■ Essential QuestionEssential Question:–What factors allowed for the
ascendancy of the Whigs & the rise of a permanent American 2-party system?
■ RQ 11B RQ 11B (p. 362-375)(p. 362-375)
The Impact of Andrew Jackson
The Impact of Andrew Jackson■ Jackson’s personality & policies
alienated many leaders & led to the formation of America’s current two-party system:–The economic recession hurt
the Jacksonian Democrats under Van Buren
–The anti-Jackson Whigs took advantage of these flaws to make a run at the presidency
The 1st Two-Party SystemDemocratic-RepubsDemocratic-Repubs
■ Thomas Jefferson■ States’ rights &
individual liberties ■ Strict interpretation
of the Constitution■ Strongest support
in South & West ■ Supported by
planters & farmers
FederalistsFederalists■ Alexander Hamilton■ Strong central gov’t
& economic planning■ Loose interpretation
of the Constitution■ Strongest support
in the North■ Supported by urban
workers, merchants, & the wealthy
Leader of the party?
Beliefs about gov’t?
Interpreting the Constitution?
Strongest regional support?
What type of American supported the party?
The 2nd Two-Party SystemDemocratsDemocrats
■ Pro-Jackson coalition in 1824
■ States’ rights, agrarian farming, & Western expansion
■ Laissez-faire & opposition to banks
■ Supported by rural South & West, some urban workers
WhigsWhigs■ Anti-Jackson
coalition in 1834■ Strong central gov’t,
urban industry, & commercial growth
■ National & state-directed economy
■ Supported by NE, NW, merchants, & some planters
The heirs to Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans
The heirs to Hamiltonian Federalists
Both parties had national (rather than exclusively regional) appeal
Who formed the party?
Beliefs about gov’t & the economy?
Who should direct the economy?
What type of American supported the party?
The Van Buren Presidency
Take notes on the Van Buren video
The Rise and Fall of Van Buren■ VP Martin Van Buren was
hand-selected as the Democratic successor to Jackson in 1836
■ Van Buren won the election of 1836 but problems lay ahead:–The emergence of a strong anti-
Jackson opposition (the Whigs)–The beginning of Panic of 1837
Van Buren replaced Calhoun as VP in 1831 after the Peggy Eaton affair
The Whigs ran 3 sectional candidates to try to throw the election to the House of Reps
The Rise & Fall of Van Buren■ By the time Van Buren entered
office, the Panic of 1837 caused:–Bank closures & failures–10% unemployment & poverty
■ The laissez-faire philosophy of the 1800s prevented gov’t assistance to end the depression
■ As the depression continued, “Van Ruin” took the blame & the Whigs gained power & appeal
Andrew Jackson is watching!!
The Re-Emergence of the Second Party System
Heyday of the 2nd Party System■ The 1840 election marked the
return of the two-party system:–For the 1st time since the 1800
election, voters had a choice between 2 official parties
–The re-emergence of the two-party system would remain a permanent part of U.S. politics
–In the 1790s, parties were seen as bad; but in the 1830s, parties were seen as essential
The Rise of the Whigs■ By 1840, the Whigs were fully
organized & chose William Henry Harrison to run against Van Buren– Harrison’s image: a “common
man” & war hero at Tippecanoe– John Tyler chosen as VP to get
Southern, states-rights Dems– “Tippecanoe & Tyler too” beat
Van Buren in 1840
Used grassroots organization & popular electioneering
Picked a candidate much like Andrew Jackson’s image
…and the Whigs took control of Congress
“Tippecanoe and Tyler, too”
The Rise of the Whigs■ The takeover by the Whigs was
historic, but short-lived:–Harrison died 2 months into his
term & for the 1st time, a VP took over as president
–John Tyler soon butted heads with Whigs in his cabinet & in Congress & was unable to accomplish much as president
–The Whigs only other presidential victory was in 1848
Zachary Taylor
The Whigs expelled President Tyler from the party in 1841
Conclusion: Tocqueville’s Wisdom
Tocqueville’s Wisdom ■ Alexis de Tocqueville was a
French traveler who wrote the most influential account of the rise of U.S. democracy in the 1830s:–He praised most aspects of
American democracy–But warned that American
prejudice would lead to a future disaster if white males refused to extend liberty to women, African Americans, & Indians