The Rise of Popular Politics

1. The Rise of Popular Politics “The most able men in the United States are very rarely placed at the head of affairs.” Alexis de Tocqueville • A movement begins to expand the right to vote to average citizens. • Image became a major factor in “Popular Politics” • Self-Made Men became the popular candidates

2. Old Thought vs. New Thought • The founding Fathers originally feared and condemned the rise of political parties or factions • Madison argued this in Federalist #10 • By the 1820’s things had changed. • The commons citizen was looking for a way to be represented and there is strength in numbers. • As a result Party Politics evolved into a well organized, well –oiled machine, powerful part of politics

3. The Father of Party Politics • The Father of Party Politics was Martin Van Buren . Martin Van Buren “the Little Magician” Eighth President of the United States (1837-1841). • Van Buren argued “All Men of sense know that political parties are inseparable from free government because they check the governments disposition to abuse power [and curb] the passions, the ambitions, and the usurpations of potential tyrants.”

4. POLITICAL MACHINES Promote a platform Get out the vote Party Discipline is the most important – remain dedicated THE SPOILS SYSTEM Patronage Gain control of as much bureaucracy as possible Van Buren believed this was a fair system because: “it would operate sometimes in favor of one party and sometimes of another” IMPACT OF VAN BUREN AND THE RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES

5. Election of 1824 • By the end of the War of 1812, the good ole Federalist Party had disappeared and the Republican Party split into competing factions. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Quincy AdamsHenry Clay Secretary of State Speaker of the House (Kentucky) John C. Calhoun Secretary of War William CrawfordAndrew Jackson Secretary of the Treasury Senator (Ten.) Chosen as the Rep. Official Nominee • Refused to withdraw; went for the popular vote; 18/24 states had popular vote to choose electoral college

6. John Quincy Adams Son of J. Adams From Massachusetts Secretary of State His family name, his national recognition, and his Massachusetts origin gave him the New England votes Henry Clay Dynamic speaker Rep. From Kentucky Supporter and Promoter of the American System – a nationalistic program that called for: Candidate Profiles

7. William Crawford From Georgia & spoke for the South One of the last Jeffersonians who feared the consolidation of political power in Washington and the rise of an elitist dominance. Strongly opposed the American System and it’s nationalistic implications Andrew Jackson American Hero – Battle of New Orleans A self-made man Benefited from a wave of patriotism Candidate Profiles

8. Candidate Profiles John C. Calhoun • From South Carolina • Withdrew & Supported A.J.

9. Jacksonian Democracy Part I: • A. Popular Politics • B. Election of 1824 • C. The Presidency of John Quincy Adams • D. The End of Elite and Privileged Politicians • E. The Election of 1828 and the Rise of “Democracy” Songs : Yankee Doodle Dandy & The Erie Canal

10. Jacksonian Democracy “As long as our government is administered for the good of the people, and is regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of persons and of property, liberty of conscience and of the press, it will be worth defending.“ “Democracy shows not only its power in reforming governments, but in regenerating a race of men and this is the greatest blessing of free governments.” “It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their own selfish purposes. “

11. Election of 1824 • No clear majority • Election thrown to the House of Reps • Hurts Jackson • Adams, Clay, & the Corrupt Bargain • Spoils system in play

12. The Controversial Presidency of John Quincy Adams Sixth President of the United States (1825-1829 - called for a plan of bold national leadership to improve the conditions of his fellow man. - endorsed the establishment of a national university, extensive scientific exploration of the west, a uniform system of weights and measures, and the American System - there were three key elements of Clay/Adams American System 1) protective tariffs 2) build roads & canals 3) national bank

13. Adams, Clay, & The American System • Supported in the Northeast & West • Little support in the south (tariff issue) • Opposition was strong enough that only a few of Adams’s proposals for internal improvements were passed HENRY CLAY • Greatest Accomplishment was the National Road (WV to OH) • Jefferson (on his death bed) condemned this system fearing: “a single and splendid government of a monied aristocracy riding and ruling over the plundered ploughman and beggard yeomanry” Reading: Veto of the Maysville Road Bill

14. The Battle over the Tariffs • 1816 & 1824 - Clay and Adams institute a tariff to protect New England & Penn manufacturers against cheap British imports of iron, wool, & cotton. • 1828 – Another tariff (“Tariff of Abominations”) once again raised the duties on finished goods • The South was the world’s cheapest producer of cotton. • The result was that northern manufacturers could raise their prices as long as they remained below the price of British imports • Southerners suffered because they were forced to pay higher prices for manufactured products

15. The Election of 1828 Andrew Jacksonvs.John Quincy Adams • Jackson – “Old Hickory” – as hard as hickory wood • Democratic Party, led by Van Buren • Jackson had a message of equal rights and popular rule • Jax the support the Southeast & Midwest • His attitude towards Indians also gained him some western votes • Party at the White House, Dudes!

