Jacksonian Democracy

Election of 1828

• Jackson vs. Adams– 1st modern campaign– Jackson supporters use electioneering techniques

• Huge public rallies, torchlight parades, barbeques

– Heavy mudslinging• Jackson’s wife accused of bigamy

• Jackson’s edge—viewed a man of the people• Anti-intellectualism is powerful force in American

politics

Jackson the Man

• War Hero

• Image of a tough frontier man

• Turns out to be one of the most forceful and dominating American presidents– Strong-willed, intolerant of opposition,

unforgiving of an insult– Frontier background made his tough and

resourceful but also inflexible.

Spoils System

• Makes extensive use– Appoints supporters to federal jobs– 1st president to acknowledge use and view it

as acceptable

• Problem—some very questionable appointments—old friends and political supporters

Three Major issues of Jackson presidency

• Indian Removal Issues

• Nullification Crisis

• Bank of the United States

Indian Removal

• In Southeast, final crisis between frontier whites and Native Americans

• Whites want land from Indian tribes– Supported by state governments

• “Civilized Tribes”-Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws and Seminoles

• Jackson offers to remove Indians to federal lands west of the Mississippi– Indian Removal Act of 1830

Indian Crisis

• Supreme Court sides with Indians– Jackson refuses to support laws

• Does nothing as Southern states moved into Indian lands

• Believe federal government should defer to States rights on issue– Gives impression that Jackson is universal

supporter of state’s rights

Nullification crisis

• Southerners upset by Tariff of 1828• Began to embrace extreme state’s rights

position of Nullification– Ability of state to reject a federal law– Believed constitution was agreement among states– States could decide constitutionality of federal laws– Union a voluntary compact

• Most extreme—South Carolina

Jackson’s View

• Supporter of state’s rights but within permanent union– Indian policy was local issue– Tariff was foreign policy—federal issue

• Rejected nullification—carrot and stick– Carrot—asks Congress to lower tariff– Stick—Force Bill

• Compromise Tariff of 1933

Bank of United States

• Functioned as simple central bank– Provided some control over local banks

• Nicolas Biddle

• 20 year charter expires in 1836

• Jackson opponent of bank– Vetoes re-charter of bank– No attempt to reform, just kill

• Jackson withdraw money– “pet banks” –states banks given US money

• Wild Speculation on western lands—controls gone

• Summer 1836—Specie Circular– Land purchases must be back with metals– Bank panic

• Reflects Jackson’s lack of knowledge

Results of Jackson

• Big stamp on American politics

• New Political party– Diverse

• Favored giving small man a chance.

Opponents of Jackson

• Far less organized– Henry Clay provided leadership

• 1834—opponents started calling themselves Whigs– Roots—opposed to powerful king