Chapter 10 The Jacksonian Era, 1828-1840

Andrew Jackson and the Power of the President Andrew Jackson was an especially interesting president because in many ways, he tried to expand presidential authority in order to reduce the scope and role of the federal government in American society. That is, he believed like many Jeffersonians, that the federal government was growing too powerful. And so, Andrew Jackson asserted himself as president in order to eliminate the National Bank because he felt like it was operated by a small group of eastern bankers and financiers who did not take the common people's interest to heart as they were making decisions regarding the national banking system. At the same time, he also supported removing the Indians from the east in order to free up more land for whites to purchase and settle and farm. In addition, he opposed what was called the Maysville Road road bill that Congress passed because it was intended to construct a road through Kentucky to facilitate the economy, economic development, but it was only in the state of Kentucky. So he said, "No." So Jackson became a very forceful president, but interestingly enough, most of his efforts were directed at reducing the impact of the federal government in American society. And he was very successful at it.

Jackson and the Nation He Inherited Jacksonian Democracy Jackson and the Nation He Inherited When Jackson was inaugurated, the country was growing at a rapid rate. Land was being purchased and cultivated, and farmers were going into debt to afford it. The United States now had twenty-four states and almost 13 million people. Appointments and Rivalries Jackson had made a name for himself in the defeat of the British at the Battle of New Orleans. His fame had increased during the Seminole wars as well. The 1824 election, in which he had won a majority of the popular vote but lost the election, put him in the spotlight and made him a candidate for the “common folk.” Jackson believed that it was best to have politicians serve in every branch of office, instead of career bureaucrats. That way, when the new administration was elected, those appointed in the previous term would return to their previous occupation. Although this was his plan, he would only replace 20 percent of the entire bureaucracy during his terms in office. When Jackson was inaugurated, the country was growing at a rapid rate. Land was being purchased and cultivated, and farmers were going into debt to afford it. The United States now had twenty-four states and almost 13 million people. Now Americans would see the market-based economy emerge from the traditional economy of subsistence farming. Jackson had made a name for himself in the defeat of the British at the Battle of New Orleans. His fame had increased during the Seminole wars as well. The 1824 election, in which he had won a majority of the popular vote but lost the election, put him in the spotlight and made him a candidate for the “common folk.” Jackson believed that it was best to have politicians serve in every branch of office, instead of career bureaucrats. That way, when the new administration was elected, those appointed in the previous term would return to their previous occupation. Although this was his plan, he would only replace 20 percent of the entire bureaucracy during his terms in office.

All Creation Going to the White House In this depiction of Jackson’s inauguration as president, satirist Robert Cruikshank draws a visual parallel to Noah’s Ark, suggesting that people of all walks of life were now welcome in the White House.

Internal Improvements Jackson As President The Eaton Affair Jackson, unaccustomed to the political infighting in Washington, D.C., soon found himself entwined in a political war between his vice-president, John C. Calhoun, and secretary of state Martin Van Buren. first battle came over the wife of Jackson’s secretary of war, John Eaton. Peggy Eaton had married John Eaton only three months after her first husband committed suicide. Calhoun’s wife refused to socialize with Mrs. Eaton due to her unsavory past. Van Buren used this rift to grow closer to Jackson. Internal Improvements Jackson would embark on a campaign against internal improvements that only benefited a particular state. He would continue funding interstate projects. Jackson, unaccustomed to the political infighting in Washington, D.C., soon found himself entwined in a political war between his vice-president, John C. Calhoun, and secretary of state Martin Van Buren. The first battle came over the wife of Jackson’s secretary of war, John Eaton. Peggy Eaton had married John Eaton only three months after her first husband committed suicide. Calhoun’s wife refused to socialize with Mrs. Eaton due to her unsavory past. Van Buren used this rift to grow closer to Jackson. Jackson would embark on a campaign against internal improvements that only benefited a particular state. He would continue funding interstate projects.

King Andrew the First King Andrew the First Opponents considered Jackson’s veto of the Maysville Road bill an abuse of power. This cartoon shows “King Andrew” trampling on the Constitution, internal improvements, and the Bank of the United States.

Jackson’s Indian Policy Indian Removal Native Americans continued to find themselves pushed from one area to another while treaties forbidding such actions were dismissed. In 1830 Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, which swapped land that the Indians were currently inhabiting for federal land west of the Mississippi. The Trail of Tears The Cherokees of Georgia were required to move out west. When they initially resisted on grounds of a treaty with the United States that declared them an independent nation, they did so through legal means. The Supreme Court sided with the Cherokees, but Jackson took no steps to enforce the ruling. The Cherokees would lose 9,000 members of the tribe over their 800-mile walk to the new land. As the population of the United States continued to expand and grow, Native Americans continued to find themselves pushed from one area to another while treaties forbidding such actions were dismissed. In 1830 Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, which swapped land that the Indians were currently inhabiting for federal land west of the Mississippi. At this point very few tribes were able to resist. The Cherokees of Georgia were required to move out west. When they initially resisted on grounds of a treaty with the United States that declared them an independent nation, they did so through legal means. The Supreme Court sided with the Cherokees, but Jackson took no steps to enforce the ruling. The Cherokees would lose 9,000 members of the tribe over their 800-mile walk to the new land.

