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The American Nation
Chapter 12
The Jacksonian Era
1824–1840
Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
The American Nation
Chapter 12: The Jacksonian Era 1824–1840
Section 1: A New Era in Politics
Section 2: Jackson in the White House
Section 3: A New Crisis
Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
A New Era in Politics
Chapter 12, Section 1
• How did the growing spirit of equality
change voting rights in the 1820s?
• Why was there a dispute over the election
of 1824?
• Why was John Quincy Adams an
unpopular President?
• What new political parties developed?
Andrew Jackson background
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Born in a log cabin.
Father died before he was born
3rd son of poor farmers. (S.C.)
Joined Continental Army at 13.
Mother and brothers died during war (14).
Self educated, became a lawyer, General,
Congressman.
• Fought duels, killed a man who insulted
his wife.
• Liked horseracing, gambling.
• Beat up a man who tried to assasinate
him.
1767 - 1845
A Growing Spirit of Equality Affected Voting Rights
Chapter 12, Section 1
• The United States was growing rapidly.
• Many new states were in the west, between the
Appalachians and the Mississippi.
• Frontier life encouraged a democratic spirit.
• This democratic spirit was reflected in the voting laws.
• More people gained suffrage, or the right to vote. In
western states, any white man over age 21 could vote.
• In eastern states, reformers worked to expand
suffrage. By the 1830s, most eastern states had
dropped the requirement that voters own land.
European observations of American Democracy
• While the US did have limitations on voting and
other rights, French writer, Alexis de
Tocqueville, wrote the described the nation in
his book Democracy in America.
• He admired the American democratic spirit & its
goals of equality & freedom. He found the results
of the revolution still taking place and while still
far from an end, were “already incomparably
greater than anything which has taken place in
the world before.”
The Dispute Over the Election of 1824
• John Quincy Adams (National
Republican/Whig): support in New
England
• Henry Clay: support in the West
• Andrew Jackson (Democrat): support
in the West and the “common man”
• William Crawford: support in the
South
New Political Parties
Chapter 12, Section 1
National
Republicans,
known as Whigs
• People who supported Adams’ programs for
national growth became known as Whigs.
• Wanted the federal government to spur the
economy.
• Supporters included eastern business people,
some southern planters, and former Federalists.
Democrats
• Jackson and his supporters called themselves
Democrats.
• Supporters included the common people—
frontier farmers and eastern factory workers.
The two new political parties developed more democratic ways for choosing
candidates for President.
• They got rid of the caucus, or private meeting, for choosing candidates.
• Instead, each party began to hold a nominating convention, where
delegates from the states chose the party’s candidate.
The Dispute Over the Election of 1824
• Andrew Jackson won the popular vote.
• No candidate won a majority of the electoral
vote.
• According to the Constitution, the election
went to the House of Representatives.
• The House would decide among the top 3.
• Henry Clay came in 4th, so he was out.
• Crawford came in 3rd, but became ill, so he was
out.
• That left Jackson and Adams to decide from.
A “Corrupt Bargain” in the Election of 1824
• Henry Clay was Speaker of the House.
• He urged House members to vote for Adams
for President.
• Adams became President.
• Later, Adams named Clay his Secretary of
State.
• Jackson and his supporters said that Adams
and Clay had worked together to steal the
election. Called the deal the Corrupt Bargain.
John Quincy Adams Was an Unpopular President
Adams’ Plans:
• The federal government
should promote
economic growth. It
should pay for roads and
canals to help farmers
transport goods to
market.
• The government should
promote the arts and
sciences by building a
national university and
an observatory.
Americans’ reaction:
• These programs cost too
much money.
• These programs would
make the federal
government too
powerful.
John Quincy Adams Was an Unpopular President
Chapter 12, Section 1
Section 1 Assessment
Chapter 12, Section 1
Voting laws in the western states reflected the new democratic spirit. They
gave suffrage to
a) any white man who owned property.
b) all free men except Native Americans.
c) any white man over age 21.
d) white men, African American men, and Native American men.
Andrew Jackson’s election represented the spread of democracy because his
support came from
a) eastern business people.
b) frontier farmers and eastern factory workers.
c) southern planters.
d) military officers.
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Section 1 Assessment
Chapter 12, Section 1
Voting laws in the western states reflected the new democratic spirit. They
gave suffrage to
a) any white man who owned property.
b) all free men except Native Americans.
c) any white man over age 21.
d) white men, African American men, and Native American men.
Andrew Jackson’s election represented the spread of democracy because his
support came from
a) eastern business people.
b) frontier farmers and eastern factory workers.
c) southern planters.
d) military officers.
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Jackson in the White House
Chapter 12, Section 2
• What qualities helped Andrew
Jackson succeed?
• What was the spoils system?
• Why did President Jackson fight
the Bank of the United States?
