THE AGE OF JACKSONChapter 9: HIST 103

ANDREW JACKSONDEMOCRAT (TN)

1829-18377

INAUGURATION DAY - MARCH 4, 1829

“Proud day for the people”

“General Jackson is their own President!”

“Reign of ‘King Mob’ seems triumphant!”

Old Hickory

King Mob

party at the White House - ruined many ornate furnishings

EXTENDING FRANCHISEMENT

Extension of franchisement during the 1820s

Massachusetts: Ohio:

New York: Rhode Island:

every voter be a taxpayer (drop property) all white males not ‘life, liberty, and property’ Dorr Rebellion

GROWTH OF PARTY LOYALTY

belief that permanent parties were essential to success of a democracy

1. sense of purpose 2. “Loyal Opposition”

SECOND PARTY SYSTEM

Martin Van Buren (NY)

“Bucktails”

political party loyalty stabilizes the country

“PRESIDENT OF THE COMMON MAN”

View of the Democratic Party

equal protection & equal benefits to all white menperception

assault on eastern aristocrats subjugation of blacks, Indians, and women

reality

Spoils System“To the victors belong the spoils” - William L. Marcy (NY)

executive branch duties plain and simple

removed 1/5 of federal officeholders

“OUR FEDERAL UNION”

Commitment to Preservation of the Union

1. Decrease economic power of the federal government

2. Increase enforcement power of the executive branch

THEORY OF NULLIFICATION

South Carolina Push for SecessionTariff of Abominations (1828) hurt the southern planter

slowed economy due to exhausted farmland

John C. Calhoun (VP)theory of nullification

states were final arbiters of constitutionality of laws special convention declare federal law null & void in the state

Petticoat AffairPeggy O’Neale | John Eaton (TN)

THE PETTICOAT AFFAIR

President Andrew Jackson

Vice President John C. Calhoun

Sec. of State Martin Van Buren

Secretary of War John Eaton Peggy O’Neale

WEBSTER-HAYNE DEBATE

States Rights vs. National Powerbegan over proposed pause of western land sale

Hayne (D-SC) thought it was NE ploy to maintain power

Webster (W-MA) attacked “challenge to integrity of the union”

NULLIFICATION CRISIS - 1832

1. no relief from Tariff of Abominations 2. state convention summoned 3. Hayne elected Governor - Calhoun to Senate 4. 1833 - Force Bill (Jackson) 5. Calhoun in Senate - no states supported South Carolina 6. Clay intervenes - lower tariff 7. Force Bill and Compromise signed on same day 8. Nullification removed in South Carolina

WHY DOES THE NULLIFICATION CRISIS MATTER?

it was not really about the tariff!

“the tariff was only a pretext, and disunion and southern confederacy the real object. The next pretext will be the negro, or slavery question”

- Andrew Jackson (1833)

If the federal government would not have stood up against South Carolina nullifying a tariff, would they have

stood up against the nullification of changes to slavery.

WHITE ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE INDIAN TRIBES

“noble savages”

“savages”

move west of the Mississippi River1. out of the way 2. Great American Desert 3. never will be settled by whites

uncivilized and uncivilizable whites should not live in close proximity

people without civilization but with inherent dignity that makes civilization possible

THE BLACK HAWK WAR (1831-1832: ILLINOIS)

Importance of the Black Hawk War -viciousness of white military efforts

-attacked Black Hawk even during attempted surrender -pursued the Sauk and Fox while they fled Black Hawk captured and “tour of the East”

Black Hawk did not accept previous treaty giving up Illinois

rival faction signed the treaty

state militia/federal troops repel the invaders

FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES

Southeast United States Agricultural Economies

Cherokee Nation -own written language - formal constitution

-stable culture/economy

INDIAN REMOVAL

removal of tribes from eastern landsstate laws regulated remaining tribes

Indian Removal Act (1830) - appropriate money to finance negotiations of relocation

- most resistance was weak

Cherokee stop white encroachment through court actionCherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831) & Worcester v. Georgia (1832)

agreed to cede land in Georgia for $5 million + land

“ John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it.

-Andrew Jackson (1832)

“Even aged females, apparently nearly read to drop in the grave, were

traveling with heavy burdens attached to their backs, sometimes on frozen ground and sometimes on muddy

streets, with no covering for their feet.

-Kentuckian

“the remnant of that ill-fated race was now beyond the reach of

injury or oppression.

-Andrew Jackson (1832)

Trail of Tears - today

SEMINOLES

➤ Refused to sign treaty until pressured in 1832-1833

➤ Most moved to the west

➤ Chief Osceola

➤ refused to leave

➤ uprising in 1835

➤ Seminole War (1835-1842)

➤ $20,000,000 expense

➤ 1500 US deaths

➤ Seminoles remained

INDIAN REMOVAL OVERVIEW

Why was Indian Remove the choice of the government?

What were the final results of Indian Removal?