Indian Removal, 1820–1840 Why did Congress exile the Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, Seminoles, and Cherokees to territory west of Arkansas and Missouri? How far did the tribes have to travel, and what were the conditions on the journey? Why were the Indians not forced to move before the 1830s?

The Trail of Tears Thousands of Cherokee Indians died on a nightmarish march from Georgia to Oklahoma after being forced from their native lands.

The Bank War The Bank’s Opponents The Recharter Effort Jackson believed that the only acceptable format of money was in hard currency, not paper, which, depending on the whim of the bankers, could be made worthless. He was joined in opposing the Bank of the United States by many state and local banks, which by law were forced to control their paper currency more than they would like. The Recharter Effort the banks’ supporters urged that it be readopted in 1832 instead of 1836, when the charter was due to expire. Jackson surprised the supporters by vetoing the bill, and Congress did not have the votes to override it. Jackson believed that the only acceptable format of money was in hard currency, not paper, which, depending on the whim of the bankers, could be made worthless. He was joined in opposing the Bank of the United States by many state and local banks, which by law were forced to control their paper currency more than they would like. In an effort to make the recharter of the Bank of the United States an election issue, the banks’ supporters urged that it be readopted in 1832 instead of 1836, when the charter was due to expire. Jackson surprised the supporters by vetoing the bill, and Congress did not have the votes to override it.

Rechartering the Bank President Andrew Jackson battling the “Hydra-headed” Bank of the United States.

Nullification Calhoun’s Theory The Webster-Hayne Debate Calhoun’s state of South Carolina had suffered an economic malaise due, her inhabitants thought, to the protective tariff on goods imported from Europe. The approval of the Tariff of 1828 caused Calhoun to support nullification, that is, the ability of a state to declare null and void an act of Congress that it did not like. The Webster-Hayne Debate When the Foot Resolution was introduced to restrict federal land sales in the west, Daniel Webster and Robert Hayne engaged in a debate over the theory of nullification and the state’s right to do so. The Rift with Calhoun Calhoun resigned from the vice-presidency to take a seat in the Senate representing South Carolina. The South Carolina Ordinance South Carolina pressed the nullification crisis even more when it nullified the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 and refused to allow federal tax collectors to do their job in the state. Calhoun’s state of South Carolina had suffered an economic malaise due, her inhabitants thought, to the protective tariff on goods imported from Europe. The approval of the Tariff of 1828 caused Calhoun to support the theory of nullification, that is, the ability of a state to declare null and void an act of Congress that it did not like. Since the founding of the colonies, a North-South divide had existed. The Webster-Hayne debate would sharpen that edge and put the United States on the path to civil war. When the Foot Resolution was introduced to restrict federal land sales in the west, Daniel Webster and Robert Hayne engaged in a debate over the theory of nullification and the state’s right to do so. Although both Jackson and Calhoun were slaveholders, a rift developed between the two on the issue of nullification and Calhoun resigned from the vice-presidency to take a seat in the Senate representing South Carolina. South Carolina pressed the nullification crisis even more when it nullified the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 and refused to allow federal tax collectors to do their job in the state.

Webster Replying to Senator Wayne (1848) Daniel Webster, the eloquent Massachusetts senator, stands to rebut the argument for nullification in the Webster-Hayne debate.

Response to South Carolina Jackson’s Firm Response Unwilling to accept South Carolina’s position in the crisis, Jackson proclaimed such a policy treasonous and informed the people of the rebellious state that he would ensure that the tariffs be collected. Clay’s Compromise South Carolina found itself alone against the might of the federal government. No other state had joined with the nullification plan. Henry Clay would end the crisis with a proposal to gradually reduce the tariff rates until 1842. This would give South Carolina the opportunity to escape its dilemma. Unwilling to accept South Carolina’s position in the crisis, Jackson proclaimed such a policy treasonous and informed the people of the rebellious state that he would ensure that the tariffs be collected. South Carolina found itself alone against the might of the federal government. No other state had joined with the nullification plan. Henry Clay would end the crisis with a proposal to gradually reduce the tariff rates until 1842. This would give South Carolina the opportunity to escape its dilemma.