Andrew Jackson (#8)
Chapter 12, Section 2
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Strong-willed
Tough
Studied law and set up a successful law practice
Became wealthy buying and selling land
While still in his twenties, was elected to Congress
Won national fame for his achievements in the War of 1812
Complex
Quick temper
Ability to inspire and lead others
A man of his word
A champion of the common people
Andrew Jackson
• Because of his quick temper and
tendency to deal with enemies
harshly, Jackson’s opponents
called him “King Andrew”. #10
The Spoils System
Chapter 12, Section 2
• Spoils = profits or benefits
• When he took office, Jackson fired many
government employees and replaced them with
his supporters.
• Critics accused Jackson of rewarding
Democrats for helping to elect him instead of
choosing men who were qualified.
• Jackson said he was serving democracy by
letting ordinary citizens take part in government.
He felt that ordinary Americans were capable of
doing government jobs. #4
The Spoils System
• A Jackson supporter explained, “To the
victor belong the spoils.” #1
• The practice of rewarding supporters with
government jobs became known as the
spoils system. #2, 3
• Jackson rewarded a number of supporters
with Cabinet jobs. Few of them were
qualified, however. So Jackson relied on
unofficial advisers. He met with them in the
White House kitchen. The group became
known as the “kitchen cabinet.”
President Jackson vs. the Bank of the United
States
Chapter 12, Section 2
• The Bank of the United States had great power
because it controlled the loans made by state
banks.
• Jackson thought the Bank was undemocratic.
He felt that Bank president Nicholas Biddle
used the Bank to benefit the rich. #5
• Whigs persuaded Biddle to try to renew the
Bank’s charter before the 1832 election. They
thought that if Jackson vetoed the bill to renew
the charter, he would anger voters and lose the
election.
President Jackson vs. the Bank of the
United States
• When the bill to renew the Bank’s charter
reached the President, he vetoed it.
• 1st, he said the Bank was unconstitutional.
• 2nd, he felt that the Bank helped aristocrats at
the expense of the common people. #5
• 3rd, the bank was too powerful & had too much
influence over Congress. #9
• The Whigs brought up the Bank issue in the
election of 1832, but Jackson won a stunning
election victory anyway.
• Jackson ordered the Secretary of the Treasury to
stop putting federal money in the Bank of the
United States. The bank closed. #6
Section 2 Assessment
Chapter 12, Section 2
Which statement best describes President Jackson’s attitude toward filling
government jobs?
a) Ordinary Americans are capable of filling government jobs.
b) Wealthy people are used to running things, so it is best to choose
them for government jobs.
c) People who have been to law school are best suited for government
jobs.
d) Frontier farmers have good common sense, so they should have all
the government jobs.
Jackson worked to end the Bank of the United States because he thought
a) the Bank was too weak.
b) the voters had voted against it.
c) the Bank benefited only the rich.
d) most Americans supported the Bank.
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Section 2 Assessment
Chapter 12, Section 2
Which statement best describes President Jackson’s attitude toward filling
government jobs?
a) Ordinary Americans are capable of filling government jobs.
b) Wealthy people are used to running things, so it is best to choose
them for government jobs.
c) People who have been to law school are best suited for government
jobs.
d) Frontier farmers have good common sense, so they should have all
the government jobs.
Jackson worked to end the Bank of the United States because he thought
a) the Bank was too weak.
b) the voters had voted against it.
c) the Bank benefited only the rich.
d) most Americans supported the Bank.
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A New Crisis
Chapter 12, Section 3
• How did the tariff crisis lead to the
Nullification Act?
• Why were Indians forced off their
land?
• What economic problems did
Martin Van Buren face?
• How did the Whigs and the
Democrats campaign in 1840?
• Go Army
The Tariff Crisis and the Nullification Act
Chapter 12, Section 3
In 1828, Congress passed the highest tariff in the
history of the nation. Southerners called it the
Tariff of Abominations.
• Northern manufacturers liked the tariff. It
protected them from foreign competition.
• Southern planters hated the tariff. It raised the
cost of the manufactured goods they bought
from Europe so much that they could no
longer afford them. #1
• They felt like the northern factory owners were
using their influence in govt to create a
monopoly for themselves.
The Tariff Crisis and the Nullification Act
Vice President John C. Calhoun fought against
the tariff by introducing the idea of
nullification.
• Calhoun claimed that a state had the right to
nullify, or cancel, a federal law that it
considered unconstitutional.
• Daniel Webster attacked the idea of
nullification. He said that if the states could
nullify federal laws, the nation would fall
apart.
The Tariff Crisis and the Nullification Act
Chapter 12, Section 3
Congress passed a lower tariff in 1832, but
South Carolina was not satisfied. To protest,
S.C. passed the Nullification Act, declaring the
new tariff illegal. #3
• South Carolina also threatened to secede, or
withdraw, from the Union.
