CHANGES IN A YOUNG NATION Did changes in the young nation open the door t opportunity for all Americans? Political Changes

Political changes in an emerging democracy  From — expansion of democracy in U.S.  Andrew Jackson represented this change—poor southerner  prosperous planter  judge, Senator, military hero  POTUS

Democracy for common man—but not woman  Jackson became POTUS in 1828  Owed victory to expansion of suffrage (voting rights)  States changed voting laws—no longer needed to own property  Not all Americans given right to vote Women, Native Americans, and slaves could not vote Few freed blacks could vote  Other democratic changes  Move from voice-vote to secret paper ballots  National conventions  Political parties involved people in campaigns

1828 Campaign Poster

Jackson loses, then wins  1 st ran for POTUS in 1824  4 candidates—all Democratic Republicans  Jackson wins popular vote, but not enough electoral votes  H. of R. decided  chose John Quincy Adams  Jackson ran again in 1828  Knew there would be lots of new voters “common people”  Formed new political party Democrat Represent ordinary farmers & workers instead of wealthy & privileged Decentralized gov’t & states’ rights

Jackson loses, then wins  Jackson’s opponent, John Q. Adams, also started new party  National Republican Party Represented business, shipping & banking interests Favored strong central gov’t Southerners feared high taxes & interference with slavery  Both parties tried to avoid sectional issues  Mudslinging  Jackson wins  rewards his supporters with gov’t jobs  spoils system  “To the victor belong the spoils…”  Defended rotation in office as reform…gov’t jobs open to all, not just wealthy elite

John Quincy Adams

Nullification  Key issue in nation: balance between Fed. & State power  1 st came up in 1798 w/ Alien & Sedition Acts—Jefferson & Madison believed laws unconstitutional States should nullify laws that violate Constitution (Nullification) This idea important later on in battler over states’ rights  S.C. tried to nullify 2 fed. Tariffs (tariff a tax on imports/exports) Leaders in SC threatened to secede from Union if laws enforced Jackson stood his ground—prepared to use force to keep SC New lower tariff passed in Congress