The Presidencies

of

Andrew Jackson

and

Martin Van Buren

The Election of 1828The Election of 1828 Rematch of Andrew Rematch of Andrew

Jackson vs. John Quincy Jackson vs. John Quincy AdamsAdams

Jackson had resigned from Jackson had resigned from the Senate and dedicated the Senate and dedicated the past four years of his the past four years of his life to winning this electionlife to winning this election

Jackson was billed as the Jackson was billed as the “common man” while “common man” while Adams was portrayed as Adams was portrayed as an over-educated an over-educated aristocratic elitistaristocratic elitist

Jackson won both the Jackson won both the popular and electoral vote, popular and electoral vote, taking the entire South and taking the entire South and WestWest

Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson 1767 – 18451767 – 1845 DemocratDemocrat 77thth president president Nicknamed “Old Nicknamed “Old

Hickory,” a tribute to his Hickory,” a tribute to his toughness and his toughness and his background as a background as a frontiersmanfrontiersman

Hero of the Creek War, Hero of the Creek War, War of 1812 and War of 1812 and Seminole WarSeminole War

First president to survive First president to survive an assassination attemptan assassination attempt

Jackson’s Background

Jackson had been born to Jackson had been born to poor Irish immigrants poor Irish immigrants somewhere in the mountains somewhere in the mountains of either North or South of either North or South Carolina worked as a teacher Carolina worked as a teacher and lawyerand lawyer

Had served as a messenger Had served as a messenger during the Revolution as a during the Revolution as a boy and was orphaned at boy and was orphaned at age 14age 14

Jackson was a self-made Jackson was a self-made man, putting himself through man, putting himself through school and became a lawyer, school and became a lawyer, practicing in both North practicing in both North Carolina and TennesseeCarolina and Tennessee

Jackson’s Background

Jackson later made himself Jackson later made himself wealthy through land wealthy through land speculation (buying up cheap speculation (buying up cheap land along the frontier and land along the frontier and then selling it later for large then selling it later for large profits after more people had profits after more people had moved into the region)moved into the region)

Between serving in his Between serving in his various military capacities, various military capacities, Jackson was elected to the Jackson was elected to the House of Representatives House of Representatives and later the Senate (from and later the Senate (from the state of Tennessee) and the state of Tennessee) and served on the Tennessee served on the Tennessee Supreme CourtSupreme Court

Jacksonian Jacksonian DemocracyDemocracy

Under Jackson, suffrage (the Under Jackson, suffrage (the right to vote) was extended to right to vote) was extended to all adult white malesall adult white males

Jackson was the first president Jackson was the first president to come from a background of to come from a background of poverty (although he had poverty (although he had made himself quite wealthy made himself quite wealthy and owned several and owned several plantations and businesses), plantations and businesses), so he was the hero of the so he was the hero of the common mancommon man

Jackson was, however, like Jackson was, however, like most in his day, a racist – he most in his day, a racist – he owned hundreds of slaves and owned hundreds of slaves and almost single-handedly wiped almost single-handedly wiped out Native American cultures out Native American cultures east of the Mississippieast of the Mississippi

““The Spoils System”The Spoils System” Under pressure from the many

supporters who had helped him get elected, Jackson fired large numbers of bureaucratic-level government officials and replaced them with his own followers

This was came to be referred to as the “spoils system,” based on the quote attributed to Jackson: “to the victors belong the spoils”

This still happens today – politicians reward their supporters with important government jobs, although not to the extent of the Jackson administration

Indian Removal Act (1830)Indian Removal Act (1830) Believing it was in the best Believing it was in the best

interests of both whites and interests of both whites and Native Americans, Jackson Native Americans, Jackson pressured the Indian tribes of pressured the Indian tribes of the east to relocate to the the east to relocate to the Great Plains, west of the Great Plains, west of the Mississippi RiverMississippi River

Several tribes cooperated and Several tribes cooperated and sold their lands to the U.S., but sold their lands to the U.S., but many of the larger tribes many of the larger tribes resisted, prompting Congress resisted, prompting Congress to pass the Indian Removal Act to pass the Indian Removal Act and force them off their landand force them off their land

Most tribes relented and Most tribes relented and moved west, but the Cherokee moved west, but the Cherokee tribe in Georgia refusedtribe in Georgia refused

Worcester v. GeorgiaWorcester v. Georgia (1832)(1832)

