Chapter

9Jacksonian

America

1820’s a period of transformation in American politics

Before few were allowed to vote

-white male-property owner/tax payer

Changes to all white males

Starts in western states

By 1840 80% of all adult males vote

Electors picked by voters not state legislatures

Political parties starting to be seen as a positive good, even a necessity for democracy

Martin van Buren

Van Buren – New York

Challenges the political elite

Party loyalty is the most important factor

Uses favors, rewards, patronage

2 party system develops again

Anti-Jackson become Whigs

Jackson followers are now Democrats

The Whigs*Commercial, Banking, Industrial development *Cautious on Western dev.

*Northern Businessmen & Southern Planters *Clay, Webster, Calhoun

Democrats*Followers of Jackson *anti-Big Business *anti-Big Government *Working class, small merchants, farmers

*Spoils System

*Party convention

*Kitchen Cabinet

Jacksonian Innovations

Webster –Hayne Debate

Senator Robert Hayne-S.C.Responds to call for slower expansion of the West

South & West should unite against tyranny of the NE

Wants support against tariff

Daniel “Black Dan” Webster

Charges Hayne and Calhoun are challenging the integrity of Union

changes focus of debate to states rights

Black Dan

Hayne, couched by Calhoun, respond by defending nullification

Webster counters with speech ending “Liberty& Union, now and forever, one and inseparable”

Later at dinner to honor T Jeff Pres. Jackson toasts “Our Federal Union, may it be preserved”

V.P. Calhoun “The Union, next to our Liberty most dear”

Nullification Crisis

•John C. Calhoun V.P.

•How to support government and South?

How can Calhoun serve in the administration and be a good son of the South?

•Hold special convention to vote law null & void in state

•Law stays null until ¾ of states make it an amendment

•State must obey or secede

Calhoun’s Plan of Nullification

Congress passes Tariff of 1832

About the same as Tariff of Abomination

South Carolina calls convention and nullifies tariff

Jackson’s Response

*Orders Federal Forts in S.C. strengthened

*Force Bill passed

Clay gets new tariff passed the gradually lowers rates

until 1842

SOUTH CAROLINA:

*repeals nullification of tariff

*nullifies Force Bill

Lessons for South Carolina:

*One state can’t go it alone -next time have friends

*Their threat lowered tariff

Why people in the West are not fond of native Americans

1. Seen as uncivilized savages2. Contact causes conflict3. We want their land

Black Hawk War

Treaty gave Salk land in Illinois to whites

Signed by rival tribe to Chief Black Hawk

Black Hawk moves his people back on the land

Governor calls out the militia to stop “invaders”

Gov

BLACK HAWK WAR

A. Lincoln J. Davis

State leaders vow to exterminate the Indians

-attack when Indians surrender-follow them across Miss. River-capture Black hawk & send him on a tour of Eastern cities

Chief Black

Hawk of the Salk

5 Civilized Tribes

*Cherokee *Creek *Seminole *Chickasaw *Choctaw

1830 – REMOVAL ACT

• Funds to negotiate for land

• Move Indians to the west

Jackson gets a treaty signed by a group of Cherokees that do not own the land

Orders everyone off the land

17,000 refuse to leave

Jackson sends army to drive all the Indian the West during the winter of 1838

TRAIL OF TEARS

Indian Intercourse Act-1834

*Sets up Indian territory

Why move Native Americans there?

Thought:*far enough away not to be in conflict with whites

*land was worthless

Seminole War

*Chief Osceola – 1835 *Use guerrilla war in swamps *7 years, 1500 soldiers, $20 m

BANK OF THE U.S.

Bank Pres. Nicholas Biddle

OPPOSITION:

Soft Money-state banks should be able to issue notes

Hard Money- think coin is only safe money

Jackson supports

hard money

Banks charter up in 1836

Biddle knows Andy out to get the Bank

Clay advises to go for re-charter in 1832

Charter passed but Andy vetoes

Clay plans to use this as election issue in 1832

Election of 1832

Jackson 219

Clay 49

Jackson kills the Bank

*Stops deposits, puts them in ‘pet’ banks

*has Roger Taney – Sec. of Treasury pull money out of Bank

BANK OF THE

U.S.

Roger Taney

For Jacksonians, the key to democracy was expansion of opportunities; political and economic

Must push aside old order that controls markets

Democrats*right of states-unless they interfere with mobility*against gov. stimulation of growth*for: honest worker, simple farmer, forthright businessman*against: established wealth’s monopolistic aristocratic methods*not against growth or wealth

Whigs

*Expanding power of federal gov.*Encourage economic development and internal improvements*Worry about rapid growth of the West*For: NE merchants, Southern Planters, rising commercial class of the West

Charles River Bridge

v.

Warren Bridge

1837

States can alter or cancel a contract if it is necessary for the well being of the community

Andy Jack handpicks van Buren to follow him

Whigs try 3 regional candidates in order to throw the election in the House

Election of 1836

Van Buren

Lawson

Webster

Harrison

170

14

26

73

PANIC

OF

1837

Causes:

*Canals & RR built *Prices up *Money plentiful *Credit easy *Land sales good

Distribution Act

*Government has surplus *gives money to states *withdraw money from State(pet) Banks *Stimulates economy more

Specie Circular

*Presidential order from A. Jack *payment for public land only by gold/silver or currency backed by gold

Results:

*Banks/businesses fail *Unemployment *Bread riots in large cities *Prices drop *RR & canal projects stop *Some states default on loans

To avoid some of this in the future van Buren gets an independent treasury to hold government fund-no longer use state banks

Election of 1840

Democrat – Martin van Buren

Whig –William Henry Harrison

LOG CABIN CAMPAIGN

Harrison candidate of:

*log cabin

*hard cider

Slogan:

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!

Whigs Win!!!!

Harrison 234Van Buren 60

HARRISON

Harrison dies

30 days into office

John

Tyler

Tyler only a Whig for a short time

In his heart he is still a Democrat

Ignores advice from Clay & Webster

Vetoes Whig bills on Internal Improvements and a new Bank of the US

Cabinet resigns

Replaces them with Dems including Calhoun