The Age of Jackson

Jacksonian Democracy

The age of the common man

Universal white male suffrage (no property qualifications)

“The New Democracy”

“The New Democracy”

Permanent political parties

Public campaigning, big rallies

Massive public participation

Election of 1824

Crawford Adams Clay Jackson

Election of 1824

“The Corrupt Bargain” Nobody gets electoral majority

Top 3 (Jackson, Adams, Crawford) go into House of Rep Crawford has a stroke, he’s out Henry Clay is Speaker of the House

Adams wins in House, Clay named Sec of State Jacksonians scream “Corruption!”

Adams’s Presidency (1825-1829)

Miserable four years

Jacksonians refuse to help him in Congress

High expectations, almost nothing accomplished

Election of 1828

Last party-free election in American History

Nasty election

Jackson soundly defeats Adams

The Mason-Dixon Line

Spoils System To the victor go the spoils

Treasure,

Appointing your political allies to public office

Patronage

Indian Removal Jackson was an Indian fighter for decades

1827: Cherokee nation declares itself sovereign Georgia refuses to recognize their independence

1831: Cherokee Nation v. Georgia

Worcester v. Georgia Supreme Court rules in favor of the Cherokee

Indian Removal Indian Removal Act (1830)

Indians forced to give up land to move west Some agree, others refuse

Second Seminole War (1835-1841) Fugitive slaves fight with Seminoles

1838: 16,000 Cherokees forcibly moved West 4,000 die on the long march to Oklahoma “Trail of Tears

A bank of the United States is in many respects convenient for the Government and useful to the people. Entertaining this opinion, and deeply impressed with the belief that some of the powers and privileges possessed by the existing bank are unauthorized by the Constitution, subversive of the rights of the States, and dangerous to the liberties of the people, I felt it my duty at an early period of my Administration to call the attention of Congress to the practicability of organizing an institution combining all its advantages and obviating these objections. I sincerely regret that in the act before me I can perceive none of those modifications of the bank charter which are necessary, in my opinion, to make it compatible with justice, with sound policy, or with the Constitution of our country.”

Jackson’s Bank Veto, 1832.