Whigs

• Founded in response to the “tyranny” of Andrew Jackson

• Named themselves after the Whigs of Great Britain who were a party that formed in response to the tyranny of the monarchy

• Seen as descendents of the old Federalists• Clay and Webster were seen as the ring leaders• Slavery split the party into “Conscience Whigs”

in the North and “Cotton Whigs in the South

DEMS Martin Van Buren

-Reluctantly renominated after winning in 1836

Van Buren Taking the Blame for His Own and Jackson's Monetary

Policies

WHIGS William Henry Harrison

-Lost in 1836 when 3 Whigs split vote

-War Hero from Battle of Fallen Timbers (’94)

-Signer of Treaty of Greenville (‘95)

-Gov. of NW Territory (’98)

-Hero of 1811 fight against Tecumseh (Tippacanoe)

-Oldest candidate yet (67)

-Beat out Clay for nom.

WHIGS John Tyler, VP

-Southern, pro-Clay supporter to balance Harrison the Northerner

“Log Cabin” Campaign 1840

• Democrats laughed at Harrison for being too old for the presidency, and referred to him as "Granny," hinting that he was senile.

• Said one Democratic newspaper: "Give him a barrel of hard cider, and ... a pension of two thousand [dollars] a year ... and ... he will sit the remainder of his days in his log cabin."

A Democratic Smear Campaign gone wrong

• Hard Cider=what they served at many of the Whig gatherings– The poor westerners champagne

• Log Cabin=Used by the Whigs to appeal to their common upbringings

““Tippecanoe, Tippecanoe, and Tyler,Too!”and Tyler,Too!”““Tippecanoe, Tippecanoe,

and Tyler,Too!”and Tyler,Too!”Tip and Ty

What's the cause of this commotion, motion, motion,Our country through?

It is the ball a-rolling on

For Tippecanoe and Tyler too.For Tippecanoe and Tyler too.

And with them we'll beat little Van, Van, Van,Van is a used up man.

And with them we'll beat little Van.

“TIP AND TY”

“Log Cabin” Campaign Pin, 1840

“Log Cabin” Campaign

Harrison Bandanas

“Log Cabin & Cider” Campaign

“Stop That Barrel”

An Image Reversal

1840 Election Results

End of Harrison

-Inauguration speech two hours long

-Delivered in the cold and the rain

-Without over coat

-Died of pneumonia one month later

-Succeeded by John Tyler

Importance of 1840 Election:

-One of the first actively campaigned elections

-Party nominations played central role

-Candidate image dominated the campaign (Whigs avoided issues of slavery, expansion and the bank)

-First national Whig success

-Balance of Northern and Southern interests

-WHH shortest serving president in history, Tyler became divisive: kicked out of Whig Party and not claimed by Democrats