1. Jacksonian America US History

2. Different kind of candidate His Background –Not like the old “aristocratic” presidents. –Born in Tennessee - 1st pres. from the West –Elected in 1828 on overwhelming popular support, not closed-door party caucus politics. Remember: Many new “non-property-owning” voters in 1828 supported him.

3. Rise of Mass Politics Wider franchise (voting population) brought changes in political campaigns: –Mass Politics! Rallies Slogans Vicious written attacks and smear campaigns –Secret ballots But ballots were printed on colored paper. Truly secret ballots come after the civil war.

4. People’s President Jackson introduced reforms in govt to bring power to the people: –Spoils System: appointing people to govt jobs based on party loyalty and support: ordinary citizens got jobs. Abuse arose: people who wanted govt jobs started paying parties to get them.

5. Election Process Change from party caucuses to national nominating conventions. –Old system: Party caucus: politicians in Congress met behind closed doors to figure out who to nominate. –New system: The party members from all walks of life meet to choose who to nominate at a special convention.

6. Tariff of 1828 / Nullification Crisis States’ Rights versus Federal Supremacy issue! –1828 Congress placed tariff on imports. North wanted protection for industry. South called it the “Tariff of Abominations” –European goods became really expensive. –South Carolinians hated it so much they threatened to secede [leave the country].

7. Tariff of 1828 / Nullification Crisis Jackson’s Vice President, John C. Calhoun, proposed the idea of “nullification.” Nullification: because the states created the Union, they have the right to declare a federal law “null” [invalid].

8. Tariff of 1828 / Nullification Crisis Jackson was furious: he considered nullification treasonous! When South Carolina declared the Tariff “null,” he threatened to send in federal troops! Crisis was resolved through compromise…but the debate lingered on.

9. Policies Toward Native Americans Jackson, like earlier presidents believed: –To solve conflicts with Native Americans, move them to the western Great Plains.

10. Indian Removal Act 1830 Jackson pushed the Indian Removal Act through Congress –This provided money to relocate Native Americans. –Most Native Americans gave in, but the Cherokee in Georgia refused…

11. Worcester v. Georgia The Cherokee case reached the Supreme Court! –Cherokee wanted the court to prevent Georgia from taking their land. –Chief Justice Marshall ruled Georgia couldn’t take the land. –BUT Georgia took it anyway….

12. Trail of Tears 1838 (under Jackson’s successor Martin van Buren) –the US Army forced the Cherokee who remained (20,000) to leave their lands in a forced 800- mile march called the Trail of Tears.

13. National Bank: Opponents Many Westerners and Southerners distrusted the National Bank (BUS). –“It was a monopoly that benefited the wealthy.” –“We wanted more money supply in circulation.” –“National bank shouldn’t control state banking.”

14. National Bank: Supporters BUT it did keep the currency supply stable. –Congress passed a law extending the mandate [permission to exist] for the BUS for 20 more years.

15. National Bank Jackson HATED the BUS. –First, he vetoed the bill to recharter the bank. –Next he withdrew federal money from the bank, in effect killing it. –Years later, Jackson’s critics claimed his actions caused the bank panic of 1837!

16. New Party: The Whigs In mid-1830s the Whig party emerged. –These were anti- Jacksonites. –Wanted larger federal govt. –Supported growth of industry. Not strong right away, but by election of 1840, they defeated Martin Van Buren, Jackson’s former VP.