Jacksonian Democracy

A. The “New” Democracy1. New effort among politicians to appeal to to the

masses.2. New Democracy based on universal manhood

suffrage rather than property qualificationsa. Common man much more influential.b. 1812-1821 – 6 new western states granted universal

manhood suffrage.c. 1810-1820 – 4 eastern states significantly reduced voting

requirements.d. Caused by Panic of 1819

i. Western farmers resented eastern bankers and BUSii. Push to get more involved in politics to affect change.

B. “The Corrupt Bargain”

1. 4 Candidatesa. Andrew Jackson (TN)b. John Q. Adams (MA)c. William Crawford (GA)d. Henry Clay (KY)

2. Jackson popular vote winner, but no majority in E.C. (needed 131 to win.

3. House of Reps gets to decidea. Picks from top 3 (Clay out but

Speaker of the House)b. Clay throws his weight behind

Adams – Adams becomes Presidentc. Clay becomes Secretary of State.d. “Wha wha what?” – A. Jackson

e. Dubbed the “corrupt bargain” by Jackson and his supporters.

C. The “Tariff of Abominations” (1828)

1. Biggest issue of Adams’ Presidencya. Congress increased duty from 23% to 37%

on dutiable goods.b. Jackson supported tariff,

a. thought it would NOT pass and give Adams a political black eye.

b. Actually backfired, because it passed and he inherited it as President.

c. Webster supported it (reversal from 1816) because it would protect northern manufacturers.

d. South HATED it as they imported and exported A LOT (Europe passed retaliatory tariffs)

i. John C. Calhoun anonymously (he was VP) wrote the “South Carolina Exposition”

ii. Denounced tariff as unjust and unconstitutional.

iii. Said states should nullify it (similar to VA and KY Resolutions of 1798.

iv. No states joined in SC’s protest.

D. Election of 18281. Intense feud within the

Democratic-Republican party.a. National Republicans supported JQ

Adamsb. Democratic Republicans supported

Jackson.2. Jackson defeats Adams 178-83

(E.C.)a. First President from the west –

seen as a great common man (although he owned 142 slaves)

b. Dubbed “the Revolution of 1828”i. No sitting President had been voted

out since J Adams in 1800.ii. Increased voter turnoutiii. Balance of power shifting from East

to Westiv. America heretofore had been ruled

by educated wealthy elites.v. Inauguration found huge rowdy

crowds in the White House.

E. “Old Hickory”1. 6’1’’ 140 lbs., sickly and violent

tempered.2. Personified the new West3. Saw federal gov’t as a haven

for the wealthy and detached from common folk experience.

4. Nationalist and a unionist5. Rewarded loyal supports with

gov’t jobsa. “spoils system”b. “Every man is as good as his

neighbor”c. Many corrupt and

incompetent, but helped cement emerging two party system loyalty.

F. Jacksonian Democracy1. Increased manhood suffrage2. End of the caucus and beginning of

nominating conventions.3. Spoils system

a. Reward political supporters with public office.

b. Rotation in officec. National political machine built

around Jacksond. Competence and merit

subordinate to loyaltye. Corruption resulted.

4. “Kitchen Cabinet”a. Unofficial group of 13 advisors to

the Presidentb. Critics branded these members

“Kitchen Cabinet”i. Angry that these advisors not

answerable to Congress.ii. Congress saw it as a threat.

c. Not unconstitutional however

G. Webster Hayne-Debate1. Webster introduced bill to curb

sale of western lands.a. West obviously against itb. South sided with the Westc. Debate in Senate lasted 9 days

in Jan. 1830d. Each side thought it won.

2. Senator Robert Hayne (SC)a. Accused NE of disloyalty during

War of 1812b. Blasted northern tariffsc. Championed Calhoun’s doctrine

of nullification.3. Senator Daniel Webster (MA)

a. Insisted that people, not states had framed Constitution.

b. Assailed doctrine of nullificationc. “Liberty and Union, one and

inseparable, now and forever”

H. Peggy Eaton Affair1. Wife of Sec. of War Eaton being

snubbed by othr Cabinet members’ wives, esp. Mrs. Calhoun

2. Jackson, remembering trauma inflicted on his late wife Rachel, defended Mrs. Eaton

a. Demanded Cabinet members make their wives include her.

b. Began purging Calhoun allies in Senate in 1831

c. Martin Van Buren gained Jackson’s attention by being nice to Mrs. Eaton

d. Split between Jackson and Calhoun caused mostly by tariffs, but this didn’t help.