Instead, the Cherokee sued Instead, the Cherokee sued government on the grounds government on the grounds that they had negotiated that they had negotiated treaties with the U.S. as an treaties with the U.S. as an independent nation and, independent nation and, therefore, U.S. laws did not therefore, U.S. laws did not apply to them anymore than apply to them anymore than they did to Canada or Mexicothey did to Canada or Mexico

The Supreme Court ruled that The Supreme Court ruled that the Cherokee were a separate the Cherokee were a separate nation and that treaties with nation and that treaties with them must be honoredthem must be honored

Jackson, however, refused to Jackson, however, refused to enforce the court’s decision: enforce the court’s decision: “(Chief Justice) Marshall has “(Chief Justice) Marshall has made his decision, not let us made his decision, not let us see him enforce it.”see him enforce it.”

The Trail of The Trail of TearsTears

Instead, Jackson exercised his power as commander-in-chief to have the U.S. Army forcibly remove the Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, and Choctaw nations from their homes in the east to the newly created Indian Territory (modern Oklahoma)

46,000 Native Americans moved, but thousands died along the way, especially among the Cherokee

Some remnants of the Cherokee, however, remained hidden in the remote Smoky Mountains of NC & Tennessee

Nat TurnerNat Turner 1800 – 18311800 – 1831 Virginia slave who had Virginia slave who had

religious “visions”religious “visions” Nicknamed “The Nicknamed “The

Prophet” by other Prophet” by other slaves, Turner was a slaves, Turner was a practicing (but not practicing (but not ordained) Baptist ordained) Baptist minister with a minister with a significant followingsignificant following

In 1831, he believed In 1831, he believed that God had called on that God had called on him to lead a slave him to lead a slave rebellionrebellion

Nat Turner’s Nat Turner’s RebellionRebellion

August 21, 1831August 21, 1831 Turner led a brief but Turner led a brief but

disorganized slave uprising disorganized slave uprising that resulted in the deaths of that resulted in the deaths of 56 whites56 whites

The uprising was quickly The uprising was quickly suppressed by the local suppressed by the local militia, and dozens of slaves militia, and dozens of slaves (including Turner) were (including Turner) were executed for their roles in executed for their roles in the rebellionthe rebellion

Turner’s Rebellion led to Turner’s Rebellion led to bans throughout the South bans throughout the South on educating slaves, on educating slaves, allowing slaves to freely allowing slaves to freely assemble without white assemble without white supervision, and on allowing supervision, and on allowing black ministers to lead black ministers to lead worship servicesworship services

South Carolina South Carolina Nullification CrisisNullification Crisis

Still bitter over the Tariff of Still bitter over the Tariff of Abominations, in 1832 South Abominations, in 1832 South Carolina declared federal tariffs Carolina declared federal tariffs unconstitutional and nullified unconstitutional and nullified them (refused to enforce them)them (refused to enforce them)

Vice-President John C. Calhoun Vice-President John C. Calhoun resigned in favor of serving his resigned in favor of serving his home state of South Carolina as a home state of South Carolina as a Senator in order to fight the Senator in order to fight the tariffstariffs

Jackson considered South Jackson considered South Carolina’s actions (and Carolina’s actions (and Calhoun’s) treasonous and Calhoun’s) treasonous and threatened to use the military threatened to use the military against South Carolina (and to against South Carolina (and to hang Calhoun) to make them hang Calhoun) to make them comply with the tariffcomply with the tariff

South Carolina threatened to South Carolina threatened to secede (leave the U.S.) unless the secede (leave the U.S.) unless the tariffs were repealedtariffs were repealed

Compromise of 1833Compromise of 1833 Henry Clay managed to Henry Clay managed to

delay passage of the delay passage of the Force Bill, which would Force Bill, which would have given Jackson have given Jackson permission to take permission to take military action against military action against South Carolina, until he South Carolina, until he could force through a bill could force through a bill reducing tariffs over the reducing tariffs over the next 10 yearsnext 10 years

Once this compromise Once this compromise tariff was passed, South tariff was passed, South Carolina repealed its Carolina repealed its nullification and the nullification and the crisis endedcrisis ended

Jackson and the “Bank War”Jackson and the “Bank War”

Jackson, who had managed to Jackson, who had managed to completely pay off the federal completely pay off the federal debt, saw no reason to continue debt, saw no reason to continue the Bank of the U.S., but the Bank of the U.S., but Congress extended the Bank’s Congress extended the Bank’s charter for another 10 years in charter for another 10 years in 18321832

