Unit 5 – Growing Nation

Spring 2009

America under Andrew Jackson

http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/videos/images/playernew/36fde945-1bfa-4b27-b055-fef50c9a415f.jpg

Who is Andrew Jackson? War of 1812 Hero

Orphan – family “killed by British”

Frontiersman Horse racer Indian fighter Land speculator “Old Hickory” – one

tough cookie “self-made man” Not from Virginia or

Adams

Campaign of 1824 - 1828 1824 - Major

Sectionalism – people couldn’t pick a winner

1824 – went to HR – Picked John Quincy Adams

1828 – Ruthless campaign – Adams vs. Jackson

Jackson Wins

Spoils System Informal practice where a political party, after

winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party

As opposed to a system of awarding offices on the basis of some measure of merit independent of political activity.

The term was derived from the phrase "'to the victor belong the spoils…”

Westerners/Jackson supporters, came to DC expecting pres. to give them jobs

Jacksonian Democracy Tried to get ‘regular people’ more involved in

democracyo Example, all white men can now vote, not just land

owners Want for the ‘common man’ to have more of a

say in his government – Supported Manifest Destiny Avoid Slavery argument

Changes in Elections Does away with caucus system, creates

nominating conventions

The Tariff Debate – North vs. South 1828 – high tariff placed on

European Imported manufactured goods

North – loved tariff, made European goods more expensive, people bought North produced products

South – Hated the tariff, meant higher prices for them

Group of Southern states decided to protest – they felt they should be able to nullify, or “undo,” the law

South Protests Some Southerners, including the VP, wanted to

secede from the union South’s argument: since the states decided to

join the union, they should get to decide if they leave

Two senators, Webster and Hayne, got into major debates about this in the Senate. Became known as Webster-Hayne Debate

What did Jackson do?

He was invited to speak at a dinner with Southerners who wanted to secede.

Said, “Our federal union…must be preserved!”o He did not support states

leaving In response, his VP said,

“The union—next to our liberty, most dear,” and resigned from the VP job to be elected into the Senate to debate

Nullification Crisis The state of South Carolina passed a law saying

they would not pay the high tariff In response, Jackson passed the Force Bill, saying

he would use the army to make South Carolinians pay the tariff

They compromised and created a lower tariff – no side was truly happy about this

Native American Relations 5 Native Tribes Involved:

o Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chicasaw and Seminole nations Americans were eager for land to raise cotton, Jackson agreed Some Peaceful negogations: 1814-24, natives traded land in

east for land in the west The tribes agreed to the treaties for strategic reasons.

o They wanted to appease the government in the hopes of retaining some of their land, and they wanted to protect themselves from white harassment.

US took control of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and North Carolina.

This was voluntary Indian migration, however, and only a small number of Creeks, Cherokee and Choctaws actually moved

Indian Removal Act - 1830 president got the power

to negotiate removal treaties with Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi.

Natives who stayed had to become citizens of the US State they lived in

Supposed to be voluntary and peaceful, but the southeastern nations resisted, and Jackson forced them to leave.

Trail of tears The Cherokee were tricked with a bad treaty. Cherokee given 2 yrs. to migrate voluntarily By 1838 only 2,000 had migrated; 16,000 remained U.S. sent in troops

o forced the Cherokees into stockades at bayonet point. They were not allowed time to gather their belongings, and as they left, whites looted their homes.

Began the march known as the Trail of Tearso 4,000 Cherokee people died of cold, hunger, and disease on

their way to the western lands.

Results: By 1837, the Jackson administration had removed

46,000 Native American people from their land east of the Mississippi,

opening 25 million acres of land to white settlement and to slavery.

Jackson Leaves Presidency

His VP, Martin Van Buren – 1 term Whigs, William Harrison– 1 term

Stephen Austin and

Sam Houston

How did people get to Texas? Tension Rises

Given major pieces of land by Mexican governmento But, you had to promise to speak Spanish, become Mexican

citizen, etc. By 1830, most people in Texas were from the United

States US offered to buy TX twice

Texas Revolution Hi-lights

1835 - Battle at San Antonio – Texans win, think the war is won

1836 - Alamo – many TX and Mexicans killed – Mexican victory – but Santa Anna Captured

Texas Declares Independence 1836 - San Jacinto – TX victory Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo – sets TX/Mexican border

along the Rio Grande river

Missouri Compromise and Texas – Texas doesn’t become a state until 1844

Free/Slave Arkansas and

Michigan both Came in and kept the balance

Jackson, Van Buren ignored TX, WHY?

BAV: annex to attach, append, or add, especially to

something larger or more important

The Mexican American War New Mexico was the territory between Texas and CA

Native Americans lived there, but Mexico formally owned

Mexico tried to keep Americans out but had a hard time enforcing that

Santa Fe Trail Went from Independence, MO to Santa Fe, NM Trade route – mostly flat, so wagons worked well Used until the RR came in Made lots of Americans come into Mexican territory

California’s Spanish Culture Missions established by

Spanish CA became a state in

Mexico 1833 Mexico abolished

missions, missions bought by Mexican wealthy

Americans visited CA for years and began settling it

Pres. Polk offered to buy 2x, along with NM

Conflict James Polk determined to get CA and NM Wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny Polk believed these territories rightfully

belonged to the US Mexico became even more angry when TX

became part of US

General Taylor was attacked after setting up a fort in NM

Lincoln, senator from IL, wanted to know exactly where attack happened…if war happened on Mexican soil, we shouldn’t go to war….

But, we did

James Polk’s Plan for the Mex-Am War1. Drive Mex. Forces out of Texas border area2. Seize New Mexico Region and California3. Conquer Mexico City

1. Drive Mex. Forces out of Texas border area

First goal met quickly…by Zachery Taylor and troops

At last major battle of stage 1, they lowered the Mexican flag and raised the American flag Monterrey (NM)

2. Seize New Mexico Region and California

While Taylor was securing border, General Stephen Kearney leads troops from Ft. Leavenworth to Santa Fe to meet goal #2

Mexican governor fled when he was 1,500 Calvary troops

Santa Fe was captured without one shot fired (by Aug. 1846)

Troops head across AZ into modern day Arizona and eventually California

Eventually, American Navy captures San Francisco and the US flag replaces the “Bear Flag”

Meanwhile: California and the Bear Flag Republic

1846, group of Americans decided that CA would be an “independent republic”

CA residents didn’t know US was at war with Mexico already when they began revolting against Mexico

3. Conquer Mexico City

Assigned to Gen. Winfield Scott Land on coat of Gulf of Mexico

(by Veracruz) 300 mile march to Mexico City

o March included fighting not only army but armed citizen militias

o After 6 months, reached Mexico City

Took Mexico city within a month

Cost of War: 1,721 casualties 11,000 died of disease Cost = $100 million

Peace Treaty: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Mexico gave up all claims to Texas

Agreed Rio Grande as border between TX and Mex.

Included the “Mexican Cession:” o Mexico ceded California and New

Mexicoo In return, US paid $15 million

After the war: Gadsden Purchase o Bought a strip of land along

southern edge of present day AZ and NM (final piece of current size besides Hawaii and Alaska)

California Gold Rush Once CA was officially a member

of the US, Americans moved in massive numbers

1849 was a major year for immigration to CA

People who moved that year became known as the 49-ers