I. Nullification Crisis of 18321. South Carolina still

steamed over “Tariff of Abominations” of 1828.

2. Tariff of 1832a. Jackson tried to lower

tariff of 1828 to 35% from 45%.

b. Still protective in nature (south didn’t like that) and fell short of southern demands.

c. South Carolina nullified tariff of 1832 and threatened Secession if Jackson tried to collect tariff by force.

3. Jackson’s Reactiona. Violently angry in private;

threatened to hang nullifiers, incl. Calhoun.

b. Dispatched modest army and naval force to SC - prepared sizable army quietly

4. Compromise Tariff of 1833a. Introduced by Henry Clay

(surprise)b. Tariff would be reduced by

10% over 8 yrs.c. Rates would eventually be at

1816 level (20-25%)d. Just squeaked through

Congress.5. Force Bill

a. Congress and Jackson followed this showdown up with face-saving legislation

b. President, in the future, could use military to collect federal tariffs if necessary.

c. Dubbed “the Bloody Bill” by South Carolinians.

J. Election of 18321. Henry Clay (National

Republican “Whigs”) vs. Jackson (Democrat)

2. Clay lost to Jackson in E.C. 219-49.

3. New political trends in 1832 campaign

a. First third party in US Presidential Election (Anti-Masons)

b. National nominating conventions in all three

4. Jackson’s second term goalsa. Divorce government from

the economy.b. Anti-monopoly – common

should have a chance to succeed.

c. Return to Jeffersonian democracy; gov’t role should be limited.

d. Give more power to the states to promote equal opportunity.

K. Bank War1. Jackson distrusted BUS

and huge businesses.2. Clay tried to ram bank

recharter before election to tie up Jackson

a. Signs it – alienates western support

b. Vetoes it – alienates wealthy and influential in east.

c. Jackson – “The Bank is trying to kill me, but I will kill it”.

3. Jackson VETOED BUS’s recharter in 1832.

a. Assailed it as monopolistic and unconstitutional.

i. Criticized Nicholas Biddle, Prez of BUS

ii. Ignored SC ruling of McCullough vs. Maryland (1819) which declared bank constitutional.

iii. Became major issue of 1832 election.

4. “Pet Banks” Schemea. Jackson hoped to weaken

BUS by transferring fed’l funds out of BUS and into 23 “pet banks”

b. Hoped to bleed BUS dry and irrelevant

c. Cabinet saw this as a mistake

d. Financial crisis ensuede. Wildcat banks unstable

and issues depreciated notes

5. Benefits of the BUSa. Sound organization that

reduced bank failures.b. Issued sound paper notes

while US flooded with depreciated paper.

c. Spurred economic expansion by making credit and currency available.

d. Safe depository for federal gov’t funds.

6. “Specie Circular”a. “wildcat” banks unstable

and issuing depreciated currency.

b. A Jackson required all western land sales to be paid for with hard money.

c. Brought hard times to westerners.

L. Economic Expansion under Jackson

1. General incorporation lawsa. State granted corporate

charters traditionally monopolies.

b. States began to make incorporation easier

i. Small and medium business growth spurt.

ii. Limited liability – allowed business owners to be separated from their business entity – reduced risk of business ownership.

c. Part of increased democracy under Jackson

2. Charles River Bridge decision (1837)

a. Chas. River Bridge builders given monopoly for bridge from MA in 1780.

b. 1828 – Warren Bridge Co. granted charter by MA to build bridge 300 yds away.

c. Chas. River Bridge Co. sued Warren Bridge Co. for a state interfering with a contract protected by Constitution.

d. Supreme Court granted Warren Bridge Co. right to build

e. Significance: Encouraged economic development in transportation and elsewhere via competition.

f. Another step towards democracy under Jackson.

M. Jackson and States’ Rights

1. Jackson believed in supremacy of national laws, but also a proponent of states rights.

2. Refused to spend federal money for intrastate improvements.

a. Vetoed bill for improving the Maysville Road in KY

b. Similar to Madison’s veto of Bonus Bill for internal improvements in 1817.

