Jacksonian Democracy

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Jacksonian Democracy
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Personality

• Old Hickory
• From Tennessee frontier
• Doer not thinker
• Invasion of Fla 1817
• Decisive
• Temper
• Hero romantic figure

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Election of 1824
Henry ClayKY
John Quincy AdamsMA
William H. CrawfordGA
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Results of the 1824 Election
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Election of 1828

• JQA v. Jackson
• Corrupt Bargain
• Jackson appears virtuous
• Mudslinging
• Jackson
• home wrecker
• murderer
• Adams
• pimp
• frivolous spender

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1828 Election Results
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Jacksonian Democracy

• Worth of the common man
• Equal opportunity to succeed
• Made it cool to be common
• Govt should not create special advantages
• States rights
• Strict interpretation of the Constitution
• Union was a permanent entity

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Jacksonian v. Jeffersonian Democracy

• After Jefferson All Dem-Rep Presidents
• Birth of Democratic Party
• Differences
• Education required for effective decision making
• Jefferson Yes Jackson No
• Jefferson OK to be a common man
• Jackson Glorified the common man (mediocrity was
  a virtue)
• Capable of uncommon things
• Rotation in Office

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King Andrew I

• Weak federal govt but a strong presidency
• Reshapes it
• Representative of the will of the American people
• Ignored Supreme Court and Congress
• Veto use
• Rules on constitutionality

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Spoils System

• Reward political supporters
• Remove JQAs guys
• To the victor goes the spoils
• Seen as democratic, but also allowed him to
  control Presidency
• Kitchen Cabinet

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Retrenchment and Reform

• Retrenchment (reduce expenses)
• Eliminate federal deficit
• Threat to liberty
• Done by 2nd term
• Reform
• Remove corruption from govt
• Kickbacks with government contracts
• They were a threat to democracy

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Crises

• Peggy Eaton Affair
• Nullification Crisis
• The National Bank War
• Indian Removal

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Peggy Eaton Affair

• John Eaton Sec of War
• Married Peggy Timberlake commoner
• Eatons excluded by Washington insiders
• John Calhoun (VP) his wife was worst
• Jackson will remove Calhoun in 1831

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Nullification Crisis

• South feels isolated
• Tariffs (1816, 1824, 1828)
• American System
• Rising opposition to slavery
• Tariff of 1832
• Ordinance of Nullification
• Clays Compromise Tariff of 1833
• Force Bill
• SC concedes

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Second National Bank

• First Bank expired 1811
• Second Bank chartered 1816
• 80 private investors some foreign
• Bank Pres - Nicholas Biddle
• Young, cultured, arrogant
• He and Jackson did not get along

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Bank War

• Election of 1832 Jackson v. Clay
• Bank recharter scheme
• Jackson Veto
• Bank of US is a monopoly
• Bank is unconstitutional
• Instrument of the wealthy
• Foreign owned
• The veto stands

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Election of 1832
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Destroy the National Bank

• Pet Banks
• pro-Jackson
• Two Secs. of Treasury refused
• Jackson appoints Roger B. Taney
• Senate censure - 1834
• Only time in history
• Violation of the Constitution and abuse of power
• Conflict of interest

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Downfall of Mother Bank
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Impact of Jacksons Economic Policy

• National Bank no longer regulates currency
• Land Speculation
• Borrow from wildcat banks
• Jackson discouraged by speculation
• Issues Specie Circular - 1836
• Land sales transactions must be completed in gold
  or silver
• Stopped speculation
• Land prices fall people lose everything
  (Foreclosures)
• Banks go under
• Leads to Panic of 1837

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Destruction of the National Bank

• Many historians argue..
• Jackson destroyed a vital financial institution
• Could have helped alleviate pressures from Panic
  of 1837
• It seemed like he reduced this issue to a
  personal vendetta rather than trying to
  understand the importance of this institution to
  society. He did not keep the best interests of
  the country in mind.

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Indian Removal Act

• Cotton Land South East
• Americans wanted it
• Treaties gave land to Native Americans
• Americans began encroaching
• What are his alternatives?

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Indian Removal Act

• Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi legislatures
  disbanded the treaties
• unconstitutional act - treaties were federal
  policies
• Indian Removal Act
• Some moved without issue
• Seminoles fought Second Seminole War
• Cherokees attempted to adopt European culture
• Challenged the legislation through the court
  system
• Cherokee Nation v. Georgia - 1831
• Worchester v. Georgia - 1832
• John Marshall has made his decision, now let him
  enforce it

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Cherokee Nation 1820s
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Indian Removal 1831-1838
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Costly Mistakes

• Lack of organization
• no monitoring of this operation
• Very few regulations established
• Inadequate funds
• Widespread disease, injuries and death
• Trail of Tears
• About 25 dont make it
• Black eye for America

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Trail of Tears