Andrew Jackson and the Presidency

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Andrew Jackson and the Presidency

• Mr. Chris Sandford
• AP American History

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• Jackson is elected President in 1828
• He defeated John Quincy Adams by with over 55 of
  the vote.
• Major Support West, South, Immigrants, Small
  Bus. Owners.

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• Jackson opposed members of Congress that he said
  looked out only for special interests.
• He opposed Marshall, to powerful.
• He was in favor of states rights and will of
  people democracy.
• He named advisors from all over the country,
  kitchen cabinet.

• He favored laissez-faire policies.
• He wanted to move the country back toward the
  simplicity of Jefferson.

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Jacksonian Democracy

• During the colonial and federal period, the power
  rested in a few, Jackson tried to change that.
• The Kitchen Cabinet
• He paid little attention to cabinet
  politicians.
• Only there for themselves
• He relied on friends around the country who were
  closer to the people.

• Supported Rotation in Office
• Democracy would be better if people served only
  for a short period of time.
• In reality he changed less then 10 of the
  federal employees. HYPE!

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• He pushed to extended voting rights to more
  white people.
• He advocated throwing out the property
  requirements within the states.

• Jackson supported an amendment for popular
  election of Senators.
• Pushed to have presidential electors chosen by
  popular vote rather then by state legislatures.
• All was not so rosy as we will see later on.

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Some of Jacksons Policies

• Jackson tried to fill Western Lands by selling it
  cheaply. Alienated Big Business because was
  losing work force.
• Led to Webster-Hayne Debates, one of the most
  famous in US History.
• Refused to allow anti-slavery literature to be
  sent through the mail.

• He ignored the Supreme Court and forced the
  Cherokee Tribes to be moved to the west of the
  Mississippi River.
• Jackson owned slaves and advocated for the
  extension of it.

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Veto of Maysville Road

• Henry Clay was VP.
• Remember the election of 1824. What happened?
• Clay pushed for the construction of Maysville
  Road in Kentucky.
• Clay Pet Project
• Jackson Why build a road to only help out a few
  states?

• This move ended any cordialness between
  President and VP.
• Alienated many of Jacksons Western Supporters.

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The Nullification Crisis

• Jackson wanted to the eliminate the federal debt.
• Jacksons View
• Tariff for short term to pay off debt, but it
  would be repealed after the debt is paid off.
• Debate Use of Tariffs to pay off the debt?
• North supported the Tariffs protected
  merchants.
• South opposed the Tariffs higher prices on
  equipment and loss of profits.

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• Southerners, mainly South Carolina, argued the
  nation could not force a tariff on states that
  did not want it.
• If the gov. could place Tariffs on states, what
  could an anti-slavery president do?
• VP Calhoun, publishes a document that states
  nullification is allowed under the Constitution.

• NULLIFICATION
• States had the power over the Constitutionality
  of laws, not supreme court. If one state said a
  law is unconstitutional, then Congress must
  repeal the law. The federal government would need
  to amend the Constitution.

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• Daniel Webster, Senator from Mass., argues that
  nullification is the same as treason.
• Senator Haynes, Senator from SC, pushes for the
  West to join the fight with SC.

• Most of Congress speaks out against
  nullification.
• Jackson, seeing the power play by VP Calhoun,
  fires most of his supporters within the
  government.
• Congress passes Tariff of 1832.
• Calhoun resigns from office and gets appointed to
  the US Senate from SC.

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• President Jackson sends warships to Charleston
  Harbor and threatens to hang Calhoun for treason.
• SC calls a state convention and declares the
  Tariff of 1832 invalid and refuses to collect it.
• Congress introduces a force bill to force SC to
  pay with force.
• Henry Clay offers compromise Tariffs would be
  reduced over a period of nine years.

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The National Bank Veto

• Jackson opposed the National Bank. He argued that
  it put way to much power into the hands of a few
  people.
• The First National Bank, was up for renewal, in
  1836.

• Henry Clay and Nicholas Biddle (Pres. of bank)
  worked to get the bank renewed, a few years early
  campaign issue.
• Jackson Vetos the bill.
• Clay Jacksons irresponsibility.
• Jackson won re-election and stopped funding the
  bank.