“In the Full enjoyment of the gifts of Heaven and the fruits of superior industry, Economy, and virtue, every man is equally entitled to protection by the law; but when the laws undertake to add to those natural and just advantages artificial Distinctions…and exclusive privileges…the humble members of society---the Farmers, mechanics, and laborers…have a right to complain of the injustice of Their government.”

Andrew Jackson, 1832Chapter 13: The Rise of Mass Democracy 1824--1840

Democracy in the Early Republic

May 11, 1831- A twenty-six year old Frenchman (Alexis de Tocqueville) stepped ashore in NY City. He visited the US for 9 months, visited cities from Boston to Washington, floated down the Mississippi River to New Orleans.

•Four years later wrote “Democracy in America”

•“Among the novel objects that attracted my attention during my stay in the United States, nothing struck me more forcibly than the general equality of condition among the people.”

•De Tocqueville noted the gross inequality of slavery, but considered it unique to America.

By 1828 in America..

•Almost 1.2 million voters (50% of white adult male population in the US) had voted in the election that year (in France—less than 200,000 could vote, in England about 800,000 could vote.

•Politicians openly campaigned for office, parties appealed to voters through speeches, banners, parades, barbeques, free drinks, baby kissing and songs.

•By 1840, voter turnout reached 78%

The Election of 1824The Election of 1824The Election of 1824The Election of 1824

Henry ClayHenry Clay[KY][KY]

John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams[MA][MA]

John C. CalhounJohn C. Calhoun[SC][SC]

William H. CrawfordWilliam H. Crawford[GA][GA]

• Last of the old style elections!• Called the “Battle of the Favorite Son’s”• All four candidates claimed to be “Republicans”---well

organized parties had not emerged yet…• Candidate confusion common---John C. Calhoun appeared as

VP candidate on Adams & Jackson tickets.

The Election Campaign

Andrew Jackson: had the most personal appeal—especially in the West. He campaigned against the forces of corruption & privilege there= received almost as many votes as his next two rivals combined…but did not win majority of electoral votes!!

John Quincy Adams (Mass.): finished with second most electoral votes.

William H. Crawford (Ga.): had a paralytic stroke in 1823…he finishes 3rd in the voting (supported by Madison & Jefferson).

•Even with Jackson winning the popular

vote, he had to win the electoral vote as well.

•There were 261261 total electoral votes and

Jackson needed 131131 to win the electoral vote

and the election.

•Jackson did not receive a majoritymajority of electoral votes to win

the election.

•The House of Representatives had to

decide winner from among top 3 vote

getters.

The Election of 1824

Henry ClayHenry Clay (the 4th place finisher was eliminated---he went back to be Speaker of the House of Representatives).

•Clay hated Jackson (Jackson was Clay’s rival for popularity & votes in the West also).

•Clay had no formal friendship or relationship with John Quincy Adams but both were NATIONALISTS and supporters of the American System.

•Clay met with Adams to tell him & assured Adams of his support; the House voted ---giving John Q. Adams the Presidency!

•A few days later , AdamsAdams appointed Henry ClayHenry Clay as his Secretary of State Secretary of State (pathway to the Presidency)(pathway to the Presidency)….

*Jackson supporters complained of corruption and called this the **“Corrupt BargainCorrupt Bargain..”

corrupt

The Corrupt Bargain

Suspicions of a “corrupt bargain” have been strengthened by entries in the diary of John Q. Adams. On January 1,

1825, after a public dinner, he wrote,“He (Clay) told me (in a whisper) that he should be glad to

have with me soon some confidential conversation upon public affairs. I said I should be happy to have it whenever

it might suit his convenience.”In the diary entry for January 9, reads in part,

“Mr. Clay came at six and spent the evening with me in a long conversation explanatory of the past and prospective of

the future.”**There was no hard evidence of a corrupt bargain…Clay

was a natural choice for Sec. of State & Adams was an honest man…deals like this had been made in the past

with few complaints anyway.

corrupt1

John Quincy Adams1825-1829

One of the ablest men, hardest workers, and finest intellectuals ever in the White House.h Tried to promote not only

manufacturing and agriculture, but also the arts, literature, and science.

But he lacked the common touch and refused to play the game of politics.h Most found him cold and tactless.h Could not build any popular support

for his programs.

Presidential Priorities

1st Minority President ---only 30% voted for him!

