Download Jacksonian Era

The
Jacksonian
Impulse
The Election of 1824
Four candidates emerged in the 1824 election
William Crawford (Secretary of the Treasury)
John Q. Adams (Secretary of State)
Henry Clay (Speaker of the House)
Andrew Jackson
All were Republicans, no Federalist candidate.
The election turned on personalities and sectional
allegiance.
Election of 1824
Jackson had more electoral votes and the largest number of popular votes.
No candidate had a sufficient number of electoral votes to win the presidency outright.
The top three were presented to the House of Representatives.
Clay – who had the least number of electoral votes – was Speaker of the House: on the first
ballot Adams was chosen as the sixth president.
When Adams named Clay his Secretary of State charges of a “corrupt bargain” surfaced
immediately.
John Quincy Adams
1824-1828
Adams was never able to overcome the results and the
supposed “corrupt bargain” of the 1824 election.
He supported the American System of Presidents James
Madison and James Monroe.
The American System was an economic plan based on the
"American School" ideas of Alexander Hamilton,
consisting of a high tariff to support internal
improvements such as road-building, and a national
bank to encourage productive enterprise and form a
national currency. This program was intended to allow
the United States to grow and prosper, by providing a
defense against the dumping of cheap foreign products,
mainly at the time from the British Empire.
Most of his initiatives were opposed in Congress by
Jackson's supporters, who remained outraged over the
1824 election.
Campaign of 1828
Attacks on Jackson
Preparations for the 1828 campaign by Jackson’s supporters
began as soon as the results of the 1824 election were
announced.
The Campaign was marked by mudslinging and the infamous
“Coffin Handbills.”
Authored by Charles Hammond, the first of the handbills
accused Jackson of executing deserters during the War of
1812 and massacres during the Creek War and his habit of
dueling.
Campaign of 1828
Continued Attacks on Jackson
Later pamphlets attacked Jackson on moral
grounds accusing him and his wife of adultery.
"Ought a convicted adulteress and her paramour
husband be placed in the highest offices of this
free and Christian land?" - Charles Hammond
Another handbill claimed that Jackson's mother
was a prostitute brought by British soldiers to
the United States.
Campaign of 1828
Jacksonians Retaliate
Jackson’s campaign charged that Adams, while
serving as Minister to Russia, had provided an
American girl servant to meet the Czar’s lustful
desires.
Adams was also accused of misappropriating
public funds. He was charged with using the
funds to buy gambling devices for the
presidential residence – a chess set and a pool
table.
Campaign of 1828
Tariff of Abominations – The Great Backfire
Background
Tariff’s were originally authorized on April 27, 1816 under James Madison:
amended on April 20, 1818 under James Monroe and again on May 22,
1824 under John Quincy Adams.
Some tariffs were intentionally set high to help defray the cost of “normal”
government expenses:
 Maintain the Army and Navy
 Maintain fortifications
 Pay interest and principal on public debt as they came due
Rates were periodically adjusted to provide some protection against foreign
competition for manufacturing in the North and agriculture in the South.
Increased commercial exchange within the United States which in turn led to
less dependence on foreign powers.
Election of 1828
Tariff of Abominations – The Great Backfire
The Plan
The 20th Congress began on December 3, 1827 with a full complement
of Jacksonian backers.

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Jackson would carry his native South
Jackson would appeal to Westerners by posing as a military giant
Jackson had no chance in New England
Jackson should concentrate on the middle Atlantic states
The middle Atlantic states were seeking protection for their developing
industries.
The Jacksonians proposed a new system of tariffs intentionally making
the tariffs inordinately high – so high the Jacksonians figured that
even the New Englanders would vote against the tariffs.
The Jacksonians would, upon the defeat of the bill, raise old Billy cane
with Jackson himself eventually riding to the rescue
Election of 1828
Tariff of Abominations – The Great Backfire
Never Bet – Not Even on a Sure Thing
There’s always a fly in the buttermilk.
New England’s congressmen believing that the protection allowed by
the bill must not be objectionable voted for passage.
Jacksonians, knowing the bill was bad for the country but unable to
admit to their scheming for fear of loosing the election, supported
the bill solely to deprive Adams of another campaign issue.
When the bill was presented to President Adams he signed it into law
believing it had been honestly introduced, debated and passed.
This was the infamous “tariff of abominations” that would eventually
lead to the Nullification Crisis of 1832.
Election of 1828
The Jackson Presidency
Key Issues

