The Age of Jackson Politics of the People

The Age of Jackson Politics of the People

The Election of 1824 n Four people ran n n n John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson Henry Clay William Crawford Jackson won the popular vote, but he did not have a majority of the electoral votes According to the Constitution, the House would decide the winner

The Election of 1824 n n Henry Clay supported Adams & the House voted Adams into the presidency John Quincy Adams-6 th President “Corrupt bargain”—Jackson supporters claimed Adams made a deal w/ Clay and that’s why he won the presidency. The deal was: J. Q. Adams appoints Henry Clay his Secretary of State

Democratic-Republican Party Splits n Democrats n n n Jackson supporters “common man” National Republicans n n Adams supporters Wealthy easterners

Election of 1828 n n Adams against Jackson promoted a govt that looked out for the common man & majority rule Suffrage extended to all adult white males Jackson won (178 -83 electoral votes)

The People’s President n n n Read the section on page 355 called “The People’s President” Write down six facts about Jackson’s life that might have contributed to the idea that Jackson was the “People’s President” Look at images and listen to songs

New Political Era n n n Jackson promised to reform the government Replaced many govt officials w/ his supporters Spoils System n n Giving govt jobs to political backers Kitchen cabinet unofficial group of Jackson supporters who became Jackson’s informal advisors

Issues Jackson Faced n The status of Native Americans n The rights of states n The Bank of the United States

The Age of Jackson’s Policy Toward Native Americans

Whites’ Attitudes Toward Indians n n n Some hoped they would adapt to their way of life Some hoped they would move Some felt they were “uncivilized”

The Cherokee Nation n n They had adopted white customs Owned farms, cattle ranches, and slaves Sequoya developed a written language Created a constitution based on the U. S. Constitution Gold was discovered on their land n Told by Jackson could move into Western territories west of Mississippi River

Jackson’s Removal Policy n Jackson thought they had two options Could adapt to white ways or move n n Could not have their own government w/in the nation’s borders When white people started to take Cherokee lands for the gold, Jackson did not support the Indians even when the Supreme Court ruled they had a right to their land

Native Americans Resistance n n n They challenged the law in US Courts They fought wars against the US government They left sometimes and then returned

Indian Removal Act-1830 n n Called for the govt to negotiate treaties that would require Indians to relocate west Jackson’s letter to the Creeks— persuading them to move willingly

Trail of Tears n n Whites began to invade Indian land Felt as though they had no other choice n n Signed treaties to give up their land Moved to Indian Territory in what is today Oklahoma, Kansas, & Nebraska

Trail of Tears n n n Cherokees asked the Supreme Court to help protect their lands from the state of Georgia Marshall ruled that only the federal govt could make laws to govern the Cherokees Georgia & Jackson ignored Marshall’s ruling

Trail of Tears n n Cherokees, under the leadership of John Ross opposed moving west Jackson would not negotiate w/ them Federal troops forced 16, 000 Cherokees from their homes into camps Soldiers forced them to make the journey west to the Indian Territory—the route they took became known as the Trail of Tears

Native American Resistance n Seminoles n n n Refused to leave Florida Second Seminole War, led by Osceola Used surprise attacks to defeat the U. S. forces Osceola was captured during negotiations for peace U. S. crushed Seminole resistance by 1842

Native American Resistance n Sauk and Fox n n n They were removed to the Indian Territory Sauk chief Black Hawk led a group back to their homeland in present day Illinois Black Hawk War Most of Black Hawk’s men were slaughtered n He was captured n

Black Hawk—statement when captured “Black Hawk is an Indian. He has done nothing to be ashamed. He has fought for his countrymen, the women and children, against the white men who came, year after year, to cheat them of and take away their land. You ought to know the cause of our making war. It is known to all white men. They ought to be ashamed of it. ” BACK

Osceola—Seminole Chief BACK

Trail of Tears NEXT

Trail of Tears “Murder is murder and somebody must answer, somebody must explain the streams of blood that flowed in the Indian country in 1838. Somebody must explain the four-thousand silent graves that mark the trail of the Cherokees to their exile. I wish I could forget it all, but the picture of 645 wagons lumbering over the frozen ground with their cargo of suffering humanity still lingers in my memory. ” --John G. Burnett BACK

John Ross BACK

Cherokee Alphabet BACK

Jackson’s Letter to the Creeks n “Friends and brothers, listen. Where you now are, you and my white children are too near to each other to live in harmony and peace…Beyond the great Mississippi…your father has provided a country large enough for all of you, and he advises you to remove to it. There your white brothers will not trouble you…and you can live upon it as long as the grass grows or the water runs, in peace and plenty. The land beyond the Mississippi belongs to the President and no one else, and he will give it to you forever. ” BACK