• Jackson asked Congress to pass the Force
Bill. It allowed the President to use the army
to enforce the tariff.
• South Carolina reacted by repealing the
Nullification Act.
The Tariff Crisis and the Nullification Act
The Nullification Crisis had been a
quarrel over states’ rights, or the
right of states to limit the power
of the federal government.
Indians Are Forced From Their Homeland
Chapter 12, Section 3
• The Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw,
Cherokee, and Seminole nations lived in
the Southeast. Settlers wanted the
Indian’s land for growing cotton.
• President Jackson sided with the settlers.
The federal government set aside lands
beyond the Mississippi & began to
persuade or force Indians to move to land
that had been set aside.
Indians Are Forced From Their
Homeland
• Georgia claimed the right to make
laws for the Cherokee nation.
• The Cherokees went to court,
arguing that their treaties with the
federal government protected their
rights and their property.
• The Supreme Court agreed that the
Constitution protected the
Cherokees.
Indians Are Forced From Their Homeland
• President Jackson refused to enforce the
Court’s decision. In the Cherokee case, he
backed states’ rights.
• Congress passed the Indian Removal Act in
1830. It forced many Indians to move west of
the Mississippi.
• The United States Army drove more than
15,000 Cherokees westward. Thousands
perished during the march. The long, sad
journey west became known as the Trail of
Tears.
Native Americans Are Forced From Their Homeland
Chapter 12, Section 3
• In Florida, the Seminole Indians resisted
removal. From 1817 to 1818, they fought
the United States Army in a conflict known
as the first Seminole War.
• The second Seminole War lasted from 1835
to 1842.
• The third Seminole War ended in 1858. The
Seminoles were finally defeated. The
federal government forced most Seminoles
to leave Florida.
Martin Van Buren & Economic Crisis
Chapter 12, Section 3
• Martin Van Buren faced the worst economic crisis
the nation had known—the Panic of 1837.
• The federal government sold off millions of acres
of land in the West.
• Americans borrowed money from state banks to
buy up the land. To make the loans, state banks
printed a lot of paper money.
• To slow down the wild buying, Jackson ordered
that anyone buying public land had to pay with
gold or silver.
Martin Van Buren and Hard Times
• Buyers rushed to the banks to exchange paper
money for gold and silver, but many banks did
not have enough and had to close down.
• The panic became worse when cotton prices fell.
• Farmers had borrowed money to plant crops.
When prices fell, they could not repay their
loans. As a result, more banks failed.
• The nation plunged into an economic
depression, a period when business declines
and many people lose their jobs. Many people
blamed Van Buren. #6
Panic of 1837 (Shorter version)
• People borrowed lots of money from state
banks to buy land.
• Banks made too many loans & printed too
much money.
• Jackson said land had to be bought with
gold or silver.
• Not enough gold or silver in banks to back
up money. BANKS FAILED!! EPIC FAIL! #2
• Ok, so that wasn’t very short.
The Campaign of 1840
Chapter 12, Section 3
The Democrats and Martin Van Buren vs. the Whigs
and William Henry Harrison
• Harrison presented himself as a common man & war
hero. #4
• Both parties held rallies, banquets, and
entertainment.
• Both parties engaged in mudslinging, or the use of
insults to attack an opponent’s reputation.
• In the campaign, both parties used name-calling,
half-truths, and lies.
Harrison won the election. However, soon after taking
office, he died of pneumonia. John Tyler became
President.
Section 3 Assessment
Chapter 12, Section 3
When Congress passed a high tariff that hurt southerners, John C. Calhoun of
South Carolina said that
a) southerners would be glad to pay the tariff if it would keep the nation
together.
b) a state had a right to nullify a federal law that the state considered
unconstitutional.
c) the army should be called out to enforce the tariff.
d) our Federal Union must be preserved.
Shortly after Martin Van Buren became President, the nation faced a severe
economic depression. One cause of the depression was that
a) thousands of people had broken into warehouses to steal food.
b) many banks failed when cotton prices fell and cotton planters could not
repay their bank loans.
c) speculators could not get any more paper money and stopped buying land.
d) Van Buren tried to set up a more stable banking system.
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Section 3 Assessment
Chapter 12, Section 3
When Congress passed a high tariff that hurt southerners, John C. Calhoun of
South Carolina said that
a) southerners would be glad to pay the tariff if it would keep the nation
together.
b) a state had a right to nullify a federal law that the state considered
unconstitutional.
c) the army should be called out to enforce the tariff.
d) our Federal Union must be preserved.
Shortly after Martin Van Buren became President, the nation faced a severe
economic depression. One cause of the depression was that
a) thousands of people had broken into warehouses to steal food.
b) many banks failed when cotton prices fell and cotton planters could not
repay their bank loans.
c) speculators could not get any more paper money and stopped buying land.
d) Van Buren tried to set up a more stable banking system.
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