Democracy, Nationalism, and Sectionalism

Andrew Jackson

The Rise of Andrew Jackson

• Jackson became a symbol for expanding American democracy.

• Jacksonian democracy-politics becoming more democratic

Limits• Voting-none for blacks, even those with

property, Native Americans.

Crazy Election of 1824

• Andrew Jackson won the popular vote, but because it wasn’t the majority of the electoral votes, he did not win.

• 4th place finisher Henry Clay dropped out and backed John Quincy Adams who wound up having majority in the House of Representatives and was declared the winner. In turn Adams appointed Clay as his Secretary of State.

• Jackson was angry and thought he was cheated.

Jackson Gets His

• In 1828, Jackson won the election over Adams thanks to the strong backing of the Democratic Party.

• Spoils System- the use of political jobs ro reward party loyalty

• Replaced hundreds of government workers with Democratic activists. People were not happy.

Indian Removal

• Jackson promised to remove Indians from south.

• Indian Removal Act of 1830

Indian Removal Act

• This law sought to negotiate a “peaceful” exchange of Indian Lands in the South for new lands in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma)

• Federal troops compelled more than 15,000 Cherokees to travel from the Southeast to Oklahoma. At least 4,000 Cherokees died of disease, exposure, and hunger. This was known as the Trail of Tears

Nullification• John C. Calhoun championed nullification which meant

that states could nullify, or void, any federal law deemed unconstitutional. (Southern Tariffs)

• South Carolina threatens to secede. They were are all like, “No he didn’t try to enforce an unreasonable tariff on us!”

• Jackson was like, “Umm, yes I did, and now I can enforce it using my federal troops, Congress said so. Nah na na nah na!”

• They were all like mad and stuff at each other but compromised because the tariffs were lowered.

Jackson Opposes the Bank

• Vetoes the renewal of the Federal bank’s charter. Called a tyrant.

• The Whig Party forms• Jackson withdraws money from Federal

Bank, cripples it.• With no federal regulation, private and

state banks begin to print money with an uncertain value.

Martin Van Buren and his sticky situation

• Panic of 1837-Huge depression-Causes: Jackson’s decision to stop

accepting paper money for the purchase of federal land.

Best chops this side of the Mississippi

Tragic Story of the Whigs• 1840 William Henry Harrison won the election with the

“Log Cabin Campaign”• Died of pneumonia one month after taking office. During

his inauguration he wanted to prove he was not frail so he did not wear his overcoat. It was a very cold day.

• Vice President John Tyler rejected the Whig politics and vetoed legislation to restore the Federal Bank.