AndrewJackson

7th President

Andrew Jackson

Elections of 1824 & 1828John Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson were opposing candidates in both of these elections

John Q. Adams had a controversial win over Jackson in 1824

Jackson supporters were determined that their candidate would win in 1828.

The Democratic Party was formed by Jackson supporters to promote his candidacy

Jackson wins the election of 1828 and quickly becomes known as “President of the Common People”born in a log cabinparents were farmerswas a patriot in the Revolutionary Warwar hero from the War of 1812

Spoils SystemPresident Jackson fired many federal government

workers and replaced them with his own supporters (political backers)

A Jackson supporter explained it:

“To the victors belong the spoils”

meaning that since Jackson had won the election, they had the rights to the benefits (spoils) of the victory (such as getting a government job)

Spoils System: Replacing government employees with the winning candidate’s supporters

Kitchen Cabinet: Jackson’s informal group of trusted advisors who sometimes met in the White House kitchen

Questions:

1. Who is John Quincy Adams?

2. What happened in the election of 1824?

3. What happened in the election of 1828?

4. What is the Democratic Party?

5. What is the Spoils System?

6. What is the Kitchen Cabinet?

Indian Removal Act of 1830Andrew Jackson pressured Congress to pass a law authorizing the removal of Native Americans who live EAST of the Mississippi River to move WEST

Five Tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole.

WHY did he want this law passed?

Congress established the INDIAN TERRITORY: US land in what is now Oklahoma-- and planned to move Native Americans there

To manage Indian removal to western lands, Congress approved the creation of a new government agency, the BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

The Cherokee, in Georgia, fought to keep their land which was given to them by a previous treaty.

These Cherokee tried to adopt white culture by learning to read and write in English and modeled a government after the US Government

Once gold was found on their land, the state of Georgia’s militia started forcing the Cherokee to move

The Cherokee sued Georgia. The case went to the Supreme Court and the court ruled in favor of the Cherokee

Georgia ignored the ruling of the Supreme Court

President Jackson did nothing force Georgia to follow the ruling.

Jackson’s response? “John Marshall (the chief Supreme Court Justice) has made his decision; now let him enforce it.”

By not enforcing the Court’s decision, Jackson violated his presidential oath to uphold the laws of the land

However most citizens and members of Congress did not protest Jackson’s response

Trail of TearsIn 1838, US Troops began to move all Cherokee to the Indian Territory

After the Cherokee were removed, Georgia took all their businesses, farms, and property

The 800-mile march from Georgia to Oklahoma became known as the TRAIL OF TEARS

The Cherokee suffered from disease, hunger, and harsh weather.

About 1/4 of the 18,000 Cherokee died along the way

Questions:

1. What is the Indian Removal Act of 1830?

2. Where was Indian Territory established?

3. What is the Bureau of Indian Affairs?

4. What was the Trail of Tears?