Andrew Jackson’s Presidency 1829-1837 Nullification Conflict and Indian Removal

Increasing Suffrage In The Early 1800’s “The Rise of the Common Man” In the first half of the 19th Century voting requirements shifted from property to white manhood being the only qualification for voting. By 1840 90% of the nation’s white males could vote. This change strictly restricted the involvement of free African American voting. Despite a growing political women’s movement for suffrage, women were completely left out. (text: P. 266)

Presidential Tensions “Jacksonians” believed that John Quincy Adams struck a deal with Henry Clay to become president. Left the Republican party to create the Democratic-Republican party. Appealed to the common people. Won the election by a landslide against Adams, who he portrayed as an elitist.

Kitchen Cabinet Daniel Webster John C. Calhoun Jackson relied heavily on the advice and counsel of his friends from Tennessee and the West, rather than eliciting advice from his legally appointed Cabinet members

Jackson in Presidency Practiced the “spoils system” Officials throw out former appointees and replace them with their friends. Fired 10% of employees and hired those loyal to him.

Nullification Conflict 1816: Congress passed a protective tariff. 1824: An even larger tariff was passed. This bothered the South, because they relied on exporting crops to European countries. They feared a similar tariff could be placed on them by Europe. Also, they felt that the tariff was giving Northern manufacturers the ability to raise their prices simply to increase profits, not for protection. 1828: An even higher tariff was passed. Southern states were mad because they were unable to stop the passage of this tariff since the West had sided with the North. Southerners called this the TARIFF OF ABOMINATIONS

The Southern states were led by South Carolina The Southern states were led by South Carolina. John Calhoun, the Vice President of the US, had secretly written a pamphlet called the “South Carolina Exposition.” This said that the southern states should declare the tariffs unconstitutional and therefore “nullify” the tariff in their states. This idea came from the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions that had been written in opposition to the Sedition Acts.

President Jackson said that the tariff would be enforced. In 1832, Congress passed another even higher tariff! This was the last straw for the South South Carolina passed the “Ordinance of Nullification,” which said that the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 were unconstitutional and therefore null and void. They also said that if the US government tried to collect the tariff in SC after Feb. 1, 1833, the state of SC would secede. Vice President Calhoun resigned and delivered this message to Congress.

Jackson replied that he would “crush SC” and any other state that tried to join them. To avoid bloodshed, Henry Clay got Congress to pass the Compromise of 1833. This gradually lowered the tariff rates back to the 1816 level.

National Bank Controversy Jackson opposed the Bank of the United States. He felt it was controlled by a group of wealthy Easterners who were using it to become even wealthier. Jackson also claimed the bank was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court disagreed in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland. Many farmers and common people were on Jackson’s side, because they didn’t like the bank’s lending policies.

Jackson decided to make the National Bank the major issue in the Presidential election of 1832. He tells the people to vote for Clay (Republican) if they want to keep the bank and vote for Jackson (Democrat) if they want to get rid of the bank. When Jackson won the election, he killed the Bank of the US by taking all the government’s money out of the bank. (Led to the Panic of 1837) He placed the government’s money in a number of state banks. These were nicknamed “pet banks.”

Andrew Jackson & Native American Relations

Native American Relations Two views toward Natives: Favored displacement Wanted to convert them to Christianity, turn them into farmers, and absorb them into white culture

Indian Removal Act of 1830 The government provided funds to force Native Americans to move west. Some tribes were forced by troops to move from their homes.

Indian Removal Trail of Tears (1830) The government provided funds to force Native Americans to move west. Some tribes were forced by troops to move from their homes. 800 mile trip west Government stole their money, their livestock, and many died due to harsh winter conditions. More than ¼ of Cherokees died during this trip. “Trail of Tears”

Indian Removal Trail of Tears, 1830 "What good man would prefer a country covered with forest and ranged by a few thousand savages to our extensive republic, studded with cities, towns and prosperous farms and filled with all the blessings of liberty, civilization and religion?“ ~Andrew Jackson

The Cherokee/Georgia Conflict In 1830--the same year the Indian Removal Act was passed--gold was found on Cherokee lands. Georgia held lotteries to give Cherokee land and gold rights to whites. Cherokees were not allowed to conduct tribal business, contract, testify in courts against whites, or mine for gold.

Cherokee Resistance Teamed up with a missionary who went to court on behalf of the Cherokee nation. Worcester v. Georgia (1832) Ruled Georgia was not entitled to regulate the Cherokees or invade their land.

Treaty of New Echota (1835) Signed by Cherokees who favored relocation. Gave Cherokee land for $5 million and western land. 20,000 Cherokees remained behind in protest of the treaty.

Most Cherokees, including Chief John Ross, did not believe that they would be forced to move. In May 1838, Federal troops and state militias began the roundup of the Cherokees into stockades. In spite of warnings to troops to treat the Cherokees kindly, the roundup proved harrowing. Families were separated--the elderly and ill forced out at gunpoint-- people given only moments to collect cherished possessions. White looters followed, ransacking homesteads as Cherokees were led away.