The Nullification Crisis

Internal improvements

Indian policy

The bank controversy
The Jackson Presidency
Nullification Crisis: 1828 - 1832
South Carolina claimed – using historical precedent –
the right to nullify acts of Congress within its borders
Jackson –
Called nullification an “impractical absurdity”
Sent Federal troops to southern ports
Passed Force Act to compel obedience
Gave emotional aura to idea of union
Demonstrated willingness of federal government to go to war
to preserve its legitimate powers
The Jackson Presidency
Internal Improvements
Jackson did not oppose internal improvements per se
Supported National Road project
Had same constitutional scruples as Madison & Monroe
Opposed federal aid to local projects
Marysville Rd, KY
Veto of Marysville Rd Bill set an important precedent
Limited federal initiatives
Railroads would be built w/ private money until 1850
The Jackson Presidency
Indian Removal Act
(1830)
President Andrew Jackson:
“Your white brothers will not trouble you; they will
have no claim to your land, and you can live upon it,
you and all your children, as long as the grass grows
or the water runs, in peace and plenty. It will be
yours forever.”
Reduction of Cherokee
Lands
The Jackson Presidency
The Bank Controversy
Jackson’s traditional reasons for opposing the
bank:
Believed it unconstitutional (despite Supreme Ct.
decision )
Reflected westerners distrust of banks
Preferred a hard money policy
To these were added new, substantive issues:
Influence of foreign investors
Favors & influence peddling by bank
Combination of private & public functions
Bank had undue power over the economy
The Jackson Presidency
The Bank Controversy
Jackson’s veto message: “ It is to be
regretted that the rich and powerful too
often bend the acts of government to their
selfish purposes. Many of our rich men
have not been content with equal
protection and equal benefits, but have
besought us to make them richer by act of
Congress. (The bank) is dangerous to the
liberties of the people.”
Assassination Attempt
Andrew
Jackson
“Old
Hickory”
Politics in the 1830s
Central elements of the political debate:
Government’s position on:
1) Banks
2) Tariffs
3) Internal improvements
4) Currency
Balance of power between national and local
authority
The Election of 1832
Democratic – Republicans
Drop “Republican” – become simply “Democrats”
Re-nominate Jackson
No platform, run on hoopla and Jackson’s popularity
Nationalist-Republicans
Nominate Henry Clay
Endorse the American System
Anti-Masonic Party
First “third party” in U.S. politics
First to hold a national nominating convention
First to announce a party platform
Jackson handily won reelection
Election of 1836
Second party system in place
Would remain stable for about 20 years
Democrats
In place since 1832 (with roots back to Jefferson in
1803)
Nominate Martin Van Buren (Jackson’s V.P.)
Whig coalition
United by hostility to Jackson
National – Republican core
Remnants of Anti-Masonic Party
Democrats unhappy w/ Jackson
Adopted a strategy of multiple candidates (3)
Hoped to throw election to House
Van Buren easily won
The Second Party System
Democrats
Alarmed by widening gap between social
classes
Believed government should adopt handsoff attitude towards economy
Supported by Entrepreneurs
Yeoman farmers
City workingmen
Strongest in South and West
The Second Party System
Whigs
Believed in the American System
Insisted that government could and should
guide economic development
Supported by Established businessmen & bankers
Farmers near rivers, canals, Great Lakes
Strongest in Northeast
The Election of 1840
<= Martin Van Buren
(Democrat)
William Henry Harrison =>
(Whig)
Whig Campaign Memorabilia
(1840)