jacksonian democracy: liberty vs. power becker us history
TRANSCRIPT
Jacksonian Democracy:Jacksonian Democracy:Liberty vs. PowerLiberty vs. Power
Becker
US History
Election of 1824
• Federalists are no more
• Democratic-Republicans dominate– John Quincy Adams– Henry Clay– William Crawford– Andrew Jackson
• No majority: House of Representatives votes– Crawford is out: Clay supports Adams, who wins– Jackson feels cheated: Corrupt Bargain
Early Life
• Unhappy childhood: abuse?
• Joins Continental Army at age 12
• Captured by British, insults officer
• Carried scar the rest of his life
• Goes to law school- bad reputation
• Affair with Rachel, a married woman
• Eventually marries her
• Bar incident ends in duel and killing
Jackson Gains Fame
• Well-known hero of Battle of New Orleans
• Also as an Indian fighter: Horseshoe Bend
• Decides to run for president in 1824
• Wins more votes than Adams, not a majority
• Accuses Adams of “Corrupt Bargain”(untrue)
• Jackson has a temper, holds a grudge
• 1824-1828 runs smear campaign v. Adams
• Adams is tainted by the “scandal”
A Dirty Campaign
• Democratic Party formed to support Jackson
• They have no platform, no issues in common
• People from all regions, lifestyles, beliefs
• Jackson attacks Adams as elitist, intellectual– “Who do you want, a man who can write or a man
who can FIGHT?” – appeal to common man
• Adams attacks Jackson’s baggage– Drinking problem, gambling problem, affair with
married woman
Election of 1828
• Jackson has Southern, Western support
• North is his weak spot
• Convinces Congress to pass Tariff of 1828
• South hates: “Tariff of Abominations”– Protects Northern industry, but costs the S. $$
• Jackson wins popular vote, Electoral College
• Inauguration debacle at White House
Democratic?
• Jackson becomes most powerful president
• Uses veto more times than all combined (12)
• Almost always to further his personal agenda
• People nickname Jackson “King Andrew”
• Quickly forgot the common people
Nullification Crisis
• South hates Tariff of 1828
• Calhoun writes SC Exposition and Protest– US = club: members may leave at will– SC will nullify tariff, secede from US if necessary
• Jackson is furious, hates Calhoun (his VP)– Jackson does not tolerate disagreement– Makes Calhoun’s life miserable as VP– Peggy Eaton Affair makes things worse
• 1832 Calhoun resigns, Van Buren replaces
Nullification Crisis
• Congress passes Tariff of 1832– Reduces Tariff of 1828
• South Carolina nullifies both tariffs
• South Carolina creates a state army
• Jackson passes Force Bill– Federal law is not open to interpretation– Sends US Army to South Carolina to enforce
• SC repeals nullification, dissolves army
• Unanswered question: can states secede?
Bank War
• US economy stabilized after Panic of 1819
• National Bank changed credit policy
• National Bank backed all currency w/ specie
• In 1832, Bank’s charter up for renewal
• Jackson hates the Bank: he’s a westerner
• “The bank is trying to kill me, but I will kill it!”
• Vetoes the re-charter of the bank
Bank War
• Bank will cease to exist in 1836
• Jackson not satisfied- wants to kill the bank
• Sec of Treasury McLane to remove deposits
• Refuses: Jackson sends to France
• Appoints Duane and orders him to kill bank
• Duane refuses and Jackson fires him
• Appoints Taney who finally pulls deposits
• Jackson wins Bank War: Panic of 1837
Indian Removal
• By 1820, only 5 major tribes left in East US– “5 Civilized Tribes”– Cherokee, Chichasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole
• Cherokee are most “civilized”- live in GA– Language based on English, gov’t based on US– Lived, dressed, acted like whites
• Southern cotton farmers want Cherokee land– Cotton, like tobacco, is hard on soil– Then, gold is discovered on Cherokee land
Indian Removal
• 1825 Georgia approves fake treaty– Gives the state over half of Cherokee land
• 1828 GA strips Cherokees of legal rights– Cannot own land, testify in court– Plead to Jackson, lobby Congress, no results
• 1829 Jackson recommends removal to OK– Indian Removal Act passed in 1830– Cherokee take the case to the Supreme Court
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
• Chief Justice John Marshall hears case– Rules the laws unconstitutional– Cherokee can stay- orders GA to return land
• Jackson hates Indians, not humans– Marshall’s ruling infuriates him– “Let’s see him enforce it.”
• 1835 Jackson orders Army to forcibly remove– Chief John Ross pleads- Jackson won’t meet him– Ross goes to Congress: listen politely, do nothing
Trail of Tears
• General Winfield Scott appointed to remove
• Private contractors paid to move, supply– $6M paid out of Cherokee’s treaty money– Contractors want to make a large profit– Provide almost no food, blankets, supplies– 25% (about 4000) die of exposure or starvation
• Scott is horrified, but powerless– “most vile order to which I was ever appointed”
Results of the Bank War
• US paper banknotes lose value (inflation)
• Credit/loans impossible to get
• Land/property sales fall dramatically
• Businesses go bankrupt
• Unemployment rises dramatically
• People pull money from banks
• Banks again go bankrupt…
• Panic of 1837: JacksonVan BurenDems