16. The Election of 1828 John Quincy Adams • Did not run for re-election • He stood for re-election “If my country wants my services, she must ask for them”

17. Results of the Election of 1828

18. Jacksonian Democracy Jackson’s Agenda • Nullification • The Bank War • Indian Removal “King Andrew the First “

19. The Jacksonian Presidency1829-1837 TRANSFORMS THE PRESIDENCY: a) enhanced the authority of the Presidency b) destroyed the nationalistic American System. c) re-defined American Democracy

20. Political Philosophy • Used Patronage & the Spoils system to create a loyal & disciplined national party • Strongly believed in the rotation of office • Believed it was his job to become “the voice of the people” • Kitchen Cabinet Roger Taney – Attorney General Sec of Treasury, Chief Justice of S.C. Martin Van Buren – Secretary of State Amos Kendall

21. Decentralization of National Democracy • Destroy the American System. • Eliminate national infringement of states’ rights • Vetoed a number of internal improvement bills: • extension of the National Road, • Maysville Veto

22. The Issue of Nullification • 1832 a new & higher tariff was passed (warning) • S.C. called a convention and adopted the Ordinance of Nullification which declared the tariffs of 1828 & 1832 null & void. • The S.C Nullification rested on the Constitutional claims that the tariffs were an unequal act that lacked fairness and legitimacy • S.C. stated that if the tariff was not repealed they would secede.

23. A. Stated that because each region had distinct local interests a national protective tariff was unequal and unfair to some, thus was unconstitutional. “South Carolina Exposition and Protest” B. Argued that because the U.S. Constitution had been ratified by the states, thus giving the Constitution it’s legitimacy sovereignty still remained in the states. Therefore a state convention could in fact decide if a congressional law was unconstitutional and therefore declare it null and void within the state borders Constitutional ArgumentsBy. John C. Calhoun

24. Basis of Calhoun’s Arguments • The Constitution is a compact in which the states willingly entered. • The states are completely sovereign. • The Federal Government was merely an agent of the states. • If Congress exceeded its authority and encroached upon the powers of the states, then the states had the right to resist. • The Constitutionality of Congressional acts and encroachment were to be decided by the state or state conventions. • Laws so declared unconstitutional are null and void.

25. Opposition: Daniel Webster • Argued the opposite saying that Congress does have the right to institute national policies. • Webster used the argument/precedent celebrating the frequent success Congress has had in national jurisdiction.

26. Jackson’s Response • The Constitution gave the federal government the authority to establish tariffs and as President he would enforce this power. • Declared Nullification violated the Constitution and was destructive to the Union. • Jackson warned: “disunion by armed force is treason” • Reading: A.J’s Proclam to S.C

27. THE FORCE BILL & RESOLUTION • Congress passed the Force Bill in 1833 which authorized the President to use military force to make South Carolina obey national laws. • He also agreed to reduce the tariffs and address the economic demands & concerns of the south. • Emphasized that no state could nullify a national law

28. “We would not receive money for land in which our fathers and friends are buried” • The South, Midwest, & East were calling for Indians to be moved westward. • Reasons:settle the Indian lands (W&S); protect the Indians (E) • The Indians did not want to leave their native lands. • The Five Civilized Tribes: Cherokees Creeks Chickasaws Choctaws Seminoles • Mixed-Bloods vs. Full-Blooded (Resistance vs. Assimilation)

29. Jackson & The Indian Conflict • In 1802 Georgia agreed to give up it’s western claims in exchange for a federal promise to extinguish Indian claims in the state. • Jackson agreed & withdrew federal troops that protected the Indians in AL, GA, & MISS. • In 1830 Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act

30. Indian Removal Act • Gave $ & land to N.A. in Oklahoma & Kansas in exchange for giving up tribal land. • Government insisted that they could live on new lands “they and all their children, as long as grass grows and water runs”. • Chief Black Hawk refused and Jackson sent in troops. • Black Hawk was pushed into Wisconsin & the Bad Axe massacre killed 850 of Black Hawks warriors.

32. Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia Decision: Chief Justice Marshall denied the Indian claim of independence declaring the Indian peoples were “domestic dependent nations” Worcester v. Georgia Decision: Marshall sided with the Cherokees against Georgia claiming that the Indian nations were “distinct political communities, having territorial boundaries… guaranteed by the U.S.” Cherokee Resistance:Cherokees claims the status of a foreign nation

33. Deception & Tears • Instead of guaranteeing these lands the US government negotiated the Treaty of Echota with a small faction of Cherokees and then insisted that it applied to all Cherokees and thus all Cherokees had to abide by the terms of the Treaty. • When in 1838, only 2,000 of the 7,000 had moved west Pres. Van Buren ordered General Winfield Scott to enforce the Treaty. • This was born the 1,200 mile Trail of Tears

35. The Trail of Tears, was painted by Robert Lindneux in 1942. It commemorates the suffering of the Cherokee people under forced removal. If any depictions of the "Trail of Tears" were created at the time of the march, they have not survived.

36. THE BANK WAR Jackson’s opinion of the National Bank was: “dangerous to the liberties of the people” “a nest of special privilege and monopoly power” “promoted the advancement of the few at the expense of…farmers, mechanics, & laborers”

37. The History & Purpose of the National Bank • The bank was a privately owned institution that had a 20 year charter. (Pres. Nicholas Biddle) • The federal government owned 20% while the remaining 80% were owned by investors – rich • The primary role of the bank was to stabilize the nations money supply. • In he 1820’s the national bank stabilized the government by closing reckless banks creating a tight money policy and putting less money in circulation.

38. Fear & Misunderstanding • Most Americans did not understand or choose to ignore the banks duty to stabilize the economy. • Paper $ vs. Hard Currency • Instead the feared the closing of local banks which would make their paper money worthless, if the national bank refused to accept local paper money.

39. Banks & Politics • 1830 Henry Clay asks Congress to renew the charter on the Second Bank of the US • Jackson turned the tables; he vetoed the Bank Bill.

40. Re-Election & the Message Delivered:Destroy the Bank • Jackson was re-elected in 1832, thus Henry Clay’s plan failed. • Jackson seeks revenge!!! • Jackson instructed Roger Taney (Sec. of Treasury) to seize control of the national bank and withdraw the governments gold & silver. • How? Constitutional? – “the decision of the people against the bank” gave him the mandate.

41. Henry Clay 1834 resolution to censure Jackson “We are in the midst of a revolution, hitherto bloodless, but rapidly descending towards a total change of the pure republican character of the government and the concentration of all power in the hands of one man” Andrew Jackson “The Bank is trying to kill me, but I will kill it” 1836 bank charter is up for renewal and Jackson blocks it Bank + Politics = WAR!!!

42. The Impact of Andrew Jackson By the end of his Presidency Jackson had: A) Destroyed National Banking B) Destroyed the American System of internal improvements & Tariffs C) Returned Democracy to the People??? D) permanently expanded the potential authority of the chief executive by identifying the POTUS as “the voice of the people E) Appoints Roger Taney to the Supreme Court

43. Jacksonian Political Cartoons

44. Jacksonian America Part III. From Van Buren to Harrison A) Rise of the Whigs B) Panic of 1837 C) Tippercanoe & Tyler Too!!!

45. The Whig Party • Created out of the Jacksonian Democracy and viewed as a second national party in opposition to “King Andrew” VISION: a political world dominated by men of ability and wealth, chosen by talent, not birth. • Some Whigs even went as far as calling for a return to Clay’s American System

46. Election of 1836 Martin Van Buren William Henry Harrison Democratic Party Whig Party – West Whig Strategy: Run 4 candidates and send the election to the House

47. Labor & Politics • The Jacksonian philosophy drifted into the workforce as well – Working Mans Party • The agenda was to expose what workers called “the glaring inequality of society” • Prices had risen, wages were stagnant, and the standard of living had been lowered. • Panic of 1837 hit which halted all efforts

48. CAUSES Bank of England - curtailed flow of money & credit to US Specie Circular Refusal to renew the charter of the Second Bank of the U.S. Martin Van Buren’s “lack of leadership” “the less the government interferes with private pursuits the better for the general prosperity” Local Bank irresponsibility EFFECTS Deep Depression Internal improvements dropped by 90% Unemployment skyrocketed Crushed Morale Democrats are blamed Panic of 1837

49. Election of 1840Tippecanoe & Tyler Too!! Or Martin Van Ruin vs. William Henry Harrison The Log Cabin Campaign Log cabin, hard cider, & a common man Songs, Poems, parades caught America by storm Harrison won 53% of the popular vote & 80% of the electoral vote

50. Tyler & the WhigsThe Accidental President • Harrison dies of pneumonia • Is he President or Acting president • Takes the oath and declares that he will govern as he pleases • Tyler was a Jeffersonian who also disliked the Bank of America and the American System • Members of Harrison’s cabinet resigned in disgust and called Tyler “His Accidency” • Was he a Democrat or a Whig??