The Jacksonian Era

Chapter 9

Focus

• Open your text to the list of presidents on page 958 and list the names of 5 unsuccessful presidents and 5 successful presidents

• How many of the successful Presidents were elected by a large popular majority?• How many were not?• Unsuccessful presidents?

• Why is winning a large popular majority often so important in determining how successful a President is?

Election of 1824The candidates

State of origin

Candidates advantage

Candidates disadvantage

Popular vote

Electoral vote

State vote in house of representatives

John Q. Adams

Henry Clay

William Crawford

Andrew Jackson

Election of 1824The candidates

State of origin

Candidates advantage

Candidates disadvantage

Popular vote

Electoral vote

State vote in house of representatives

John Q. Adams

Mass. Secretary of the State, former presidents son

Frigid manner, poor vote getter

108,740

84 13

Henry Clay KY Speaker of the House, warm and charming, good guy

47,136 37

William Crawford

GA Secretary of the Treasury, Supported by Jefferson, Madison and Monroe

Stricken by paralysis

46,618 41 4

Andrew Jackson

TN Hero of New Orleans

No one knew where he stood on issues

153,544

99 7

Identify Alternatives

• Adams was chosen the winner by the House of Representatives after Speaker of the House Henry Clay threw his support behind him instead of Andrew Jackson. Jackson’s supporter’s felt cheated.

• Were they?• How would such an indecisive outcome

be handled in a parliamentary system, such as Great Britain?

• Would such a charge of unfairness arise in a Parliamentary System?

Reasoned Judgment

• Historians evaluate Presidents by asking how many of their goals were good for the nation, and by determining how many of those worthwhile goals they were able to achieve – by, for example, getting Congress to enact new laws.

• What were John Q. Adams goals?• How many did he achieve?• How can his inability to achieve his

goals be explained?

Close

• Why do television newscasters spend so much time analyzing the credibility and voter appeal of third party candidates in Presidential elections?