Jacksonian Democracy:Chapter 10, Section 1

Political ideas and major events shape how people form governments. President Andrew

Jackson brought many changes to the American political system.

The Elections of 1824 and 1828• Main Idea: Adams and

Jackson introduced new ways of campaigning in the elections of 1824 and 1828.

The Election of 1824• Several Republican candidates for president, three

“favorite sons” – their home states supported them rather than the national party– Henry Clay (KY)– Andrew Jackson (TN)– John Quincy Adams - son of President John Adams (MA)

• Jackson won popular vote and plurality (largest single share), but no candidate received the majority (more than half) electoral votes

• With no majority vote, the House of Reps. had to select president (12th Amendment)

• Clay & Adams made an agreement…– Clay would influence House

to select Adams– Adams would in turn make

Clay Sec. of State– Jackson and followers

accused them of making a “corrupt bargain” and stealing election

• Set tone for Adams presidency...

The Election of 1828• Two political parties• Democratic-Republicans:

– Favored states’ rights– Mistrusted strong central

government– Frontier people, immigrants, city

workers• National Republicans:

– Backed Adams– Wanted strong central govnt– Supported federal measures

(road building, national bank)– Merchants and farmers

• During campaign, both parties resorted to mudslinging

• Adams...– Passed out pamphlet

attacking Jackson– Illustration of Jackson

stabbing a civilian• Jackson...

– Accused Adams of kidnapping a young girl and selling her to the ruler of Russia

• New campaign strategies including slogans, rallies, and buttons became permanent practices

• Jackson won votes of frontier people and those in South

• John C. Calhoun switched parties in order to run with Jackson

• Won in a landslide: 56% of popular vote/178 electoral

1. Why were Adams and Clay accused of making a “corrupt bargain”?

2. Why were Jackson’s supporters so angry about the “corrupt bargain”? Was such a bargain between Adams and Clay unethical, or simply an ordinary political agreement?

Jackson as President• Main idea: The United States’s political system

changed under Andrew Jackson, becoming more democratic. • Popular and admired…

• Gained fame during War of 1812

• Nicknamed “Old Hickory” because he was tough as a hickory tree

• Farmers/workers/”common man” admired his rise from poverty to the White House

• Wife died after election, never saw him become president

Jackson as President• Voting rights changed…

– Jackson promised “equal protection and equal benefits” for all (white American men...)

– Suffrage given to white men who owned property/paid taxes (improvement from previous years)

– Women, African Americans, and Native Americans still had little to no rights at all.

– Selection of presidential electors also changed - allowing more people than just state legislatures to choose presidential electors

Spoils System• Democrats wanted to shake up

federal bureaucracy• Argued that ordinary citizens

could handle any govn’t jobs• Jackson replaced many federal

workers with his supporters• Many called him a tyrant• He believed a new set of

employees would be good for democracy

• Surrounded himself with trusted advisors…met in the White House kitchen…became known as the “kitchen cabinet”

• “To the victor belong the spoils”– Benefits of victory/

presidential win

Electoral Changes• Jackson’s supporters wants to

make the political system more democratic...– Abandoned unpopular caucus

system– Replaced by nominating

conventions• 1st national party convention –

Baltimore 1832– Delegates from each state in

the Union– Delegates decide to nominate

the candidate who could earn 2/3 vote

– Jackson won nomination

1. Compare the caucus system and nominating conventions. Why was the new system more popular with the people?

Tariff Debate• Main idea: Fight over tariffs divided

the nation & raised question of states’ rights versus the rights of the federal government.

• In 1828 Congress passed a law that placed a very high tariff on manufactured goods from Europe– Northeast welcomed tariff (made

European goods more expensive)– Southerners despised tariff (lack of

manufacturing in South meant they did not benefit as the North did)

– “Tariff of Abomination” – while forced to buy American, prices were higher

How Did the South Protest?• VP Calhoun argued that

states had the right to nullify a federal law considered to be against states’ interest

• Southerners called for succession to form a new government

• Brought up new questions…– What if a state disagreed with

federal govn’t?– Did states have the right to go

their own way?– What would happen?– What would be breaking point?

Federal Governmentmade up of

StatesTherefore have

power to decide if laws are

Constitutional(really the job of

Supreme Court/Congress)

Webster-Hayne Debate• Daniel Webster (MA Senator):

– Attacked nullification– Defended Constitution and

Union– Nullification = end of Union– “Liberty and Union, now and

forever, one and inseparable!”• Robert Hayne (young Senator

from SC):– Defended idea that states had

the right to nullify and secede

Jackson Takes a Stand

• Nobody knew Jackson’s thoughts on nullification until 1830…– “The Union…must be

preserved!”– Calhoun realized

differences in views and resigned vice presidency

Nullification Crisis• Anger over tariff continued/Union on verge of splitting• 1832 Congress passed lower tariff hoping protest in South

would die down (didn’t work)• South Carolina passed Nullification Act, refusing to pay

“illegal” tariffs and threatening secession• President Jackson supported a compromise bill

– Congress passed a Force Bill (military allowed to enforce acts of Congress) just to get South to accept compromise

• In response South Carolina nullified the Force Act– South thought they had won– But realized that states couldn’t leave Union without a fight

1. How did the political system change under Jackson?2. Why did South Carolina pass the Nullification Act?3. Why did the House of Representatives select the president in

the 1824 presidential election?4. What election practices used in the 1828 presidential

campaign are still used today?5. What was the main reason President Adams was not popular

with the Democratic-Republicans?