age of jackson, 1828-1848. andrew jackson personal: –famous for military exploits florida and...
TRANSCRIPT
Andrew Jackson• Personal:
– Famous for Military Exploits
• Florida and Battle of New Orleans
– First President from the West
• Wealthy slaveholder• Tennessee
– Seen as the Champion of the Common Man
• “King Mob”• Political NOT
Economic Rise
% of Eligible Voters in Presidential Elections
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860
%
Brinkley, 10th Edition
Elections
• 1824—Loses the “Corrupt Bargain” to John Quincy Adams
• 1828—Jackson Victory!• 1832—Jackson wins reelection!
– New Party Formation• Jacksonian Democrats• National Republicans
Major Issues
• Spoils System—patronage system—election winners can appoint hundreds/thousands of jobs– Advantage—rotates bureaucrats; more
democratic– Disadvantage—unqualified people;
could lead to corruption
Major Issues—Bank War
• Charter for the National Bank up for renewal in 1836– decide to renew early (1832) to
embarrass Jackson– Jackson vetoes the act—dislikes the
bank– The Common Man agrees– Becomes a major issue for the 1832
election
Nullification Crisis
• Do the states have the right to nullify a federal law? Do they have the right to secede?
• 1828—Congress passes the “Tariff of Abominations”• 1830—Webster-Hayne Debates and Jackson-Calhoun
– “Our Union, it must be preserved.” Jackson– “The Union, next to our Liberty, most dear.” Calhoun
• 1832—A second tariff is passed, South Carolina nullifies both the 1828 and 1832 tariffs
• 1833—Force Bill—President will send 50,000 federal troops unless S.C. pays
• COMPROMISE—Congress reduces the tariff and SC pays (Henry Clay)
Indian Removal
• 1828/1829—State of Georgia seizes land from Indians that had been promised to them in a treaty.
• 1830—Indian Removal Act passed—allows states to seize Indian land if the state pays for it
• Cherokees sue in Federal Courts. Supreme Court decides for the Cherokees, as a state cannot violate a federal treaty
• Andrew Jackson refuses to enforce the ruling• “Marshall has made a decision, now let him enforce it.”
Trail of Tears
• 1837/1838• 15,000 Cherokee are marched by the
US army to Kansas and Oklahoma.– 25% die along the way– Cherokee were charged $6 million for
the escort