Andrew Jackson

1. Andrew Jackson Frontiersman or Front Man

2. Election of 1824 • Marked an end to the “Era of Good Feelings” • Also an end to the “Virginia Dynasty” • Jefferson, Madison, Monroe.

3. The Candidates • John Quincy Adams (Secretary of State) • William H. Crawford (Secretary of Treasury) • Andrew Jackson • Henry Clay • All democratic-republicans • Each with different personalities and governmental beliefs

5. Results • Jackson 99 E.C. 152,933 Popular votes • Adams 84 E.C. 115, 696 Popular votes • Crawford 41 E.C. 46, 979 Popular votes • Clay 37 E.C. 47, 136 Popular votes • Jackson did not have majority of E.C. (Effect of Clay) • Vote goes to the House of Representatives • Clay, coming in 4th, is out of the race

6. “Corrupt Bargain” • Clay uses his dislike of Jackson to sway support to Adams • Adams becomes president and appoints Clay to Secretary of State. • Jackson supporters denounce as a corrupt system of elite interests without listening to the will of the people • Adams presidency marked by legislative opposition

7. I’d rather be right than be president”

8. Election of 1828 • Easily won by Jackson over Adams • More active interest in politics emerged • State organizations based on political participation • Mass campaigning encouraged participation • Party loyalty among politicians and public • Jackson wins with coalition of the North, South and West

11. “Age of the Common Man” • Jackson was a symbol of the possibilities of personal advancement that frontier offered • Strong executive who largely ignored his cabinet • “Kitchen Cabinet”: • Nickname given by political opponents of Jackson to his personal friends who were the unofficial cabinet

12. Jacksonian Democracy • Strengthens presidency by using veto more often than all other presidents combined • Overrode sectional interests which made him very popular: • In contrast to a time where Congress was dominated by popular sectional figures: • Clay, Calhoun, Webster: • All rivals of Jackson

13. Spoils System • AKA Patronage System or Rotation in office • Practice of giving government jobs to friends as opposed to having any sense of merit • Jackson removed around 919 positions upon assuming office • Explained as reform or constructive turnover • Performance in public office, Jackson maintained, required no special intelligence or training • Would protect against corrupt civil servants

14. Tariff of Abominations 1828 • As the North industrialized, the industries wanted protection from foreign competition • Southerners were outvoted by the North and West and tariffs were passed • South argued that the tariff was of sectional interest and only helped some while harming others • Claimed to be unconstitutional due to violation of states rights

15. Cont • John Calhoun of South Carolina writes a defense to doctrine of nullification: • States could refuse to enforce laws deemed to be unconstitutional • South Carolina nullifies a 1833 tariff and threatens to secede. • Jackson considers the act treason, obtains bill from Congress which allows him to collect tax by force if necessary

16. Cont • Henry Clay designs a compromise tariff that ends threat of secession and civil war • Reduced tariffs to 1816 levels

17. Veto of Maysville Road Bill 1830 • Congress votes to allocate funds for construction of a road near Maysville, Ky • Jackson vetoed claiming the funds were unconstitutional and funding should come from state funds • Loss for Henry Clay and supporters of Jackson in the west

18. Jackson and Native Americans • Policy of U.S. government towards Nat-Ams had been to allow them to stay east of the Mississippi River: • As long as they attempted to adopt or assimilate white ways • TJ offered the alternative of removal to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River

20. Five Civilized Tribes • Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles • Cherokees had adopted many white customs • Constitution based on the U.S. • Schools for children

21. Sequoyah Developed the Cherokee writing system

22. Indian Removal Act 1830 • Appropriated funds for removal, by force if necessary • Some tribes negotiated treaties to leave • Cherokees decided to use the court system • Cherokee Nation v Georgia (1831) • Worchester v Georgia (1832) • Marshall ruled in favor of the Cherokee • Jackson ignores and continues with policy • “John Marshall made his decision, now let him enforce it”

23. Trail of Tears • Cherokees, last of the 5 Civilized Tribes to move • Forcibly moved by the U.S. Army to present day Oklahoma • Around 4,000 out of 15,000 died

25. Jackson’s Bank War • 2nd Bank of the U.S. chartered 1816 • Functioned as a quasi-private institution • Held government money • Sold government bonds • Made commercial loans • Most important function: • Control over state banks which tended to issue more paper money than they could back in hard currency • Overall, the Bank acted as a stabilizer by controlling money supply

26. Cont. • Western farmers and speculators disliked the Bank • Panic of 1819 caused in part by the Bank by cutting back on available credit • Clay and Webster began an early push for a rechartering of the 2nd Bank • Congress approved the application • Jackson quickly vetoed the Bank bill: • Unconstitutional • Harmful to states rights

27. Election of 1832 and Bank War • Jackson easily defeats Henry Clay who was portrayed as the defender of the Bank and privilege • Jackson withdraws all federal deposits ($10 million) • Places the money in state banks called “pet banks” by critics • Jackson’s response was that his election gave him authority to act against the Bank • Other than impeachment, not much Congress could do

28. Nicholas Biddle President of the National Bank Enemy of Andrew Jackson

29. More Bank Backlash Effects • Marked the end of Clay’s American System • Beginning of laissez-faire economic policy • Formation of permanent opposition political party: • (American two-party system): • Whigs, which was a reference to the patriots who challenged King George • Refer to Jackson as “King Andrew” • Believed he was acting more like a tyrant than a president

31. Response of Nicholas Biddle • As federal funds are withdrawn, Biddle calls in Bank’s commercial loans • Caused recession and panic • Merchants, businessman, southern planters outraged at Jackson

32. Specie Circular & Panic of 1837 • Widespread use of paper money issued by state banks alarms Jackson • Issues the “Specie Circular” that required all purchases of public lands be made in hard currency • Banks suspended business • Led to the collapse of banking system which led to worst recession to date • Federal government provided no assistance during this time (no bailouts, etc)

33. Election of 1836 • Whigs attempt to run 4 sectional candidates as strategy to draw Electoral College votes away from VP Martin Van Buren • Would take the election to the House of Reps • Strategy fails • Van Buren becomes known as “Van Ruin” • Inherited all problems Jackson left behind • 4 dismal years in the White House

36. Election of 1840 • Whigs run William Henry Harrison • “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” • Easily defeats Van Buren • Harrison dies a month after taking office • John Tyler becomes first president to assume office upon death of the president • Nicknamed “His Accidency” • Turned out to be anti-Whig and anti-Jackson • Vetoed bills related to American System

37. William Henry Harrison John Tyler