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Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman © 2008
CHAPTER 9 JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY
The American Nation: A History of the United States, 13th edition
Carnes/Garraty
Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman © 2008
“DEMOCRATIZING” POLITICS Jacksonian inauguration and the reign of the
“common man” Jefferson: believed ordinary man could be educated to
believe what was right Jackson: insisted ordinary man knew what was right by
instinct “Servant” replaced by “help” Increasingly democratic elections
Most states removed property qualifications By Jackson’s time only Delaware and South Carolina
had electors chosen by state legislature rather than by popular vote
Soon after 1828 presidential candidates were nominated by party conventions
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“DEMOCRATIZING” POLITICS Emphasis on idea that every citizen equally
important and all should participate in government Final disestablishment of churches Beginnings of free-school movement, early
interest in adult education and slow spread of secondary education
Increase in number of newspapers and the decline in their prices
Eight times as many people voted in 1840 as in 1824
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“DEMOCRATIZING” POLITICS With increase in importance of voting came increase
in competition among candidates Running campaigns and getting vote out required
money, people and organized effort Parties became powerful institutions that instilled
loyalty among adherents 1828 election stimulated party formation
Created bureaucracies Devoted party workers were rewarded with political
offices Candidates decided best way to attract voters was by
flattery
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1828:The New Party System in Embryo Party system developed as
result of battle to succeed John Quincy Adams
1828 election full of character assassination Denigrating remarks
about Jackson’s wife and marriage
Accusations about Adams conduct in office
Unfortunately resulted in high voter turnout Mrs. Andrew Jackson / engd. by J.C. Buttre Library of Congress Prints
and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 U.S.A LC-U.S.Z62-25773 (b&w film copy neg.)
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THE JACKSONIAN APPEAL
Jackson similar to Washington Soldier first Inveterate speculator in western lands Owner of plantation and slaves Man with few intellectual interests and only sketchily
educated More like a southern planter than a frontiersman Stood as a symbol for a new democratically
oriented generation Drew support from every section and social class Believed in equality of opportunity and distrusted
entrenched status
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THE SPOILS SYSTEM
Jackson decided to punish those who wronged him during campaign Political office seen as reward for victory
Removed some officials for incompetence or corruption Some because Jackson believed in concept of rotation which
meant more citizens could participate in tasks of governing Would prevent entrenched bureaucracy Yet also inhibited governmental efficiency
Jacksonian democracy characterized by contempt for knowledge and belief that ordinary Americans can do anything they set their minds to Jackson actually appointed people from social and intellectual
elite Did not rotate a lot of positions especially in War and Navy
departments
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PRESIDENT OF ALL THE PEOPLE
Jackson relied not on formal cabinet (where only secretary of state, Martin Van Buren, had any talent) but on informal “Kitchen Cabinet”
Vetoed over a dozen bills, some that he deemed inexpedient rather than unconstitutional
Did not seek to expand federal authority at expense of states because favored a “frugal,” constitutionally limited government
Poor administrator, given to penny-pinching and lacking in imagination
Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, [1830]. Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction number: LC-U.S.ZC4-4563 (color film copy transparency).
