1. Age of Jackson Day 1 Jackson the Man
American History I
SRMHS
Mr. Hensley

2. Election of 1828 Rematch of 1824: Adams vs. Jackson
Beginning of modern campaigning (shaking hands, kissing babies)
Jackson accused of being married to an ‘adulteress’
Adams accused of “pimping” for the Czar
Jackson wins (56%) with Calhoun as VP

3. Jackson as a Young Man
Scots-Irish: born in 1767 – same year his father dies
Family dies during Revolutionary War
Jackson is completely self-taught (autodidact)
Passes bar, moves to Tennessee (Nashville)
Becomes involved in politics and local militia

4. Jackson in Tennessee
Jackson builds a plantation – the Hermitage – to grow cotton
Hermitage has hundreds of slaves
Also involved in land speculation (Memphis)
Elected to Congress multiple times

5. Rachel Jackson
Her first marriage ended in 1790 – she thought she had a legal divorce (she did not)
Married Andrew twice – once while still married then a second time after divorce was finalized (1794)
Most of Jackson’s duels were fought to protect her
Died in Dec. of 1828, after election, as Jackson was preparing to leave for DC

6. Jackson’s Military Record
1814: Battle of New Orleans – our only major victory against the British
Also in 1814, major defeat of the Creek
1817: Jackson takes Florida from the Spanish and defeats the Seminoles (Florida becomes part of U.S.)
“Old Hickory”

7. Jackson’s Inauguration
Jackson is the “People’s President” – crowds turn out to greet him along route
March 1829: thousands gather in DC to cheer him
Crowd gets unruly (alcohol) and damage White House
Sets tone for his term

8. Spoils System Executive branch has many employees
President appoints them
Jackson used this power to reward friends and punish enemies
Dismissed over 10% of all government employees after he took office in 1828 – replaced them with his supporters

9. The Eaton Affair
Senator John Eaton is a close Jackson friend and his Secretary of War
He is suspected of having an affair with Peggy
Her husband dies, she marries Eaton
She is snubbed by all the other Cabinet wives (esp. Mrs. Calhoun) – but befriended by Jackson

10. The Kitchen Cabinet?
After Eaton Affair, Jackson replaces official Cabinet meetings with “Kitchen Cabinet”
He uses veto power to punish enemies (Clay)
Strongly opposes national bank and paper currency
Strongly supports westward expansion

11. Rebranding the Democrats
New Democratic Party is a coalition of local federal appointees (spoils); key newspaper editors and working men ( farmers)
Views the wealthy as corrupt and too powerful
Thus, Democrats are against the national bank
Government as “negative”

12. Anyone But Jackson!
In the North, the wealthy and the former Federalists oppose Jackson
In the South, the wealthy plantation owners and state’s rights advocates oppose Jackson
New political party – the “Whigs” begins to form (Tories vs. Whigs in GB)

13. Tariff of Abominations
In 1828, Congress passed a protective tariff designed to help Northern industry
It almost doubled the prices of British goods
Reduced British demand for Southern cotton
Rift between Calhoun and Jackson – Calhoun resigns in 1832

14. Election of 1832 Jackson versus Clay
Legislative branch power or executive branch power?
Government to protect the common man or government to help the wealthy elites?
Jackson wins easily
Van Buren becomes his new Vice President

15. Review: Jackson’s First Term
BIG QUESTION: What changed in American politics because of Andrew Jackson?
Jacksonian Democracy and the “spoils system” rebranded the Democrats as the party of the common man.
Politics became less intellectual and more emotional as a result. The removal of property restrictions on voting gave poor white men in America a voice and influence they had never had before.
As President, Jackson strengthened the power of the Executive at the expense of the states. .