The Age of Jackson Conflicts Over States’ Rights

Adams’s Presidency n Tariff of Abominations n n n British textile goods were cheaper than American goods Northerners wanted to protect their trade Raised tariffs on raw materials Angered Southerners Hurt Adams reputation

Adam’s Presidency n Doctrine of Nullification n Tariff of Abominations hit S. C. hard S. C. wanted to leave the Union n Felt that the tariff favored the North n Calhoun proposed the Doctrine of Nullification n n A state had the right to “nullify” or reject a federal law if they felt it was unconstitutional

Rising Sectional Differences n n The Northeast, South, and West had conflicting ideas Public land n n Northeasterners didn’t want public land to be sold at cheaper prices b/c it took factory workers away from them Westerners wanted land to be sold cheap b/c it increased settlement

Rising Sectional Differences n Internal improvements—canals & roads n n n Westerners & Northeasterners wanted them Southerners didn’t b/c they were funded by tariffs Tariffs n n Northerners like them b/c they protected their manufactured goods Southerners didn’t like them b/c they depended on foreign trade

Increased Tensions n n Tariff of Abominations & Doctrine of Nullification were problems Jackson was elected into Calhoun’s document “South Carolina Exposition and Protest” added tension to the controversy of states’ rights

The States’ Rights Debate n Debate over nullification in Senate--Webster. Hayne Debate n Daniel Webster Massachusetts Senator n n Against nullification For Nationalism “People, not the states, make the Union” Robert Hayne – South Carolina Senator n n n For nullification For sectionalism & states’ rights Nullification gave states a lawful way to protest against the nat’l gov’t

Jackson’s Position on States’ Rights n n n Jackson’s opinion—”Our federal union it must be preserved Opposed nullification but did not want to drive south out of union Calhoun’s opinion—”The Union next to our liberty most dear” Resigns as Vice President and South Carolina leaders threaten to secede if gov’t tries to collect tariffs Result—Henry Clay Senator from kentucky proposes Compromise of 1833 which lowers tariff and crisis ends for now

Jackson’s Response to Nullification n n Did not want to drive the South out of the Union Asked Congress to reduce the tariff—they did S. C. still wasn’t pleased—threatened to secede Ran for president in 1832 w/o Calhoun Henry Clay proposed a compromise tariff that ended the crisis & S. C. stayed in the Union

The Age of Jackson Prosperity and Panic

Mr. Biddle’s Bank n n n Nicholas Biddle was the president of the nat’l bank Jackson did not trust the bank & thought it had too much power Felt the bank favored the wealthy and hurt the common man

Mr. Biddle’s Bank n n n The bank had to have a charter in order to operate—this charter had to be granted by the federal gov’t The bank’s charter wouldn’t expire until 1836, but Biddle asked to renew the charter in 1832 b/c it was an election year Biddle thought Jackson would approve it so that he wouldn’t anger bank supporters and risk not being re-elected

Jackson’s War of the Bank n Jackson took the risk n n n He vetoed Congress’ vote to renew the charter He said it was unconstitutional even though the Supreme Court had ruled that it was He said it was up to elected officials to determine the constitutionality of laws

Jackson’s Veto Message “It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes…Distinctions in society will always exist under every just government…But when the laws undertake to make the richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society have the right to complain of the injustice of their government. ”

Bank Battle & Re-election n n The War on the bank became the main issue of the election Henry Clay—National Republican Party candidate Jackson—Democratic Party candidate Jackson still won the election n Caused him to believe the people supported his war on the bank, so he took it a step further

Jackson Destroys the Bank & the Economy n Pet banks n n Biddle responded by making it harder for people to borrow money n n Jackson started depositing govt funds into state banks He hoped that would make the economy bad so that Jackson would put money back in the national bank Bank went out of business

Artificial Prosperity n n The nation’s economy was prosperous during Jackson’s presidency Pet banks issued too much money— caused inflation n n Jackson responded by requiring people to purchase public land w/ gold or silver—Specie Circular of 1836 When Jackson left office, the economy looked good on the surface—but it would soon fall

New President n n Since Jackson was so popular, his vice president had no trouble getting elected as president in 1836 Martin Van Buren— 8 th President of the U. S.

Panic of 1837 n n People became panicked about the economy right after Van Buren was elected—became known as the Panic of 1837 Took paper money to the banks & demanded gold or silver n n Banks ran out & went out of business The nation was in a depression

Depression n n People didn’t have any money No money meant they couldn’t buy goods Factories didn’t have customers No customers meant they went out of business No food, money, clothes, shelter

Rise of the Whig Party n n Van Buren felt as though the economy should be left alone Henry Clay and Daniel Webster disagreed n n n Formed the Whig Party Chose William Henry Harrison to run for president in 1840 John Tyler to run for vice-president “Tippecanoe & Tyler too” Harrison & Tyler won the election n n Harrison— 9 th president/died one month into term Tyler took over— 10 th president