Essential Question:

1

• Essential Question
• How did America progress towards greater
  democracy between 1800 1840?
• Essential Question
• Examine Alexis de Tocquevilles journey through
  America in the 1830s read excerpts from his
  observations. What did this French visitor
  observe about U.S. society govt in the 1830s?

2
Alexis de Tocqueville
3
The Growth of White Men's Democracy
4
The Growth of Democracy
Less than 50 of white men could vote

• From 1824 to 1840, democracy was extended to more
  Americans
• Before 1800, most states limited the right to
  vote exclusively to property owners taxpayers
• By 1840, these restrictions were removed for most
  white men
• Nowhere else in the world was the right to vote
  as widespread as in the USA

This increase in democracy was a major shift
from the virtuous republic envisioned by
Jefferson Hamilton
90 of white men could vote
5
The Growth of Democracy
There was a growing of Americans who owned no
land
White males were seen as equal before the law
in voting

• By the 1830s, a democracy of commoners became
  more accepted than a republic of natural
  aristocrats
• Positions of power became attainable for
  self-made men
• Americans valued equal opportunities among white
  men, but not necessarily equality

Rising industrialization led to a population of
low-paid laborers
Decreased requirements in the licensed professions
Division between commercial farmers yeoman
farmers
No clear domestic servant class
6
Before 1800, most states limited the right to
vote exclusively to property owners taxpayers
Quick Class Discussion Why did this
unprecedented growth in democracy occur?
The Simple Answer Westward expansion led to an
increase in democracy
7
Westward expansion led to increased suffrage for
common men in the new states who did not
qualify in the older states
Jeffersons vision of republicanism did not
apply in the West because there were no virtuous
elite to rule for the people
By 1840, more than 90 of all adult white men
could vote (universal white male suffrage)
As more western states extended democracy to
common men, political parties in eastern states
felt pressure to do the same
Butthis extension of suffrage did not include
African-Americans or women
8
Universal Manhood Suffrage

• Political parties developed new types of
  politicking in order to reach new voters
• In the 1820s, politicians began using campaigns,
  parades, slogans to appeal to the masses
• Well-organized, statewide political machines
  developed
• Party loyalty became expected
• Partisan newspapers boomed

9
Universal Manhood Suffrage
Partisan newspapers played an important role in
early American politics
Could mob rule really work in America?
10
Universal Manhood Suffrage

• The 1830s 1840s experienced
• Massive voter turnout due to the growth of
  suffrage increased organization of political
  parties
• Direct methods of selecting presidential
  electors, county officials, state judges,
  governors (replaced indirect methods by state
  legislatures)

11
What is voter turnout like today?
12
Democratic Culture

• In the 1830s, high literacy cheap printing
  allowed artists writers to work for a mass
  audience
• Popular genres include romanticism, gothic
  horror, landscape paintings
• Authors included Wadsworth, Emerson, Melville,
  Hawthorne, Whitman, Poe showed human nature,
  morality, romanticism

13
Kindred Spirits, by Asher Durand
14
PoliticsThe Elections of 1824 1828John
Quincy Adams video
15
The Election of 1824
Sec of State under Monroe
Sec of Treasury under Monroe

• The election of 1824 was a 4-way race among
  Dem-Republicans
• John Quincy Adams represented New England
• William Crawford represented the South
• Henry Clay Andrew Jackson represented the West
• Jackson won the popular vote but not a majority
  of electoral votes

Not taken seriously at first but war hero
status made Jackson a natl candidate
Speaker of the House author of American System
16
But, because no one candidate received 51 of
the electoral votes, the House of Reps had to
determine the presidential winner
JQ Adams won NE
Adams won when Henry Clay threw his support
behind him
Led to charges that Adams had "bought" the
presidency (Corrupt Bargain!!)
Crawford won VA but few other Southern states
Clays influence was limited to a few western
states
Jackson did well in the South the West
17
J. Q. Adams' Administration

• Adams had a difficult presidency
• JQ Adams wanted to continue the nationalist
  programs of the Era of Good Feelings
• The depression of 1819 limited the nationalist
  agenda few of Adams policies became law
• A protective tariff was passed to help farmers
  industry, but this angered the South

One exception the National Road
18
Jackson Comes to Power

• Jacksonians prepared for the election of 1828
  by creating a well-organized, national campaign
• Jackson (TN) formed a coalition with Adams VP
  Calhoun (SC), Van Buren (NY), 2 newspaper
  editors (KY) to rival JQ Adams
• Formed the basis of 1st modern political party,
  calling themselves the Democrats

Democrats distinguished themselves as different
from the Nationalist Republicans who has
strayed from the Jeffersonian ideal
But, these Jacksonian Democrats are not going
to mirror the Jeffersonian Republicans
19
Jackson Comes to Power

• The election of 1828 changed American politics
• Showed the effectiveness of political parties in
  elections
• It was the 1st election with overt mudslinging
  propaganda
• Exciting appeals to average the man (public
  rallies barbeques)
• Jackson won the election as a common man of the
  people

Democrats presented Jackson as Old Hickory,
uneducated, a hero, a dueler a man of the people
Democrats painted Adams as an out-of-touch
aristocrat
Ms. Jackson is a bigamist Ms. Adams is a
bastard
20

• Who is Andrew Jackson?

Jacksons wild rowdy inauguration
21
Jackson Comes to Power

• Jackson was a popular candidate but it was not
  clear what type of president Jackson would be
• Jacksons supporters wanted states rights
  limited govt
• During the campaign, Jackson never clarified his
  stand on major issues banks, tariffs, etc.
• Only stood for Indian removal

22
Conclusions

• In the 1820s 1830s, America became more
  democratic
• Westward expansion facilitated the expansion of
  suffrage for common white men
• Led to unprecedented voter participation by
  citizens
• Allowed for a new breed of common man
  politicians to come to power

23

• Review Questions
• What did the term common man mean in the early
  19th century?
• In what ways were Presidents Washington, Adams,
  Jefferson, Madison, Monroe different from the
  common man?