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SECTIONAL TENSIONS REVIVEDModerate course Slight reduction in tariff “constitutional” internal improvements Once federal debt paid off, distribute rest
among states If done, could not reduce price of public land
which upset westerners Created proposal for South-West alliance
based on cheap land and low tariff Alliance cut down by Daniel Webster
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JACKSON: “The Bank…I Will Kill It!” Jackson was re-elected in 1832 over Henry
Clay One of the main issues was Second Bank of
U.S. Bank was run by Nicholas Biddle who realized
it could act as rudimentary central bank State banks often issued more paper money
than hard currency reserves By collecting bank notes and submitting them for
redemption, Biddle could compel local banks to maintain reserves of gold and silver
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JACKSON: “The Bank…I Will Kill It!” Biddle’s policies were good for Bank
Earned substantial profits But state banks pressured to print money which caused
farmers to overextend themselves Led to decline in prices and agricultural depression Reckless lending caused inflation and greatly exaggerated ups
and downs of business cycle Biddle had supporters but they were outnumbered by
detractors who did not understand what he was doing Those who disliked all paper money Bankers who disliked Biddle’s restraints on their ability to lend
freely New York bankers Some objected because bank was a monopoly
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JACKSON’S BANK VETO
After Jackson admitted his dislike and fear of Bank, Biddle gravitated to the opposition (National Republicans)
In 1832 Biddle asked for renewal of Bank charter due to expire in 1836
Congress passed but Jackson vetoed saying Bank was Unconstitutional Inexpedient Stock owned by foreigners
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JACKSON’S BANK VETO
Jackson withdrew government funds from the Bank of the United States and deposited them in state banks Had to replace two Secretaries of the Treasury before
he found Roger Taney, who made transfer By 1836 funds distributed to 90 institutions
In response to withdrawals, Biddle Presented all state bank notes and checks for specie Contracted own lending
Paper money became scarce and specie unattainable In 1834, Biddle caved to pressure and returned to
lending freely
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JACKSON VERSU.S. CALHOUN
Jackson: “Our Federal Union: It must be preserved” Calhoun: “The Union, next to our liberty, most dear” Strained relations
Peggy Eaton Calhoun’s 1818 response to Jackson’s invasion of Florida
Jackson’s views: Did not believe that the area of national power was large or
should be expanded Interested in government economy, distribution of federal
surpluses to the states, and interpreting powers of Congress narrowly
Favored internal improvements but preferred local projects be left to states
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INDIAN REMOVALS
Jackson’s Views: Indians were “savage” because they roamed wild in
trackless wilderness and therefore were incapable of self-government
Ignored reality of Cherokee life Jackson insisted that Indians must be removed from
path of white settlement but must be paid fairly for land and government must bear expense of relocating them
Saw relocation as protecting Indians from “degradation and destruction”
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Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman © 2008
INDIAN REMOVALS
Between 1831 and 1833 some 15,000 Choctaw migrated from Mississippi to region west of Arkansas Territory
Resistance: Black Hawk’s Sac and Fox in Illinois Osceola’s Seminole in Florida
Accommodation: Cherokee Took up farming and cattle raising Developed a written language Drafted a constitution
1828 Georgia declared all Cherokee laws void and claimed their land as part of Georgia
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INDIAN REMOVALS
Cherokees sued in Supreme Court Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)
Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the Cherokee were not a foreign nation and thus could not sue in U.S. court
Worcester v. Georgia (1832) Involved two missionaries to Cherokee who had not
obtained license required by Georgia Marshall ruled state could not control Cherokee or their
territory Supported this decision in follow up case when Cherokee
convicted in Georgia court sued and Marshall overturned conviction since incident had occurred on Cherokee territory thereby making Georgia’s actions unconstitutional
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INDIAN REMOVALS
Jackson supported Georgia Trail of Tears (1838)
15,000 Cherokees were forced to leave Georgia for Oklahoma
At least 4,000 died on the way Jackson’s actions regarding Georgia
convinced many southern states’ righters that he would not oppose doctrine of nullification
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THE NULLIFICATION CRISIS
1832 Tariff failed to lower prices enough to satisfy southerners, especially South Carolina Upcountry cotton planters suffering
competition from more fertile Alabama Planter aristocrats of rice-growing Tidewater
were troubled by northern criticisms of slavery Blacks outnumbered whites two to one in
region Many were African born 1822 planned revolt of Denmark Vesey
exposed 1831 Nat Turner revolt terrified even more
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THE NULLIFICATION CRISIS
Radical South Carolinians saw protective tariffs and anti-slavery agitation as tyranny of the majority to which nullification was the logical defense
Calhoun’s Exposition and Protest based on false assumptions: That the Constitution was subject to definitive
interpretation That one party could be permitted to interpret a compact
unilaterally without destroying it That a minority of the nation could reassume its sovereign
independence but that a minority of the state could not Jackson realized if a state could nullify a law of