His First Message to Congress set his priorities:•Build roads and canals•Build a national university•Build an astronomical observatory

His Programs were unpopular with working class AmericansWho saw his programs as a waste of money.Southerners: Why should the government pass high tariffsWhich hurt the south …then take on such frivolous debts?If the federal government could interfere in a state power 9Road building) could it one interfere with slavery?Westerners: resented Adam’s attempts to slow land SpeculationAnd his Indian friendly policies…

John Q. Adams Indian Policy

Whites in the state of GEORGIA threatened to evict the Creek & Cherokee Indians from their lands.•Adams tried to deal fairly with Indians—overturned a treaty signed by the Creek nation which gave most of their land up in Ga. in 1825 because he believed the Creek had been tricked.•Georgia Governor- angered by Adams threatened to use military force.

Adam’s as President

Refused to oust large numbers of office holders (removed only 12)

Adam is a Nationalist (Country First) when the country was moving towards sectionalism & state’s rights

New Parties Emerge

Before the elevation of John Q. Adams as president, the Democrat-Republican Party was the only national party for over a decade but it began to fracture.

After 1824…•Factions developed in support of John Q. Adams & Andrew Jackson & two new parties emerge:

1.The National Republicans: supporters of Adams & former Federalists (like Daniel Webster).

2.The Democrat-Republicans or Democrats: supporters of Jackson.

AFTER ELECTION OF 1824

JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACYPolitical world changed during the New Democracy. Two new

political parties emerge

NATIONAL NATIONAL REPUBLICANSREPUBLICANS

1. Adams, Clay and Webster

2. strong national govt.

3. Favored the BUS, tariffs, internal improvements, industry, public schools and moral reforms such as prohibition of liquor and abolition of slavery.

4. Best/privileged run the govt.

DEMOCRATSDEMOCRATS1. Jackson and Calhoun2. Believed in state’s rights and

federal restraint in economic and social affairs.

3. Favored the liberty of the individual and were fiercely on guard against the inroads of privilege into the government.

4. Protected the common man.

Andrew Jackson (1767-1845)•Born of Scots-Irish parents on the border of North & South Carolina•Hero of the Battle of New Orleans•Reputation as hot tempered; challenged three men to duel before age 40…killed Charles Dickinson but carried Dickinson’s bullet for the rest of his life.•Called “Old Hickory” by supporters•Depicted as a “frontiersman” who championed the “common man” (actually lived in plantation & owned slaves)•Campaigned against corruption and privilege of the elite•Appealed to westerners and southerners mostly

•End corrupt Politics (with Reform)

•Jackson the “frontiersman” vs. J.Q. Adams the “corrupt aristocrat”

•American System (esp. 2ND Bank of US)

Jackson and J. Q. Adams ran against each other for the

presidency

Jackson and J. Q. Adams ran against each other for the

presidency

One anti-Jackson newspaper declared,“General Jackson’s mother was a common prostitute, brought to this country by the British soldiers! She, afterwards married a mulatto man with whom she had several children, of which one was Andrew Jackson.”

•Anti-Adams people accused him of hiring a servant girl for a visiting Russian ambassador…

•Adams was accused of gambling in the White House.

•Anti-Adams people accused him of hiring a servant girl for a visiting Russian ambassador…

•Adams was accused of gambling in the White House.

•One of the worst elections in US History for its “mudslinging.”

•As a result of this, Jackson’s wife Rachel, died of a heart attack just before he became President…He blamed Adams and Clay and never

forgave them…..

•One of the worst elections in US History for its “mudslinging.”

•As a result of this, Jackson’s wife Rachel, died of a heart attack just before he became President…He blamed Adams and Clay and never

forgave them…..

Election of 1828

Rachel JacksonRachel JacksonRachel JacksonRachel Jackson

Final Divorce DecreeFinal Divorce Decree

Jackson in Mourning for His Jackson in Mourning for His WifeWife

Jackson in Mourning for His Jackson in Mourning for His WifeWife

Tomb of Jackson and his wife.

The Election of 1828

•Why such a difference between the

election of 1824 and 1828?

•Population shifts to Western States and

South which gives the Common Man more

political power

•More men voting in 1828----why?

•Property restrictions and education

dropped.

•Jackson appealed to common man because

he was one.

•Why such a difference between the

election of 1824 and 1828?

