#Vice Presidents: John C. Calhoun Martin Van Buren

Turning point in American History Marked the beginning of political involvement for ordinary Americans.

Beginning of mudslinging campaigns which are still used today.

Mudslinging Reached New HeightsHis opponents accused him of murder, gambling, slave trading and treason.

JACKSON STARTED CURRENT

DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

*Spoils Systems – rewarding friends and punishing enemies.

*Lobbying – trying to influence legislators in their voting to favor some special groups.

Notes: Rewarded supporters with government jobs and threw opponents out!• “Civil Servants”- ordinary citizens who can fill government jobsRationale for system:

*Government remains responsive to the people.*Assured loyalty to the president.*Increases Party support.

•The “Kitchen Cabinet” formed to

advise Jackson unofficially – result of spoils system.

Jackson is seated in a collapsing chair, with the "Altar of Reform" toppling next to him, and rats scurrying at his feet. The rats are (left to right): Secretary of War John H. Eaton,

Secretary of the Navy John Branch, Secretary of State Martin Van Buren, and Treasury Secretary Samuel D. Ingham.

Jackson's spectacles are pushed up over his forehead, and his foot is planted firmly on the tail of the Van Buren rat.

"Resignations" fill the air behind him, and a pillar marked "Public confidence in the stability of this administration" falls to

the left.

Notes:Jackson vetoed the bank charter and withdrew federal money to “pet banks” – state banks who supported Jackson

Disliked the bank because he felt bank was organization by wealthy Easterners in which ordinary citizens had no control

In 1828, Congress passed the highest tariff in U.S. history. It was so bad that the Southerners called it the Tariff of Abominations (something that is hated).The fight against this tariff was led by Vice President John C. Calhoun. He said that states had a right to nullify a federal law that they considered unconstitutional.What does nullify mean?His reasoning was that since the states made up the national government, they had final authority.Because he disagreed with President Jackson, Calhoun resigned and became governor of South Carolina.

Why did Southerners dislike

the tariff, even after it was

lowered? South Carolina passed the

Nullification Act, which declared the

tariff illegal.They also threatened to secede if the government challenged them. What does

secede mean? Finally, the president offered a lower tariff,

which Calhoun supported, ending the Nullification Crisis. But even though the crisis was over, tensions between North and South

increased for years.

Congress had passed Tariff of Abominations and Tariff of 1832.

Calhoun resigned as Vice President when Jackson supported federal law over state law.

South Carolina passed Nullification Act declaring tariffs of 1828 and 1832 unconstitutional and threatened to secede from the Union. Known as

the “Nullification Crisis”

Georgia seized Cherokee land

The Cherokee Nation sued and the case went to the Supreme Court (highest court)

Chief Justice Marshall upheld the right of the Cherokees to keep their land

Jackson had them kicked off anyway when Congress passed the Indian Removal Act.

жRemoved from home and forced to move west by General Winfield Scott and 7000 federal troops.

жCherokees forced to march to present day Oklahoma - ¼ of the tribe died.