Chapter 12 The Age of Jackson (1824 – 1840)

Sectionalism Changes Politics: Politics were increasingly dominated by sectionalism The Democratic-Republican party torn apart by sectionalism in the election of 1824 4 men competed to replace James Monroe New Englanders like John Quincy Adams Westerners liked Henry Clay, the “Great Compromiser” and Andrew Jackson, military hero Southerners supported Jackson and William Crawford

Adam’s Defeats Jackson: Jackson won the popular vote, but no candidate received the majority of the electoral votes, the House of Representatives would have to decide again Clay came in fourth and threw his support to Adams, Adams made Clay his secretary of state Some people same Adams bought his presidency Over the next 4 years the Democratic-Republican party would divide into Democrats who followed Jackson and the National Republicans who followed Adams

Jackson Redefines “Democracy”: Jacksonian Democracy – the widening of political power to more of the people and ensuring majority rule Jackson won the following election of 1828 Jackson’s campaign had promised to reform government, he started by replacing many government officials with his supporters which is called the spoils system And he defended this with “to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy”

Rising Sectional Differences: Legislators disputed 3 major issues: The sale of public lands in the west, westerns wanted public lands in the west to sell at low prices, bring more people to their section Federal spending on internal improvements, like roads and canals, northerner’s wanted better transportation routes to help bring food and raw materials to western markets Rising tariffs, southerner’s opposed federal spending on such projects because they were financed by tariffs, and the southerner’s were depended on trading cotton in exchange for foreign manufactured goods

Federal Government VS. the States: The issue of tariffs had plagued the nation since formation That debate was over the balance of power between states and the federal government States’ rights – the rights of the states to make decision without interference from the federal government

The Nullification Crisis: In 1828, Congress raised tariffs on raw materials and manufactured good, which the south called the Tariff of Abominations South Carolina leaders even spoke of leaving the Union over the issue John C. Calhoun – Jackson’s Vice President, solution was the doctrine of nullification – a state, had the right to nullify, reject, a federal law that it considered unconstitutional Jackson a supporter to states’ rights, didn’t think that a state should have the power to nullify a federal law At a dinner, Jackson was to make a toast, “Our Federal Union-it must be preserved” Calhoun was next “The Union-next to liberty, the most dear; may we all remember that it can be preserved by respecting the rights of the states and distributing equally the benefits and burdens of the Union’ The two from then on were political enemies

South Carolina Threatens to Secede: Jackson worked to limit the federal government, and reduced tariffs in1832 But not enough for South Carolina, who nullified the tariff acts of 1828 and 1832, and voted to build its own army South Carolina threatened to secede – withdraw from the Union, if the federal government tried to collect tariffs Jackson won the election of 1832, and made it clear he would use force to see the federal laws were obeyed and the Union preserved Henry Clay, came up with a compromise in 1833, on tariffs, Congress quickly passed it and South Carolina remained in the Union…for now.

Jackson’s Policy Towards Native Americans: In 1821, a brilliant Cherokee named Sequoya, invented a writing system for the Cherokee language Sequoya hope that gaining literacy – the ability to read the write, that his people could share the power of whites and keep their independence By early 1800’s, there were still many Native Americans living east of the Mississippi River, the remaining tribes were viewed as a obstacle to progress Some whites hoped Native Americans would assimilate – be absorbed into white culture, other wanted them moved, and thought them uncivilized and didn’t want to live next to them Five major tribes that remained east of the Mississippi were the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole The Cherokee had adopted white customs like: their way of dressing, publishing a newspaper called the Cherokee Phoenix, sending children to schools, and made a Constitution, and founded the Cherokee Nation

Jackson’s Removal Policy: Jackson had many dealings with the Native Americans before his presidency Jackson viewed them as conquered subjects and that the federal government could regulate where they lived He thought they had 2 choices: assimilate or move west In 1828, gold was discovered in Georgia, on Cherokee land, many miners and settlers moved into Cherokee lands and southern states passed laws that let settlers take the Cherokee’s lands

The Trail of Tears: Indian Removal Acts – called for treaties that would require Native Americans to relocate west of the Mississippi River Indian Territory – lands exchanged for in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska Cherokees appealed to the Supreme Court in 1832, John Marshall ruled that only the federal government, not states, could make laws governing the Cherokee

The Trail of Tears Cont…: Some signed the treaties and moved, but other Cherokee refused and stayed In 1838, federal troops commanded by General Winfield Scott forced 16,000 Cherokees into camps Over the fall and winter these Cherokee were forced to make the long journey west in the cold, rain, and snow Many grew sick and weak, a quarter of them died The harsh journey would be known as the Trail of Tears

Native American Resistance: In 1835, Seminoles’ refused to leave Florida, which led to the Second Seminole War Osceola, a Seminole leader, hid in the Everglades, his band would use surprise attacks to defeat the U.S. army Osceola, was tricked into peace talks, captured, and later died in prison The Second Seminole War didn’t end until 1842 Other tribes did the same, the Sauk and Fox in Illinois, lead by Black Hawk, their uprising was crushed by the Illinois militia in 1832

Prosperity and Panic: Jackson declares war on the Second Bank of the United States The bank’s president, Nicholas Biddle, set policies that controlled the nation’s money supply Since the bank made loans to Congress, Biddle could influence these lawmakers, Jackson believed that the bank was corrupt All banks need a charter – written grand, from the federal government In 1832, Biddle asked Congress to renew the charter, though it didn’t expire until 1836 Congress voted to renew, Jackson vetoed the renewal Jackson started depositing federal governments money in states banks, Biddle fought back and made it harder to get loans, hoping the government deposits to his bank Eventually the bank would go out of business

Prosperity to Panic: Because Jackson deposited money with the states banks, banks started giving out loans, and many took the opportunity Banks issued too much paper money causing inflation – an increase in prices and a decrease in the value of money Martin Van Buren won the election of 1836, and shortly the Panic of 1837 had set in – widespread fear about the state of the economy People began to exchange paper money for gold and silver, which banks quickly ran out of gold and silver A depression – or severe economic slump followed Almost all factories in the east closed, jobless workers had no way of buying food or paying rent, people went homeless

The Birth of the Whigs: In the election of 1840, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and other Jackson opponents formed the Whig Party – they believed that Congress, not the president, represented the people Whigs chose William Henry Harrison and John Tyler as his running mate against Martin Van Buren Harrison a military hero in the War of 1812, and a frontiersman VS. Van Buren a wealthy business man Harrison won, but died shortly after, John Tyler became president This proved the importance of the growing West in American politics