Jacksonian Jacksonian DemocracyDemocracy

PersonalityPersonality►““Old Hickory”Old Hickory”►From Tennessee From Tennessee

frontierfrontier►Doer – not thinkerDoer – not thinker

Invasion of Fla: Invasion of Fla: 18171817

►DecisiveDecisive►TemperTemper►Hero – romantic Hero – romantic

figurefigure

Election of 1824Election of 1824Election of 1824Election of 1824

Henry ClayHenry Clay[KY][KY]

John Quincy John Quincy AdamsAdams[MA][MA]

William H. CrawfordWilliam H. Crawford[GA][GA]

Results of the 1824 Results of the 1824 ElectionElection

Results of the 1824 Results of the 1824 ElectionElection

Election of 1828Election of 1828

► JQA v. JacksonJQA v. Jackson► Corrupt BargainCorrupt Bargain

Jackson appears Jackson appears virtuousvirtuous

► MudslingingMudslinging Jackson Jackson

► home wreckerhome wrecker► murderermurderer

Adams Adams ► pimppimp► frivolous spenderfrivolous spender

1828 Election Results1828 Election Results1828 Election Results1828 Election Results

Jacksonian DemocracyJacksonian Democracy► Worth of the Worth of the

common mancommon man Equal Equal

opportunity to opportunity to succeed succeed

Made it cool to Made it cool to be commonbe common

► Gov’t should not Gov’t should not create special create special advantagesadvantages

► States rightsStates rights► Strict interpretation Strict interpretation

of the Constitutionof the Constitution► Union was a Union was a

permanent entity permanent entity

Jacksonian v. Jeffersonian Jacksonian v. Jeffersonian DemocracyDemocracy

► After Jefferson: All Dem-Rep PresidentsAfter Jefferson: All Dem-Rep Presidents► Birth of Democratic PartyBirth of Democratic Party►DifferencesDifferences

Education required for effective decision makingEducation required for effective decision making► Jefferson: YesJefferson: Yes Jackson: NoJackson: No

Jefferson: OK to be a common manJefferson: OK to be a common man Jackson: Glorified the common man (mediocrity Jackson: Glorified the common man (mediocrity

was a virtue)was a virtue)►Capable of uncommon thingsCapable of uncommon things►Rotation in OfficeRotation in Office

King Andrew IKing Andrew I►Weak federal gov’t but a Weak federal gov’t but a

strong presidencystrong presidency Reshapes it Reshapes it

► Representative of the will Representative of the will of the American peopleof the American people Ignored Supreme Court Ignored Supreme Court

and Congress and Congress Veto useVeto use Rules on Rules on

constitutionalityconstitutionality

Spoils SystemSpoils System

►Reward political Reward political supporterssupporters Remove JQA’s guysRemove JQA’s guys

►““To the victor goes To the victor goes the spoils”the spoils”

►Seen as Seen as democratic, but democratic, but also allowed him to also allowed him to control Presidencycontrol Presidency

►Kitchen CabinetKitchen Cabinet

Retrenchment and ReformRetrenchment and Reform

►Retrenchment Retrenchment (reduce expenses)(reduce expenses)

Eliminate federal deficitEliminate federal deficit Threat to libertyThreat to liberty Done by 2Done by 2ndnd term term

►ReformReform Remove corruption from gov’tRemove corruption from gov’t Kickbacks with government contractsKickbacks with government contracts They were a threat to democracyThey were a threat to democracy

CrisesCrises

►Peggy Eaton AffairPeggy Eaton Affair►Nullification CrisisNullification Crisis►The National Bank WarThe National Bank War► Indian RemovalIndian Removal

Peggy Eaton AffairPeggy Eaton Affair

► John Eaton – Sec of John Eaton – Sec of WarWar Married Peggy Married Peggy

Timberlake – Timberlake – commonercommoner

► Eatons excluded by Eatons excluded by Washington insidersWashington insiders John Calhoun (VP) – his John Calhoun (VP) – his

wife was worstwife was worst

► Jackson will remove Jackson will remove Calhoun in 1831Calhoun in 1831

Nullification CrisisNullification Crisis

► South feels isolatedSouth feels isolated Tariffs (1816, 1824, 1828)Tariffs (1816, 1824, 1828) American SystemAmerican System Rising opposition to slaveryRising opposition to slavery