•Population shifts to Western States and

South which gives the Common Man more

political power

•More men voting in 1828----why?

•Property restrictions and education

dropped.

•Jackson appealed to common man because

he was one.

261 total electoral votes

and 131 electoral votes

to win……

Inaugural

•Jackson’s Inaugural was a victory for the Common Man•Thousands of commoners came to Washington, D.C. to

see Jackson inaugurated……

The Election of 1824 The Election of 1828

•Election of 1824, 355,817 voted.

•Election 1828,

1,155,350 voted.

voting

WMAWMA 21 yrs. old, educated 21 yrs. old, educated and property owner…….and property owner…….

Several states would drop Several states would drop property qualifications and property qualifications and education…….education…….

Andrew Jackson as Andrew Jackson as PresidentPresident

Andrew Jackson as Andrew Jackson as PresidentPresident

jackson the man

•Born March 15, 1767, on North Carolina/South Carolina border•Father died when was baby.•Read a copy of the DOI to the townspeople who were illiterate.•Hated the British and blamed them for the death of his mother and brother.•Orphaned at 13, self-educated and no formal education

JacksonJackson’’s First s First Hermitage Hermitage ResidenceResidence

JacksonJackson’’s First s First Hermitage Hermitage ResidenceResidence

Born in the Carolinas and moved to Hermitage, Tennessee

Essential QuestionEssential Question

Champion of Champion of the the ““Common Common

ManMan””??

““KingKing””Andrew?Andrew?

OROR

Jackson as President• Saw himself as protector of the

common people against abuses of power by the rich.

• Frugal “Jeffersonian” who opposed increasing federal spending & national debt.

• Vetoed more Congressional bills (12) than all six previous presidents.

* Champion of state’s rights, slave owner (stopped antislavery literature in US mail to South; yet, did not believe south could secede.

What were the democratic (Egalitarian)

trends between 1800

to 1830?

Democratic Reforms

1. Universal White male suffrage- voting opened to all white men

2. The Nominating convention replaced caucus (1832-Jackson first nominated)

3. New forms of politicking- banners, badges, parades, baby-kissing

4. More people participating (1840 election = 78% voted).

CaucusCaucus---small group of individuals who would choose a candidates to run for office

Nominating ConventionNominating Convention---members from the political parties nominate a candidate. Eliminated, “King Caucus”

Direct PrimaryDirect Primary---allow registered voters to participate in choosing a candidate

Which of these would be the most democratic way to nominate a candidate for your party to run against the opposition party for public office?

1790 to 18281790 to 1828

1828 to 1828 to 19001900

Current System Used

•Population shift and West becomes politically powerful

•Jackson appealed to the Common Man

• attacked corruption & privilege by elites

Voter Turnout: 1820 - Voter Turnout: 1820 - 18601860

Voter Turnout: 1820 - Voter Turnout: 1820 - 1860186026.9

57.4

55.4

57.8

78

78.9

72.7

69.6

78.9

81.2

The Rise of a The Rise of a Democratic SocietyDemocratic Society

The Rise of a The Rise of a Democratic SocietyDemocratic Society

• European visitors to the U.S. in the 1830s were amazed by the informal manners and democratic attitudes of Americans – Alex de Tocqueville

• The hero of the age was the “self-made man”

• European visitors to the U.S. in the 1830s were amazed by the informal manners and democratic attitudes of Americans – Alex de Tocqueville

• The hero of the age was the “self-made man”

The Spoils System

• Definition: *Rewarding political supporters with public office

• Introduced in the federal government on a large scale by Jackson

• “Every man is as good as his neighbor”• Bring in new blood- everyone can learn to

govern• *Important part of the new two party system=

cemented loyalty to party over economic or geographic claims.

Problems with Spoils System • Led to corruption, ineptitude & scandal (people

bought public office, incompetents hold office)

•Peggy (O(O’’Neal)Neal) Eaton was the wife of Jackson’s secretary of war (John Eaton) who was the

target of malicious gossip by other cabinet wives •Jackson became her ““championchampion”” and stood up

for her because of what happened to his late wife, Rachel….

•Caused many of his cabinet members to resign including VP John Calhoun a year later

VP Calhoun resigns (1831) and goes back to South

Carolina.New VP- Martin Van Buren

Jackson creates the “kitchen cabinet” which were his trusted informal

advisers/friends.