Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)

The Corrupt BargainIn the Election of 1824, Jackson beat John Quincy Adams in the popular vote & the Electoral College Vote, but no one got enough votes in the Electoral College to win the presidency. Thus, just as in the Election of 1800, the House of Representatives would decide who would be the next president. Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House made it clear he did not want Andrew Jackson (he was seen as the first political outsider) as President. Henry Clay helped the House of Representatives chose John Quincy Adams as President. Soon after that JQA made Henry clay his Secretary of State. Was a “Corrupt Bargain” made between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay?

The “Common Man” gets suffrage!Before the Election of 1828, most states did not allow you to vote unless you owned property. However, by 1828, states had changed voting requirements and did away with property requirements. Now the “common man” had the vote. Who would they vote for?

Election of 1828• In the Election of 1828,

the “Common Man” voted for the political outsider.

• Andrew Jackson won the Presidency thanks to the memories of “Corrupt Bargain” & the “Common Man” vote. Thus Jackson became known as the Common Man President.

This election is considered the end of the Aristocracy – upper class, well educated & eastern men.

On Inauguration Day Jackson opens up the White House to all of his supporters. They didn’t behave like others at a White House party.

The Spoils SystemJackson promised changes and her made good on that promise right away. Jackson fired many of the federal workers (bureaucrats) in DC and replaced them with people who helped him get elected: “to the victor goes the spoils!” Unfortunately many he put into the bureaucracy were unqualified, inept and in some cases outright criminals who embezzled (stole) public funds. The Federal Bureaucracy became very ineffective.

The Bank of the United StatesJackson, like many of the “common” men, never liked the Bank of the United States! He vetoed its charter, ending the bank. No one used the power of the veto like Andrew Jackson! He easily won reelection in 1832. Unfortunately, thanks to closing of the Bank of the United States, the nation went into an economic recession known as the Panic of 1837.

Henry Clay ran against Jackson in the Election of 1832. He really thought Jackson closing the Bank of the United States would win him the election. Instead, the “Common Man” rose up again and helped Jackson crush Clay.

The Trail of Tears Jackson was also famous for defeating the Seminoles in Florida. Being a friend of the states and a foe of the Native Americans, he had no problem forcing thousands of Native Americans from their rightful lands in the South. The Supreme Court ruled that the land belonged to the native

Americans. Jackson ignored the court’s decision! As Commander in Chief Jackson used the army to force the Cherokee and other tribes off the rightful lands. Over 4000 Cherokees died along the

march from Georgia and the Carolinas to Indian reservations in modern day Oklahoma

South Carolina & Nullification• Tariffs – taxes the federal government places on imports. Usually done to protect

American manufacturers . How? The tariff increases the overall price of imports. So Americans will buy American products and not foreign goods, which were cheaper until the tariff was placed on them. Where was most manufacturing during this time? The northern United States, which support tariffs.

• The South hated tariffs. They traded their cotton with European nations and depended on European imports. Tariffs made the south pay more for their imports.

• After Congress imposed the Tariff of 1832, South Carolina said states had the right to ignore or “nullify” any congressional law they believed violated their sovereignty (rights). They believed the Tariff of 1832 violated their rights. They resisted paying the tariff. They even threatened to secede (leave) from the Union !

• Jackson, a southerner and a friend of states’ rights, believed South Carolina went too far. Jackson warned that nullification and secession were types of treason and therefore punishable by death. South Carolina backed down and a lower tariff was replaced the Tariff of 1832, but Jackson made it clear that the existence of the Union was more important than the well being of a group of states.

Rise of New Political Party’s the federalist party was replaced by two new parties

• The Whig Party fought against Jackson’s policies and emerged in the Election of 1832. Jackson won reelection.

• The Know Nothing Party (American) was basically an Anti-Immigration Party. Members of this party were also called Nativist’s because they only respected those Americans who were born in the United States . . . Even if their mothers and fathers had been immigrants themselves.

Was Jackson a Good or Bad President?