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Jacksonian Democracy. The Presidency of Andrew Jackson 1829-1841 United States. Portions adapted from: http://www.wisd.us/whs/social_studies/acantu/apush/apush_ppts.htm. Jackson’s legacy?. Champion of the “Common Man”?. “King” Andrew?. OR. Voting Qualifications. Voter Turnout.
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Jacksonian Democracy The Presidency of Andrew Jackson 1829-1841 United States Portions adapted from: http://www.wisd.us/whs/social_studies/acantu/apush/apush_ppts.htm
Jackson’s legacy? Champion of the “Common Man”? “King”Andrew? OR
Other Reasons? • White male suffrage increased • Party nominating committees. • Voters chose their state’s slate of Presidential electors. • Spoils system. • Rise of Third Parties. • Popular campaigning (parades, rallies, floats, etc.) • Two-party system returned in the 1832 election: • Dem-Reps Natl. Reps.(1828) Whigs (1832) Republicans (1854) • Democrats (1828)
Spoils System “To the Victor Belong the Spoils” William Marcy, 1931 New York, NY http://wapedia.mobi/thumb/9ac5499/en/fixed/202/254/William_Marcy_%2522Boss%2522_Tweed_%25281870%2529.jpg?format=jpg
Spoils System If you win the election, you have the right to give out jobs to whomever you wish. The rise of the two-party system meant that government employees were in their jobs for as long as that party was in power. As the country grew, the number of jobs, job-seekers, and appointments grew.
End of the Spoils System? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Garfield_assassination_engraving_cropped.jpg/800px-Garfield_assassination_engraving_cropped.jpg
End of the Spoils System? 1881 – Pres. Garfield shot by Charles Guiteau 1883 – Pendleton Act sets up the Civil Service Commission, which creates and administers competitive tests for governmental jobs. 90% of all jobs today require a written test. Some jobs are still able to be appointed: ambassadors, judges, cabinet, commissioners
Jackson’s Road to the Presidency Andrew Jackson in 1815 In Mourning for his Wife 1818 Seminole Wars
Jackson’s Many Jobs Military Hero – Battle of New Orleans, Seminole Wars Husband – Intensely protective of his wife before her death Frontiersman – Attracted a devoted circle of “new men” from the West who were long on courage and short on manners. Populist – Wanted to expand power of the people “Sharp Knife” – Believed that only through removal and distance could Indians and whites peacefully coexist. President - "One man with courage makes a majority."
Indian Removal Act (1830) Jackson’s Goal? To remove all Indians from contact with the white men, thus “solving” the problem. In 1830, he proposed theIndian Removal Act The response? Five “civilized” tribes sued, in Cherokee Nation v. GA (1831), claiming to be a “domestic dependent nation”
Indian Removal Act (1830) In Worcester v. GA (1832), the Indian Removal Act was declared invalid by the Supreme Court of the U.S., because of lack of jurisdiction (the United States cannot pass laws that affect a foreign nation). Jackson’s response: “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it!”
Trail of Tears (1838-9) Winter of 1838-9 15,000 Cherokees were moved towards the west, to the “Great American Desert.” 1 in 4 died on the way, leading to the name “Trail of Tears” by the Cherokee Although promised Oklahoma “as long as the grass grows and the water runs,” they kept in only until 1889.
2nd National Bank “Soft”(paper) $ “Hard”(specie) $ state bankers feltit restrained theirbanks from issuingbank notes freely. supported rapid economic growth & speculation. felt that coin was the only safe currency. didn’t like any bank that issued bank notes. suspicious of expansion & speculation.
2nd National Bank Nicholas Biddle “King Nicholas I” Director of Nat’l Bank, instigated the “Bank Wars” of 1832-1836 Andrew Jackson “King Andrew” Vetoed Henry Clay’s Bank Bill, won popular support
2nd National Bank Jackson felt that the National bank was the “pet bank” of the rich. 1832 - Jackson vetoed the extension of the 2nd National Bank of the United States. 1836 - the charter expired. 1841 - the bank went bankrupt!
King Andrew? YES! NO!
Land Speculation Without a federal bank, printing of money fell on state and local banks. Some were called “wildcat banks” because they had no metal backing for the paper money they printed. People then used this new “soft money” to purchase increasing amounts of federal land, at a cost of $1.25 per acre. This land was resold at a profit. Land prices and sales skyrocketed as people “flipped” land, creating a demand for more currency. In response, Jackson issued the Specie Circular in 1836, accepting only gold and silver as payment for federal land. Banks soon did the same.
The Panic of 1837 This led to the “Panic of 1837,” where paper money was devalued and people wouldn’t accept it. People had bought land in increasingly large amounts, confident that they would “always sell it for a profit.” When prices went down, they went bankrupt. This is similar to the “housing boom” of the years 1990-2006, where people “flipped” houses to make quick and easy money. The results were the same – loss of jobs and wages, hoarding of gold and silver, and banks failed.
