ANDREW JACKSONMAN OF THE PEOPLE

EQ: How did the people gain more power during the Age of

Jackson?

What people said about him…

“I feel much alarmed at the prospect of seeing General Jackson president. He is the most unfit man I know for such a place…he is a dangerous man.”-Thomas Jefferson

“He is ignorant, passionate, hypocritical, corrupt, and easily swayed by the basest men who surround him. I cannot believe that the killing of two thousand Englishmen at New Orleans qualifies a person for the various difficult and complicated duties of the presidency.”

-Henry Clay

“A barbarian who cannot write a sentence of grammar and can hardly spell his own name. Incompetent both by his ignorance and by the fury of his passions.”

-John Q. Adams

OldHickory

Who won the election?

The Election of 1824

Jackson won the popular vote but not the majority, so the House of Representatives had to decide

Henry Clay, Speaker of House, influenced them to elect John Quincy Adams

Once in office, Adams appointed Clay as Secretary of State

Jackson’s supporters claimed the two men had a “corrupt bargain

The Campaign of 1828

Lots of mudslinging

What made Jackson a “man of

the people?”

What are his beliefs

about government

?

Election of 1828

Lots of “mudslinging” during the campaign

Many states were expanding suffrage and the number of voters tripled

Many states no longer required owning property

Jackson was supported by thousands of first time voters

Love Him

Jackson’s status as a war hero made him popular

The fact that he did not come from a wealthy family helped people relate to him

This is decidedly erroneous!!

I didn’t think he’d invite the people “en masse!”

Hate Him Politicians and elite

feared he was unpredictable, stubborn, and too independent

Feared he would give too much power to the common man

People feared the “Reign of King Mob”

Jackson’s InauguralParty?

Power to the People

How did the people gain more power during the Age of Jackson?

The Spoils System

Any and all government jobs taken and given to friends/supporters

Jackson supported the spoils system by saying Any “intelligent” person could hold office

Used to keep a small group of politicians from controlling the government

In the words of one of his supporters “To the victor goes the spoils.”

To the VICTOR goes the SPOILS!!!

Egalitarian

Jackson feared the power of the government

Attacked (sometimes literally) any politician or law he thought was corrupt or dangerous to liberty

Did not believe in special privilege for the wealthy

Thought bank favored the rich

Vetoes

Jackson worked independently of Congress and politicians

Vetoed more acts of Congress than the six previous presidents

Earned himself the nickname “King Andrew I”