senate –no slavery
in Mexican Cession