3. Removal of Native Americans

a. Indian Removal Act (1830)i. Jackson wanted to remove

remaining tribes (5 Civilized Nations) that still lived east of Mississippi River to Oklahoma Territory.

ii. Individual natives could stay if they adopted white ways.

iii. More than 100,000 natives forcibly uprooted and moved in 1830s

iv. Bureau of Indian Affairs est. in 1836 to administer relations with natives.

b. Cherokeei. Tried to assimilate into white

societyii. Sequoya created 85 character

alphabet and created their own newspaper.

iii. Had a written constitution similar to US

iv. Established agriculture-based economy.

v. Still not accepted by white society.

vi. Cherokee sat on valuable land in northeast GA.• Gold discovered in 1829 –

whites want it• Could also be used for cotton –

coveted by farmers toovii. Cherokee right to land

recognized by Treaty of 1791viii. Many Georgians ignored

federal laws however.

c. Worcester v. Georgia (1832)

i. Sam Worcester (missionary) arrested for living on Cherokee territory and not leaving when ordered by state to do so.

ii. John Marshall ruled that Georgia’s laws had no jurisdiction within Cherokee nation boundaries.

iii. Jackson defied ruling • Did not release Worcester• Reportedly said “John

Marshall has made his decision, let him enforce it”

• 1838 – forcibly removed Cherokee from their homes Marched 1,000 mi to

Indian Territory (OK) 4,000 died en route 25% of Choctaw died

en route in 1831-35 3,500 of 15,000

Creeks died during removal in 1836.

N. Jackson’s Legacy1. Positive Contributions

a. Demonstrated value of strong executive

b. Became the champion of the common people.

c. Established the Democratic Party (and sparked the two party system)

2. Liabilitiesa. Spoils Systemb. Killing BUS led to bank failures

and economic crisis.c. Snubbed authority of Supreme

Court.d. Trail of Tearse. Break with Calhoun led to deeper

sectionalism.

O. Election of 18361. Birth of the Whig Party

a. Extension of Hamilton’s Federalist ideas

b. Emerged when Clay and Calhoun joined forces to oppose Jackson’s removal of federal deposits from BUS.

c. Mutual hatred of “King Andrew I”

d. Evolved into a national political party of groups alienated by Jackson.

2. War hero William Henry Harrison chosen as candidate over Henry Clay

3. Martin Van Buren was Jackson’s hand-picked successor.

i. Ran for third term vicariously though Van Buren

ii. Defeats Harrison 170-73

Second Two-Party Systema. Whigs

i. Supported by northern industrialists and merchants (wealthiest)

ii. Supported Clay’s “American System”

iii. Sought to reduce spoils system

iv. Southern states rigths advocates angry at Jackson’s stand on nullification.

v. Later supported social reforms like abolition and temperance.

vi. Sought to use national gov’t to solve ills of society

b. Democratsi. Supported by the

common people and political machines in the east.

ii. States’ Rights – opposed to “American System”

iii. Favored spoils systemiv. Anti-monopoly – favored

increased competitionv. Believed federal gov’t

should not be involved in people’s personal lives.

P. Van Buren’s Presidency1. First President born

under American flag.2. Smart and deft NY

politician – dubbed “The Little Magician”.

3. Further developed the 2-Party System

4. Presided over the Panic of 1837 (Jackson’s policies a major cause)

5. Formalized the Independent Treasury System (“pet banks”)

Q. Panic of 18371. Causes

a. Overspeculation (risky loans)b. Jackson’s Policiesc. High Grain Pricesd. Failure of 2 major British

Banks2. Effects

a. American banks failed and took several million dollars of gov’t funds with it.

b. Prices and land sales dropped

c. Custom revenues dried upd. Factories closed –

unemployment soared

3. “Divorce Bill” or Independent Treasury Bill of 1840

a. Outcry among Whigs for gov’t to DO something about Panic

b. Van Buren stayed true to Jacksonian separation of Gov’t from economy.

c. Decided to separate gov’t funds from private banks entirely.

i. Removed gov’t funds from pet banks and locked it up in vaults in some select large banks.

ii. Money was safe, but not available to make loans

iii. Repealed a year later, but returns in 1846 with Polk.

P. Election of 18401. “Van Ruin” re-nominated by Dems2. Whigs chose Harrison again and

made John Tyler his running mate (“Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!”)

a. Not the ablest (Clay and Webster overlooked) but the biggest vote-getterest (!?)

b. Issueless and enemyless3. Voters blamed Van Buren and

Democrats for depression.4. Whigs created a myth of Harrison

being a poor western farmer who grew up in a log cabin (“Log Cabin and Hard Cider” campaign)

5. Harrison defeats Van Burena. First mass turnout of votersb. Campaign more style over substance