► Tariff of 1832Tariff of 1832►Ordinance of NullificationOrdinance of Nullification► Clay’s Compromise – Clay’s Compromise –

Tariff of 1833Tariff of 1833► Force BillForce Bill► SC concedesSC concedes

Second National BankSecond National Bank

► First Bank expired 1811First Bank expired 1811► Second Bank chartered Second Bank chartered

18161816 80% private investors – 80% private investors –

some foreignsome foreign

► Bank Pres - Nicholas Bank Pres - Nicholas BiddleBiddle Young, cultured, arrogantYoung, cultured, arrogant He and Jackson did not He and Jackson did not

get alongget along

Bank WarBank War

►Election of 1832: Jackson v. ClayElection of 1832: Jackson v. Clay►Bank recharter schemeBank recharter scheme► Jackson VetoJackson Veto

Bank of US is a monopolyBank of US is a monopoly Bank is unconstitutionalBank is unconstitutional Instrument of the wealthyInstrument of the wealthy Foreign ownedForeign owned

►The veto standsThe veto stands

Election of 1832Election of 1832

Destroy the National BankDestroy the National Bank

► Pet BanksPet Banks pro-Jacksonpro-Jackson

► Two Secs. of Treasury refused Two Secs. of Treasury refused ► Jackson appoints Roger B. Taney Jackson appoints Roger B. Taney ► Senate censure - 1834Senate censure - 1834

Only time in historyOnly time in history Violation of the Constitution and abuse Violation of the Constitution and abuse

of powerof power Conflict of interest Conflict of interest

Downfall of Mother BankDownfall of Mother Bank

Impact of Jackson’s Economic Impact of Jackson’s Economic PolicyPolicy

►National Bank no longer regulates currencyNational Bank no longer regulates currency► Land SpeculationLand Speculation

Borrow from wildcat banksBorrow from wildcat banks► Jackson discouraged by speculationJackson discouraged by speculation► Issues Specie Circular - 1836Issues Specie Circular - 1836

Land sales transactions must be completed in Land sales transactions must be completed in gold or silvergold or silver

► Stopped speculationStopped speculation Land prices fall – people lose everything Land prices fall – people lose everything

(Foreclosures)(Foreclosures) Banks go under Banks go under

► Leads to Panic of 1837Leads to Panic of 1837

Destruction of the National Destruction of the National BankBank

► Many historians argue..Many historians argue.. Jackson destroyed a vital financial institutionJackson destroyed a vital financial institution

► Could have helped alleviate pressures from Panic Could have helped alleviate pressures from Panic of 1837of 1837

► It seemed like he reduced this issue to a It seemed like he reduced this issue to a personal vendetta rather than trying to personal vendetta rather than trying to understand the importance of this understand the importance of this institution to society. He did not keep the institution to society. He did not keep the best interests of the country in mind.best interests of the country in mind.

Indian Removal ActIndian Removal Act

►Cotton Land – South EastCotton Land – South East Americans wanted itAmericans wanted it

►Treaties gave land to Treaties gave land to Native AmericansNative Americans

►Americans began Americans began encroachingencroaching

►What are his What are his alternatives?alternatives?

Indian Removal ActIndian Removal Act

►Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi legislatures Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi legislatures disbanded the treatiesdisbanded the treaties unconstitutional act - treaties were federal policies unconstitutional act - treaties were federal policies

► Indian Removal ActIndian Removal Act Some moved without issueSome moved without issue Seminoles fought – Second Seminole WarSeminoles fought – Second Seminole War Cherokees attempted to adopt European cultureCherokees attempted to adopt European culture Challenged the legislation through the court Challenged the legislation through the court

systemsystem►Cherokee Nation v. GeorgiaCherokee Nation v. Georgia - 1831 - 1831►Worchester v. GeorgiaWorchester v. Georgia - 1832 - 1832

““John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it”John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it”

Cherokee Nation – 1820sCherokee Nation – 1820s

Indian Removal 1831-1838Indian Removal 1831-1838

Costly MistakesCostly Mistakes

►Lack of organizationLack of organization no monitoring of this operationno monitoring of this operation Very few regulations establishedVery few regulations established

► Inadequate fundsInadequate funds►Widespread disease, injuries and deathWidespread disease, injuries and death

Trail of TearsTrail of Tears About 25% don’t make itAbout 25% don’t make it

►Black eye for AmericaBlack eye for America

Trail of TearsTrail of Tears