ANDREW JACKSON

The Election of 1824 and 1828  Traditionally, presidential candidates were selected at caucuses, and that would be the party's candidate  caucus- private meeting of party members  The Republican Caucus selected William Crawford of Georgia as their candidate  However, due to sectionalism, other sections of the countries selected their own candidates

 However, due to sectionalism, other sections of the countries selected their own candidates  John Quincy Adams in the NE, Andrew Jackson in the West

 When the election was over, no one was the clear winner  Jackson had won the most votes, but not a majority  When no candidate wins a majority of the electoral college vote, the decision belongs to the House of Representatives that selected John Q. Adams

 The House based their decision upon advice from Henry Clay  Problem: Clay was later named Adams' Secretary of State  "Corrupt bargain?"

Jackson Takes Charge  Jackson was a “common man”  Thus he wanted to change how the national gov't functions, it favored the rich and he wanted to make it simple  Did not utilize his cabinet, rather he took advice from his friends  this group of friends became known as the “Kitchen Cabinet”

Spoils System  spoils system- process of new president rewarding supporters with jobs in the gov't  Pres. Jackson was accused of abusing this system  Jackson's argument was that “to the victor, goes the spoils”

Tariff of Abomination  South Carolina grew very angry about the Tariff of 1828  it raised the prices of manufactured goods  the tariff was created to help North Eastern manufacturing  raised the prices of imported goods, making them more expensive than American Goods

Tariff of Abomination  They threatened to secede from the US if this tariff was not reduced  secede-break away  The VP, John C. Calhoun (of S.Carolina) did not want this to happen, so he suggested nullification  nullification- rejection of federal law

The Nullification Crisis  Two of the most gifted speakers in Congress squared off in a debate over the ability for a state to nullify  Hayne argued that the states had created a constitution and therefore had the right to nullify  Webster said the national gov't gets it power from the people, and not from the states

 Jackson was able to get Congress to lower the tariff, but S. Carolina was still not happy  In fact, South Carolina readied for war to disunion  Jackson responded by calling disunion “treason”  Jackson got Congress to pass the Force Bill, which gave him the power to use the navy and army to collect the tariff

 The combination of the Force Bill, and the signing of a new lower tariff ended the nullification crisis, thus holding the Union together, for now