Jackson vetoed the bill extending Jackson vetoed the bill extending the charter and exercised his the charter and exercised his power as president to withdraw power as president to withdraw all of the federal government’s all of the federal government’s money from the Bank; with no money from the Bank; with no money and no charter, the money and no charter, the Second Bank of the United Second Bank of the United States closedStates closed

Jackson then split the Jackson then split the government’s deposits among government’s deposits among state and private banks, referred state and private banks, referred to as Jackson’s “pet banks” to as Jackson’s “pet banks”

The Whig PartyThe Whig Party Angered that Jackson had Angered that Jackson had

defied the Supreme Court over defied the Supreme Court over the Indian Removal Act and the Indian Removal Act and Congress over the Bank of the Congress over the Bank of the United States, in 1834 the United States, in 1834 the National Republican Party National Republican Party symbolically changed its name symbolically changed its name to the Whig Partyto the Whig Party

““Whigs” in England were Whigs” in England were people who opposed the power people who opposed the power of the king; American Whigs of the king; American Whigs felt that Andrew Jackson was felt that Andrew Jackson was ignoring the Constitution and ignoring the Constitution and acting like a king – they even acting like a king – they even began to refer to him as “King began to refer to him as “King Andrew I”Andrew I”

Expansion Under Jackson

Two more states joined Two more states joined the Union while Jackson the Union while Jackson was president:was president:

Arkansas, as a slave Arkansas, as a slave state in 1836state in 1836

Michigan, as a free state Michigan, as a free state in 1837in 1837

By adding both a slave By adding both a slave state and a free state, state and a free state, the balance in the the balance in the Senate was maintained Senate was maintained and sectional conflict and sectional conflict avoidedavoided

The Election of The Election of 18361836

Jackson supported his Jackson supported his Vice-President Martin Van Vice-President Martin Van Buren as his successorBuren as his successor

Van Buren easily won the Van Buren easily won the Democratic nomination Democratic nomination at convention (This is the at convention (This is the first time national party first time national party conventions were used to conventions were used to select candidates)select candidates)

Whigs could not settle on Whigs could not settle on a single candidate to run, a single candidate to run, leading to a split Whig leading to a split Whig vote; this allowed Van vote; this allowed Van Buren to win the electionBuren to win the election

Martin Van BurenMartin Van Buren 1782 – 18621782 – 1862 DemocratDemocrat 88thth President (1837-41) President (1837-41) Former Vice-President Former Vice-President

and Secretary of State and Secretary of State under Jacksonunder Jackson

Largely ineffective as Largely ineffective as president due to president due to crippling economic crippling economic crisescrises

Later failed in his bids to Later failed in his bids to get re-elected president get re-elected president in 1840 and 1848in 1840 and 1848

The Panic of 1837The Panic of 1837 Without the Bank of the Without the Bank of the

U.S. to oversee state and U.S. to oversee state and private banks, these banks private banks, these banks overextended themselves overextended themselves by loaning money too freelyby loaning money too freely

By loaning more money By loaning more money than they had in deposits, than they had in deposits, many banks bankrupted many banks bankrupted themselves when people themselves when people didn’t pay back loansdidn’t pay back loans

As banks closed, inflation As banks closed, inflation soared, unemployment soared, unemployment rose, and businesses rose, and businesses closed; many people who closed; many people who had invested in banks lost had invested in banks lost everythingeverything

This financial crisis ruined This financial crisis ruined Van Buren’s presidencyVan Buren’s presidency

The Election of The Election of 18401840

Whigs nominated Whigs nominated war hero William war hero William Henry Harrison after Henry Harrison after Henry Clay and Henry Clay and Daniel Webster each Daniel Webster each proved too divisive proved too divisive to win majority to win majority support within the support within the partyparty

Harrison easily Harrison easily defeated Van Burendefeated Van Buren

William Henry HarrisonWilliam Henry Harrison 1773 – 18411773 – 1841 WhigWhig 99thth President (1841) President (1841) Nicknamed “Old Nicknamed “Old

Tippecanoe” from his Tippecanoe” from his fame as hero of the fame as hero of the Northwest Indian WarNorthwest Indian War

Shortest tenure in U.S. Shortest tenure in U.S. history – president for history – president for only 32 days before only 32 days before dying from pneumoniadying from pneumonia