Congress, the Union could not exist
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THE NULLIFICATION CRISIS
October 1832: South Carolina state legislature provided for the election of a special convention which wound up containing a majority of nullifiers
November 24, 1832: convention passed an ordinance of nullification prohibiting collection of tariff duties after February 1, 1833, and authorized raising of army
Jackson threatened to use force while also pressuring Congress to further lower tariff and warning South Carolina of the consequences
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THE NULLIFICATION CRISIS
Calhoun resigned as Vice President and replaced Senator Hayne Sought solution aided by Henry Clay
Administration allies introduced new tariff bill and a Force Bill (granting president additional authority to execute revenue laws)
No other southern states joined South Carolina March 1833 Calhoun and Clay got compromise tariff
through Congress that lowered tariff over 10 year period
South Carolina repealed nullification law and nullified force law
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BOOM AND BU.S.T
1833 and 1834 Secretary of the Treasury Taney insisted “pet” state banks maintain large reserves
Other state banks began to offer credit on easy terms because had increase in their reserves of gold and silver Decline in Chinese demand for Mexican silver led to
increased exports of metal to U.S. Rise of American interest rates attracted English
capital Heavy English purchases of American cotton of high
price increased flow of specie to banks
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BOOM AND BU.S.T
Bank notes in circulation jumped from $82 million in January 1835 to $120 million in December 1836 Bank deposits rose even more rapidly
New money flowed into land speculation where prices rose 15 percent in 6 months By 1836 U.S. government had eliminated debt and had a $20
million surplus Alarmed by speculation, Jackson issued Specie Circular in
1836 Purchasers must pay for public land in gold or silver Demand slackened and prices fell Speculators turned over land to banks who could not make
enough money to recover loans Spring 1837 every bank in the country was forced to suspend
specie payments as depositors tried to withdraw their money
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JACKSONIANISM ABROAD
Reciprocal trade agreements negotiated One with Great Britain opened British West
Indian ports to American ships Pressed American claims dating from
Napoleonic Wars 1831: France agreed to pay $5 million Initially the French Chamber of Deputies
refused to pay and only after Jackson had severed relations and threatened war did Chamber finally give in
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THE JACKSONIANS
Jacksonians of Democratic Party believed in certain underlying principles: Suspicion of special privilege and large
business corporations Freedom of economic opportunity, unfettered
by private or governmental restrictions Absolute political freedom, at least for white
males Conviction that any ordinary man is capable of
performing the duties of most public offices Supported public education
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RISE OF THE WHIGS
Opposition to Jackson less cohesive though clearly anti-Jackson
Whigs: Bankers Those who found “pushiness and coarseness” of
Jacksonians offensive Lawyers, ministers, doctors and other well educated
people joined due to anti-intellectual and anti-scientific bias of administration
Problems Too many generals, not enough troops Could agree on little besides dislike of Jackson
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MARTIN VAN BUREN: Jacksonianism without Jackson Took office as Panic of 1837 hit By 1838: banks resumed specie payment 1839: bumper crop caused a sharp decline in
price of cotton States that had overextended themselves in
internal improvements were forced to default on debts
Discouraged foreign investments Result was economic depression that lasted
until 1843
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MARTIN VAN BUREN: Jacksonianism without Jackson Van Buren ignored economy Did pass Independent
Treasury Act 1840 Called for the construction of
government owned vaults where federal revenues could be stored until needed
All payments to the government were to be made in hard cash
Despite criticism system actually worked for a number of years Martin Van Buren LC-U.S.Z62-13008 (b&w film copy neg. of detail)
LC-BH82401-5239 (b&w film copy neg.) Library of Congress Prints
and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 U.S.A
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THE LOG CABIN CAMPAIGN
In 1840 Whigs decided to follow Jacksonian strategy and nominated General William Henry Harrison, “Hero of Tippecanoe,” as their candidate for president Chose John Tyler of Virginia as vice president
Ignoring the realities of Harrison’s financial situation and upbringing, Whigs used log cabin and cider barrel as their symbols
Democrats were as organized as the Whigs but did not have much heart for the fight
Four-fifths of the eligible voters turned out and gave the election to Harrison with 234 electoral votes to 60
Less than a month after his inauguration, Harrison fell ill and died on April 4 John Tyler became president
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MILESTONES
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WEBSITES
Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties, Compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler (1904)
http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler Indian Removal Act: Primary Documents in American Historyhttp://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Indian.html The Second Bank of the United States, 1816-1836http://odur.let.rut.nl/~usa/E/usbank/bank04.htm Daniel Websterhttp://www.dartmouth.edu/~dwebster The American Whig Party, 1834-1856http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/uswhig/whigsxx.htm National Museum of the American Indianhttp://www.si.edu/nmai