Age of Jackson

1. Age of Jackson Was he the Champion of the“Common Man”? OR King Andrew I?

2. Jackson’s Background • Posthumous Child (born 1767) • Born in SC or NC? (Waxhaws) • 2 brothers and mother died in the Revolution • Whacked by a Brit officer • Teacher and lawyer in Salisbury, NC

3. Jackson’s Background • War Hero (War of 1812 – Battle of New Orleans) • First Seminole War (1818 – Florida) • Moved to Frontier (Nashville, TN) • Married Rachel Robards (divorcee) • Found out later divorce hadn’t been finalized • She dies after election but before inauguration • Jackson blamed political opponents

4. Patronage or “The Spoils System” • “To the victors go the spoils” • The “Spoils System” • Appoint loyal supporters • Strengthened Democratic party • New appointees with new administrations • Any problems with the spoils system?

5. The New “Jackson Coalition” • Planter Elite in South • Frontier Farmers • Immigrant workers in Eastern cities • State Politicians – spoils system • Jackson supporters trash the White House

6. Jackson’s Administration • Ordinary cabinet – designed for sectional balance • Unofficial advisors: the Kitchen Cabinet • Rivalry between Martin Van Buren (Secretary of State) and John C. Calhoun (Vice-President)

7. The National Bank Debate Nicholas Biddle Andrew Jackson

8. Jackson’s Use of Federal Power • Wants to stop American Plan of Adams and Clay • Vetoes bill to extend National Road through Kentucky

9. 2nd Bank of the U.S. • Chartered in 1816 • Expires in 1836 • Federal government owned 20% of bank stock • State banks issued paper currency • Bank of the U.S. backed currency with gold • Nicholas Biddle: bank kept the money supply stable • Many lower & middle class distrustful

10. Opposition to the 2nd B.U.S. “Soft” money (paper) “Hard” money (specie) • state bankers: banks couldn’t issue notes • Want rapid economic growth & speculation • coin = only safecurrency • didn’t like bank issued notes • suspicious of expansion & speculation

11. “Friends” of the 2nd BUS Daniel Webster Henry Clay

12. Opposition to the 2nd B.U.S. • Clay and Webster want to make Jackson look bad • They convince Biddle to ask for an early renewal • Jackson vetoes bill • first President to veto a bill on non-Constitutional grounds • Why is Jackson opposed? • Created monopoly • Wealthy benefitted

13. Election of 1832 • Andrew Jackson (Democrats) • veto of Bank • 55% of the pop. vote • 219 electoral votes (77%) • Henry Clay (National Republicans) • Bank and American System • 25% of the pop. vote • 49 electoral votes (17%)

14. Jackson Declares War . . . On the Bank • Political mandate = authority to act • Appoints Roger B. Taney Secretary of Treasury • Orders withdrawal of all government funds • Went to state banks • Critics called them “pet banks” • Senate (led by Henry Clay) censures Jackson • Does it anyway

15. Jackson Declares War . . . On the Bank • Results? • Biddle restricts loans • Recession in 1834 • Second B.U.S. becomes Pennsylvania state bank • Taney appointed Chief Justice of Supreme Court

16. The Downfall of “Mother Bank”

17. The Nullification Issue John C. Calhoun Andrew Jackson

18. The Nullification Issue • What does “nullify” mean? • Begins with Webster-Hayne debates (1830)

19. The Nullification Issue Sen. Daniel Webster (Mass.) Sen. Robert Hayne (S.C.) • West the South should join forces against Northeast • “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable”

20. Jefferson’s Birthday 1830 • Jackson:Our Federal Union—it must be preserved. • Calhoun:The Union, next to our liberty, most dear. . . it can only be respected by respecting the rights of states. . .

21. Nullification Issue • Calhoun = Jackson’s Vice-President • Anonymously authored The South Carolina Exposition and Protest • Attacked Jackson on majority rule • Majority can be as tyrannical as single leader • If state decides federal law is unconstitutional, law is “null and void” within state • Does the Constitution address this issue? Where have we heard this before?

22. Nullification Issue • Calhoun admits authorship (1831) • Argument • Sovereignty through states • If states don’t like federal law, states can secede – states rights! • Jackson drops Calhoun in 1832 and chooses Martin Van Buren for V.P.

23. Nullification Issue • Southern perspective • Tariffs favor North • Northern majority in Congress = threat to South • Tariff of Abominations (1828) • New Tariff (1832) • South Carolina: both “null and void” • As of February 1, 1833, South Carolina would not collect tariffs • If federal government attempts force, South Carolina will secede

24. Nullification Issue • Jackson’s perspective • “Disunion by armed force is treason” • Threatened force • Sent warships to Charleston

25. Nullification Issue • Henry Clay’s compromise • Gradual reduction of tariff • By 1842 back to 1816 levels • Passed by Congress • Problem solved, or just put off until later?

26. Jackson and Native Americans • Whites want land between Appalachians and Mississippi • Some Natives had assimilated • Indian removal becomes policy

27. Jackson and Native Americans • Black Hawk War • Troops sent to Illinois to remove Black Hawk (Chief of Sauk and Fox) • Tried to surrender • Army pursued him • 150 of 1,000 warriors survived • Black Hawk killed • End of Indian resistance in Northwest

28. Jackson and Native Americans • South: “Five Civilized Tribes” • Cherokee • Creek • Chickasaw • Choctaw • Seminole

29. Jackson and Native Americans • 1828 • Georgia: no nationhood for Cherokee • “state owned” land • Land in cotton belt • 1830 • Indian Removal Act • Indians get land west of Mississippi in exchange for land east of Mississippi • Supreme Court Rulings • Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia • Indians: domestic dependent nations • Worcester vs. Georgia • Indians were political communities, have territorial boundaries, exclusive authority • Up to Jackson to enforce; he refuses

30. Jackson and Native Americans • Treaty (1835) gave 1838 as removal date • Cherokee refused • President Van Buren sent army • Of 15,000 who left only 11,000 made it (present day Oklahoma) • Trail of Tears • Seminole tribe fought guerilla war until 1840’s

31. Trail of Tears (1838-1839)

32. What to do about Texas? • NE province of Spanish Mexico • Rich cotton lands • Spain: no Americans • Mexico independence (1821) • wants Americans • Stephen F. Austin led Americans to Texas in 1820’s

33. What to do about Texas? • Americans want cotton • need slaves • Slavery illegal • 1830: Mexico outlawed American immigration • Two groups formed • Peace Party – Texas self-government under Mexico • War Party – independence from Mexico • Mexican leader, General Santa Anna, imposed military rule

34. War between Texas and Mexico • Battle at the Alamo • Executed prisoners; “American mercenaries” • Americans support Texans

35. War between Texas and Mexico • Texans rout Santa Anna at Battle of San Jacinto (General Sam Houston) • Texas: independent republic • Mexico: refused independence

36. What should Jackson do? • Annex Texas? • Jackson and Van Buren: no • Might provoke war with Mexico • Additional slave state into union (had free/slave balance)

37. Was Andrew Jackson Champion of the“Common Man”? King Andrew the First?

38. King Andrew I

39. Mythology of the Age of Common Man • Jackson (and most supporters) were uncommon men • Jackson (and political culture in general) railed against “artificial distinctions,” especially those created by governmental policy • Credo of “self-made man”