Download Van Buren, W.H. Harrison and John Tyler`s Presidency Directions

Van Buren, W.H. Harrison and John Tyler’s Presidency
Directions: Research the following topics and figure out answers to the questions.
Write your notes and answers on lined paper or your notebook paper. You are
expected to use the time completely, be through and become knowledgeable. Write
down any questions you have related to the material on your paper and bring them
up during the class discussion. Warning: If you are found to be using your
research time for other things, it will hurt your learning and grade. If you think
or claim to be done, you are not! The class will research as much as time allows
before discussion. Since there is always more to research and learn, Mr. Spitzer
encourages you to look into the topic more on your own time.
Topics to Research
Martin Van Buren
Panic of 1837
Depression of 1837
Election of 1840
Harrison and Tyler biographies
Tyler as president
Tyler in the White House and later Civil War career
Questions to be able to discuss
1. Who was Martin Van Buren and what were his roles in government/politics
before becoming president? How did Martin Van Buren achieve the
presidency?
2. What were the causes of the Panic of 1837 and subsequent economic
Depression of 1837? Explain each of the three main causes.
3. Describe the economic events of the Panic of 1837. Describe the difficulties
and economic hardships of the Depression of 1837. How long did the
depression last?
4. How did Van Buren think the depression would end? What role or action did
he think the federal government should take regarding the depression? How
does this contrast to recent presidential thinking?
5. Who were the candidates in the election of 1840? What were the campaign
issues? Why and how was William Henry Harrison pictured as a “common
man”?
6. Who was William Henry Harrison? Describe his roles on the early frontier,
War of 1812, and career before running for president.
7. Describe William Henry Harrison as president including the cause of his
illness, the illness and death. How long was he president? Did Harrison
accomplish anything as president? Explain.
8. Who was John Tyler and what were his roles in government/politics before
becoming president? How did John Tyler achieve the presidency?
9. Explain how John Tyler, who was elected by the Whigs became so unpopular
with the Whigs? Why did a mob attack the White House and what did Tyler
do to defend against the mob?
10. Why did the Whigs attempt to impeach John Tyler? What were the
impeachment resolution charges? What was the House of Representatives
vote on the resolution?
11. What were John Tyler’s accomplishments as president? Describe the fight
over Texas becoming a state. What states were admitted to the Union in
March 1845, during the last few days of Tyler’s time as president?
12. What did the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 resolve between the U.S.
and British North American Colonies. Explain and show on the wall map
each aspect of the treaty solutions.
13. What was life like in the White House under John Tyler? When and why did
his wife Letitia Tyler die? How did John Tyler come to marry Julia Gardiner
while he was president? (Hint: don’t forget the U.S.S. Princeton part of the
story, because you will be asked)
14. What was John Tyler’s role in trying to prevent the Civil War in 1861? What
was his career in the Confederacy until he died in 1862?
Critical Thinking
15. Should John Tyler have become full president after President William Henry
Harrison died? What did the Constitution at the time say on the matter?
What did the Constitution say about presidential succession now?
16. Why were Arkansas and Michigan admitted to the Union in 1836 and 1837
easily, but Texas had to wail until 1845? Detail the reasons behind the long
delay in admitting Texas to the Union. Were these concerns justified? How
do they reflect the slavery issue before the Civil War?
17. Why was it a concern that with Florida and Texas the South had a two state
advantage in the Senate, in 1845? How did Iowa (1846) and Wisconsin
(1848) admissions solve the Southern advantage? What effect did these
compromises on balance of power in the Senate have on solving the issue of
slavery?