* 100 million acres of eastern land (whites) * $68 million dollars to the tribes

* 32 million acres of western land (tribes)

JACKSON AND FEDERAL POWER

Necessary: use against rebellious states and Indian tribes

Opposed: use regarding economic issues that arise

Veto of Maysville Road bill in 1830

Located solely in Kentucky

SECOND BANK OF THE UNITED STATES

Philadelphia (1816-1836) Nicholas Biddle - bank president

Federal Government only place to deposit own money

20% of stock owned by government

Actions of the Bank provide credit to growing enterprises

issued bank notes (medium of exchange) restrained the poorly managed state banks (call on currency)

OPPOSITION TO THE SECOND BANK OF THE UNITED STATES

Soft Money wanted more currency

did not need bank notes backed by gold/silver restraining state banks limits growth Who? - state bankers & allies

Hard Money gold/silver (specie) only basis for money

bank should not issue bank notes bank should not be involved in expansion of the economy

Who? - Andrew Jackson

THE BANK WAR: ELECTION OF 1832

Bank Renewal Application

Charter expired in 1836, renewal proposed in 1832 - supported by Henry Clay (maybe a major topic?)

Biddle Gains Political Power

grants favors to men that can help preserve the bank Daniel Webster & Henry Clay

Clay (N-R) in Election of 1832

defeated by Jackson/Van Buren 219 - 49 (55% popular vote)

THE BANK WAR: THE MONSTER DESTROYED

government could not abolish bank until charter expired (1836)

Jackson and the “pet banks”weaken bank by removing federal deposits

Roger B. Taney - transferred money instead of Secretary of Treasury

Biddle’s Responsecalls in loans & raised interest rates recession results from the changes Biddle and Jackson - blame game

Allies turn on Biddle and bank dies in 1836

CJ Roger B. Taney5th Chief Justice

1836-1864

1. Generally followed Marshall Court rulings2. Supreme Court determines line for

supporting state’s rights3. Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

MASSACHUSETTS BRIDGES CASE

Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge (1837)

State Charter for Toll BridgeLegislative Approval for Toll Free Bridge

Taney’s Response- object of government to promote general happiness

- takes precedence over the rights of contract/property

Jacksonian Ideal:the key to democracy was an expansion of economic opportunity which could not occur if older corporations maintained monopolies

THE WHIGS AND THE SECOND PARTY SYSTEM

King Andrew IWhigs Democrats

England - opposes King

* Big Federal Gov’t

* Internal improvements

* Industrial development

* Consolidate economic system

Merchants Manufacturers

Wealthy Planters Evangelical Protestant

* limited government

* expand white/male opportunities

* defend the union

* attack centers of corrupt privilege

* oppose establishing banks/corporations

Farmer/Planter Laborer

Catholics New Immigrants

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ELECTION WIN

election win more important than anything else

Purity of the party suffered (make concessions to win the election)

— Adjustments in views to attract more voters —

One Example: Anti-Masonry stance adopted by the Whigs

attacked exclusivity (Society of the Freemasons) Why?

Jackson & Van Buren were Freemasons

ECONOMIC GROWTH AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE AGE OF JACKSON

Economic Growth and Stability

1835 - 1837: government sold 40 million acres of land 1835 - 1837: NO DEBT!!! (surplus in the Treasury)

1836: Distribution Actwhat to do with the extra money?

Specie Circular presidential order to slow speculative fever

government only accepts gold/silver in payment for public lands produced a financial panic

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR THE WHIGS

Daniel Webster - MA Henry Clay - KY John C. Calhoun - SC

GREAT TRIUMVIRATE

MARTIN VAN BURENDEMOCRAT (NY)

1837 - 18418

PANIC OF 1837

1. banks and businesses failed 2. unemployment grew 3. bread riots in some cities 4. price of land fell 5. railroad/canal projects failed 6. state governments failed

The America Martin Van Buren inherited

SUCCESSES OF VAN BUREN

- independent treasury in Washington - no private banks can access government funds

10 Hour Workday - federal projects

Independent Treasury

THE LOG CABIN CAMPAIGN

1840: push to gain more votes in the westmove away from a party only of the elite

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISONWHIG (VA)

1841 - 18419

JOHN TYLERWHIG (VA)

1841 - 184510

WHIG DIPLOMACY

Caroline Affair- strained relationship with the British

Aroostook War- brawl between lumberjacks that moved into Maine/Canada border

Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842)- resolve border issues with Maine and ‘Canada’

Treaty of Wang Hya (1842, 1844) 1842 - open trade with Britain & China

1844 - ‘most-favored nation’ status with China

Creole mutiny- 100 slaves mutiny and established nation in Bahamas

WHIGS BREAK FROM TYLER

Tyler left Democrats in opposition to Jackson- Tyler abolished the independent treasury & raise tariffs

- did not support recharter of B.U.S. - vetoed ‘American System’ bills from Clay

Whigs kick Tyler out of the party- entire cabinet resigned (minus Webster)

- Democrats replaced Whigs - Southern Whigs rejoin Democrats

(planter class)- expand the institution of slavery - fanatical belief in states’ rights