The Verdict of the People George Caleb Bingham’s painting depicts a socially diverse electorate, suggesting the increasingly democratic politics of the mid–nineteenth century.

1832 Election Campaign Innovations The election of 1832 was the first presidential election to have a third-party candidate run for office. It was also the first national election to hold a nominating convention to choose the party’s delegates. The National Republicans chose Henry Clay and the Democrats renominated Jackson. Jackson would win a second term. The election of 1832 was the first presidential election to have a third-party candidate run for office. It was also the first national election to hold a nominating convention to choose the party’s delegates. The National Republicans chose Henry Clay and the Democrats renominated Jackson. Jackson would win a second term.

The Removal of Government Deposits Contentious Politics The Removal of Government Deposits Jackson further deflated the power of the Bank of the United States. He was unable to disband it outright, but he could control the funds being sent to it. Jackson halted all payments to the bank and spent the remaining funds that it had on deposit. Fiscal Measures cheap money threatened to flood the market. To curtail this, the government passed a series of laws limiting transactions in certain areas to hard money only. Boom and Bust An economic slowdown in Great Britain in the mid-1830s would lead foreign investors to pull their gold and silver out of the American market. This in turn caused an economic panic in 1837. In his second term, Jackson further deflated the power of the Bank of the United States. He was unable to disband it outright, but he could control the funds being sent to it. Jackson halted all payments to the bank and spent the remaining funds that it had on deposit. Without the fiscal control of the Bank of the United States, cheap money threatened to flood the market. To curtail this, the government passed a series of laws limiting transactions in certain areas to hard money only. An economic slowdown in Great Britain in the mid-1830s would lead foreign investors to pull their gold and silver out of the American market. This in turn caused an economic panic in 1837.

The New Whig Party The Whig Coalition Due to what the National Republicans viewed as Jackson’s “tyrannical” actions, they changed their name to the Whigs, which was the party of the people in Great Britain. The Election of 1836 In 1836, the Democrats nominated Martin Van Buren for the presidency and the Whigs nominated William Henry Harrison. Van Buren won. Due to what the National Republicans viewed as Jackson’s “tyrannical” actions, they changed their name to the Whigs, which was the party of the people in Great Britain. In 1836, the Democrats nominated Martin Van Buren for the presidency and the Whigs nominated William Henry Harrison. Van Buren won.

Martin Van Buren Van Buren earned the nickname the “Little Magician.”

The Panic of 1837- widespread panic An Independent Treasury The Eighth President The Panic of 1837- widespread panic An Independent Treasury To try to control the investment and expenditures of government funds, Van Buren called for the creation of an independent treasury in which the government would control its own funds and not rely on a semiprivate bank system, akin to the Bank of the United States. The proposal would win approval, but it would be repealed the next year. By the time Van Buren came into office, the economic panic had become widespread. To try to control the investment and expenditures of government funds, Van Buren called for the creation of an independent treasury, in which the government would control its own funds and not rely on a semiprivate bank system, akin to the Bank of the United States. The proposal would win approval, but it would be repealed the next year.

The “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” Campaign The 1840 Campaign The “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” Campaign In 1840, the Whigs would once again nominate William Henry Harrison for the presidency and the Democrats would once again nominate Van Buren. In an attempt to make Harrison appear uninterested and unattached to the American people, the Democrats tried to paint him as a man willing to spend his days in a log cabin drinking hard cider. This plan backfired, making Harrison appear to be a man of the people, and he won the election. In 1840, the Whigs would once again nominate William Henry Harrison for the presidency and the Democrats would once again nominate Van Buren. In an attempt to make Harrison appear uninterested and unattached to the American people, the Democrats tried to paint him as a man willing to spend his days in a log cabin drinking hard cider. This plan backfired, making Harrison appear to be a man of the people, and he won the election.

The Election of 1840 Why did Van Buren carry several western states but few others? How did the Whigs achieve a decisive electoral victory over the Democrats? How was their strategy in 1840 different from their campaign in 1836?

Second Two-Party System Jackson’s Legacy Second Two-Party System Jackson’s time in office returned to the federal government the Jeffersonian approach of centralized government, one of as limited national intrusion as possible. Also during this time, the number of eligible voters tripled. Jackson’s election embodied the increased political power of the “the people,” however, it was limited to a “white men’s democracy.” Idea of Republican Virtue Jackson’s presidency brought the 2 party system Jackson’s time in office returned to the federal government the Jeffersonian approach of centralized government, one of as limited national intrusion as possible. Also during this time, the number of eligible voters tripled. Jackson’s election embodied the increased political power of the “the people,” however, it was limited to a “white men’s democracy.” Jackson’s presidency also saw the emergence of a new party system of Whigs and Democrats.

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