Jacksonian Democracy:Chapter 10, Section 1
Political ideas and major events shape how people form governments. President Andrew
Jackson brought many changes to the American political system.
The Elections of 1824 and 1828• Main Idea: Adams and
Jackson introduced new ways of campaigning in the elections of 1824 and 1828.
The Election of 1824• Several Republican candidates for president, three
“favorite sons” – their home states supported them rather than the national party– Henry Clay (KY)– Andrew Jackson (TN)– John Quincy Adams - son of President John Adams (MA)
• Jackson won popular vote and plurality (largest single share), but no candidate received the majority (more than half) electoral votes
• With no majority vote, the House of Reps. had to select president (12th Amendment)
• Clay & Adams made an agreement…– Clay would influence House
to select Adams– Adams would in turn make
Clay Sec. of State– Jackson and followers
accused them of making a “corrupt bargain” and stealing election
• Set tone for Adams presidency...
The Election of 1828• Two political parties• Democratic-Republicans:
– Favored states’ rights– Mistrusted strong central
government– Frontier people, immigrants, city
workers• National Republicans:
– Backed Adams– Wanted strong central govnt– Supported federal measures
(road building, national bank)– Merchants and farmers
• During campaign, both parties resorted to mudslinging
• Adams...– Passed out pamphlet
attacking Jackson– Illustration of Jackson
stabbing a civilian• Jackson...
– Accused Adams of kidnapping a young girl and selling her to the ruler of Russia
• New campaign strategies including slogans, rallies, and buttons became permanent practices
• Jackson won votes of frontier people and those in South
• John C. Calhoun switched parties in order to run with Jackson
• Won in a landslide: 56% of popular vote/178 electoral
1. Why were Adams and Clay accused of making a “corrupt bargain”?
2. Why were Jackson’s supporters so angry about the “corrupt bargain”? Was such a bargain between Adams and Clay unethical, or simply an ordinary political agreement?
Jackson as President• Main idea: The United States’s political system
changed under Andrew Jackson, becoming more democratic. • Popular and admired…
• Gained fame during War of 1812
• Nicknamed “Old Hickory” because he was tough as a hickory tree
• Farmers/workers/”common man” admired his rise from poverty to the White House
• Wife died after election, never saw him become president
Jackson as President• Voting rights changed…
– Jackson promised “equal protection and equal benefits” for all (white American men...)
– Suffrage given to white men who owned property/paid taxes (improvement from previous years)
– Women, African Americans, and Native Americans still had little to no rights at all.
– Selection of presidential electors also changed - allowing more people than just state legislatures to choose presidential electors
Spoils System• Democrats wanted to shake up
federal bureaucracy• Argued that ordinary citizens
could handle any govn’t jobs• Jackson replaced many federal
workers with his supporters• Many called him a tyrant• He believed a new set of
employees would be good for democracy
• Surrounded himself with trusted advisors…met in the White House kitchen…became known as the “kitchen cabinet”
• “To the victor belong the spoils”– Benefits of victory/
presidential win
Electoral Changes• Jackson’s supporters wants to
make the political system more democratic...– Abandoned unpopular caucus
system– Replaced by nominating
conventions• 1st national party convention –
Baltimore 1832– Delegates from each state in
the Union– Delegates decide to nominate
the candidate who could earn 2/3 vote
– Jackson won nomination
1. Compare the caucus system and nominating conventions. Why was the new system more popular with the people?
Tariff Debate• Main idea: Fight over tariffs divided
the nation & raised question of states’ rights versus the rights of the federal government.
• In 1828 Congress passed a law that placed a very high tariff on manufactured goods from Europe– Northeast welcomed tariff (made
European goods more expensive)– Southerners despised tariff (lack of
manufacturing in South meant they did not benefit as the North did)
– “Tariff of Abomination” – while forced to buy American, prices were higher
How Did the South Protest?• VP Calhoun argued that
states had the right to nullify a federal law considered to be against states’ interest
• Southerners called for succession to form a new government
• Brought up new questions…– What if a state disagreed with
federal govn’t?– Did states have the right to go
their own way?– What would happen?– What would be breaking point?
Federal Governmentmade up of
StatesTherefore have
power to decide if laws are
Constitutional(really the job of
Supreme Court/Congress)
Webster-Hayne Debate• Daniel Webster (MA Senator):
– Attacked nullification– Defended Constitution and
Union– Nullification = end of Union– “Liberty and Union, now and
forever, one and inseparable!”• Robert Hayne (young Senator
from SC):– Defended idea that states had
the right to nullify and secede
Jackson Takes a Stand
• Nobody knew Jackson’s thoughts on nullification until 1830…– “The Union…must be
preserved!”– Calhoun realized
differences in views and resigned vice presidency
Nullification Crisis• Anger over tariff continued/Union on verge of splitting• 1832 Congress passed lower tariff hoping protest in South
would die down (didn’t work)• South Carolina passed Nullification Act, refusing to pay
“illegal” tariffs and threatening secession• President Jackson supported a compromise bill
– Congress passed a Force Bill (military allowed to enforce acts of Congress) just to get South to accept compromise
• In response South Carolina nullified the Force Act– South thought they had won– But realized that states couldn’t leave Union without a fight
1. How did the political system change under Jackson?2. Why did South Carolina pass the Nullification Act?3. Why did the House of Representatives select the president in
the 1824 presidential election?4. What election practices used in the 1828 presidential
campaign are still used today?5. What was the main reason President Adams was not popular
with the Democratic-Republicans?