Jacksonian America, the Rise of Mass Politics & Manifest Destiny

Chap 13 & 17

AP PARTS

George Caleb Bingham“The County Election” 1845Whig party supporter

I. Democracy in AmericaA. B/w 1824-1840, voter participation in presidential

elections increased from 27 to 80%1. Citizenship replaced property owning as source of

political authority2. During this period restrictions on voting due to lack of

property owning & taxpaying disappeared for white men3. Western states had adopted universal manhood

suffrage at their inception4. People began choosing electors, instead of state

legislatures5. Franchise still did not exist for women, Indians & blacks

B. Politics were transformed but wealth distribution changed little

II. 19th Century PoliticsA.Two-party system necessary to democracy’s successB. Patronage & loyalty were foundation of the party

1. Jackson saw most men as capable of gov’t bureaucratic work, so political loyalty should be rewarded by the party in power (replaced 20% of officials while in office)

2. Jackson wanted political conventions to nominate presidential candidates instead of congressional caucus

C. Two new parties emerge: Democrats (Jackson’s followers) Whigs (opposition to Jackson)3. Democrats –wanted equality of opportunity & rights to

all (white, male) citizens

D. Alexis de Tocqueville in America1. Democracy in America

a. Examined politics + daily lives of Americans

b. Spread suffrage ideas into Europe + sponsored European Revolutions of 1848

c. Further shaped the notion of an “American” identity

III. The Revival of OppositionA. Election of 1824 (Clay, J.Q.Adams, Jackson,

Crawford)1. 4 candidates, but no electoral vote majority

House of Reps chooses J. Quincy-Adams (Nationalist-Republican)

2. Jackson called the election and the bargain w/Clay to become Sec. of State “the corrupt bargain”

B. Tariff of 18241. Restrict competing British imports2. Ultimately raised the prices on raw materials –

Southerners called it the “tariff of abominations”

C. Election of 18281. Democrats (Jackson) appeal to a wide base2. South, West + Mid-Atlantic =rise of sectionalism*

Indian RemovalIndian Removal Act (1830)Began the 8 year progression of native tribes from Georgia

& Florida to lands west of the MississippiConflict b/w the states, Congress & the Supreme CourtWorcester v. Georgia, 1832

J. Marshall sides with Indians saying that the states cannot make laws regulating interactions b/w citizens and Indians, only the federal gov’t

US gov’t spent $500,000 relocating IndiansHigh mortality rate for nativesOutside brokers in charge of removal put profit ahead of safety

Trail of Tears -1838 removal of 17,000+ Cherokee from Georgia

Nullification CrisisJohn C. Calhoun of SC led the nullies vs.

‘submission men’Tariff of 1832 –SC legislature nullified the

TariffCompromise of 1833 to reduce tariffs Force Bill passed by Congress said that army

can be used to collect tariff –never had to be used

Bank WarJackson thought the bank harmful to the

nationClay/Webster pushed renewal of charter to

create an anti-Jackson issue for the election of 1832Wanted veto to alienate EasternersAcceptance would alienate the west

1833 Jackson removed federal deposits placing them in state ‘pet’ banks

Congress established a Specie Circular which meant that federal land could only be purchased by the public with gold or silverPut the brakes on land speculation in the south

& west

TexasAbandoned by US in 1819 for FL (Adams-Onis Treaty)Mexico declared independence in 1821Contracted with Stephen Austin in 1823 to bring US

settlersMust be CatholicMust become ‘mexicanized’

By 1835, nearly 30,000 settlersIn 1830, Mexico outlawed slavery & slave trade –Texans

refused to complyBy 1836, full scale rebellion

Santa Anna leads Mexico to victory at The Alamo Sam Houston’s Texans capture Santa Anna & his army at San

JacintoRio Grande River becomes ‘border’ b/w Texas & MexicoHouston becomes 1st president of the Lone Star Republic

Never really enforced

Election of 1836Martin van Buren ‘the little magician’ was

Jackson self-appointed successorInherited conflicts with GB over CanadaInherited Panic of 1837

Global panic began in GB with failure of two major banks

caused by speculation in land, canals, roads & even slaves

Destruction of national bank, pet banks collapsed

Whigs in Congress led by Clay, Calhoun and Webster look to thwart MvB

MvB wouldn’t raised tariffs or extend credit

Presidents after Andrew JacksonAll one term!

Election of 1840‘Tippecanoe & Tyler, too’ (Whigs) -William

Henry Harrison & John TylerIssue-less electionPropagandized “log cabins & hard cider vs.

mansions & champagne” (Van Buren)Triumph of popular democracyCompetitive Two-party system that was cross-

sectional & represented multi-class supportHarrison dies after 4 weeks in office; Tyler

considered ‘a democrat in whig clothing’

Tyler presidency –foreign policyDisputes with GB

Canada as a British territory offered freedom to escaped slaves

Oregon boundary 54’ 40 or 49’ parallel? Eventually 49’ parallel will become boundary Oregon

Treaty of 1846Maine boundary with Canada –settled by Webster-

Ashburton TreatyCongress wouldn’t annex Texas, so GB made

overtures to Texas to help defend & get a free-trade, abolitionist foothold in the South

Congress relents in 1845 –Texas becomes 28th state

Manifest Destiny

Idea that God manifestly destined the American people to spread their democratic spirit across the continent‘Empire & liberty”

Exemplified through policies of President James K. Polk (1845-49)Desired California, Texas & Oregon

War w/MexicoPresident Polk tried to buy California in 1846 for $25 mil.

Offer refused by MexicoGen Zachary Taylor put on Rio Grande border leading to

bloodshed; Polk asked Congress to declare warAnti-war Congressman Abraham Lincoln called for a to

know where in the US blood had been drawn -‘spot resolution’

Congress declared war in 1846US army fought all the way to Mexico City, John C.

Fremont captured CaliforniaSettled by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848

$15 mil for all of the Mexican CessionWilmot Proviso passes House, but not Senate –no slavery

in Mexican Cession

Mexican Cession of 1848