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Essential Question : What factors allowed for the ascendancy of the Whigs & the rise of a permanent American 2-party system? RQ 11B (p. 362-375). The Impact of Andrew Jackson. The Impact of Andrew Jackson.
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Essential Question: • What factors allowed for the ascendancy of the Whigs & the rise of a permanent American 2-party system? • RQ 11B (p. 362-375)
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
Democratic-Repubs Thomas Jefferson States’ rights & individual liberties Strict interpretation of the Constitution Strongest support in South & West Supported by planters & farmers Federalists 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 The 1st Two-Party System Leader of the party? Beliefs about gov’t? Interpreting the Constitution? Strongest regional support? What type of American supported the party?
Democrats Pro-Jackson coalition in 1824 States’ rights, agrarian farming, & Western expansion Laissez-faire & opposition to banks Supported by rural South & West, some urban workers Whigs Anti-Jackson coalition in 1834 Strongcentralgov’t, urbanindustry, & commercial growth National & state-directed economy Supported by NE, NW, merchants, & some planters The 2nd Two-Party System The heirs to Hamiltonian Federalists The heirs to Jeffersonian Democratic-Republicans Who formed the party? Beliefs about gov’t & the economy? Both parties had national (rather than exclusively regional) appeal Who should direct the economy? What type of American supported the party?
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
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 Picked a candidate much like Andrew Jackson’s image • 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 …and the Whigs took control of Congress Used grassroots organization & popular electioneering
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 The Whigs expelled President Tyler from the party in 1841 Zachary Taylor
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