The Age of Jackson

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The Age of Jackson
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The Age of Jackson

• Purpose to gain an understanding of the distinct
  economic and social development of the North and
  West as opposed to the South
• Also to gain an understanding of the evolution
  of U.S. federal politics after the Era of Good
  Feelings had ended.
• Timeframe 1800-1860, with a focus on the 1820s
  to 1840s

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. The Missouri Compromise

• Considerable economic distinction betwen North
  and South since colonial times.
• After revolution, distinction into slave and
  non-slave states.
• Louisiana Purchase
• Missouri applied for admission as a slave state
  in 1819.
• Missouri Compromise of 1820

The Missouri Compromise
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Commercial Farming

• Between 1820-60, the area now known as the
  mid-West saw rapid settlement.
• In accordance to the Jeffersonian ideal, most
  settlers engaged in farming.
• However, farmers increasingly shifted from
  subsistence farming to cash crops, most
  importantly wheat.
• As farmers worked towards a cash income, they
  became part of of the growing market economy.
• Commercial farmers typically owned their land and
  took pride in an independent lifestyle.
• In order to buy equipment and seed, they borrowed
  money against the next harvest.

Population Density, 1820-1860
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The Transport Revolution Canals

• With the mid-West growing into the breadbasket of
  the Northeast, the two regions grew physically
  closer.
• Originally, transport routes west of the
  Appalachians (waterways) ran west and south.
• However, agricultural produce was needed in the
  more densely settled, more urban Northeast.
• To connect existing waterways, canals were built,
  providing a more complete transport network.
  Roads also provided limited transport capability.

Canals and Roads, 1820-1850
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The Transport Revolution Railroads

• Starting in the 1830s and booming after 1850,
  railroads provided efficient transport
  independent of waterways.
• Such projects required large amounts of capital,
  involving state governments, foreign and domestic
  investors.
• Roads, canals, and railroads integrated area
  north of the Ohio
• Infrastructure improvement and urbanization
  concentrated in North and West.

The Growth of the Railroads, 1850-1860
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Farmers and Finished Goods

• Commercial farming was directly tied to
  technological innovations, such as steel plows or
  the McCormick reaper.
• Farmers invested money in advanced tools.
• As the orientation towards a cash income
  increased, farmers also bought ready-made
  clothes, shoes and other goods.
• Therefore, commercial farming was tied to the
  other key factor of the market economy
  manufacture.

Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the first successful
mechanical reaper
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The Rise of Manufacture

• With the War of 1812, Northeast shifts
  increasingly to manufacturing.
• Tariffs protected domestic manufacture.
• The American System of Manufacturing
  revolutionized production.
• Eli Whitney in 1798.
• Precision-crafted, interchangeable parts made the
  production of guns, but also locks, watches, etc.
  much easier and faster.

Eli Whitney, inventor of the American System of
Manufacturing and the cotton gin
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New England Textile Industry

• Textile production was the most industrialized
  segment of the economy before the Civil War.
• Concentrated in New England, massive looms were
  at first powered by water, later by steam.
• Textile mills concentrated all production steps
  under one roof.
• Production was efficient, the resulting clothing
  was cheap.
• The most important example of early NE textile
  mills were the mills in Waltham and Lowell, Mass.

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The Role of Immigration

• Between 1820 and 1860, 5 million immigrants
  arrived in the United States, more than the
  entire population in 1790.
• Immigrants became an integral part of the
  Northern economy, settling land and providing
  labor for manufacture.
• The two most significant groups were Irish and
  Germans.
• Immigration was largely concentrated in the
  Northeast and the Midwest.

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German Immigrants

• German immigrants were a very diverse group, from
  many German states and including many German
  Jews.
• They left for economic and political reasons.
• German immigrants were, on the whole, more
  skilled and came with more capital.
• Many Germans took to farming in the Midwest, many
  also settled in cities as craftsmen.
• Germans were often regarded as clannish and
  ethnocentric.

Carl Schurz (1829-1906), Civil War general and
prominent German-American politician
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Irish Immigrants

• Irish immigrants came to the U.S. primarily out
  of economic reasons.
• Most could not afford to buy land and stayed in
  the Northeastern cities.
• Irish immigrants provided the labor force for
  canals and other infrastructure projects, as well
  as industrial labor.
• Irish faced heavy discrimination, esp.
  anti-Catholicism.

An 1844 anti-Catholic and anti-Irish cartoon
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The Background of Federal Politics

• By 1824, most revolutionary leaders were dead or
  retired.
• The demise of the Federalists had left only one
  party, the Republicans.
• Various treaties, the Monroe Doctrine, and
  British support protected the U.S. from foreign
  threats.
• The U.S. acquired no new territory between
  1820-1845. The Missouri Compromise prevented
  potential fights over slavery in the territories.
• Property requirements for voting gradually
  ceased the era saw the de facto introduction of
  universal white male suffrage.
• Federal politics therefore centered around
  domestic, economic issues and the personalities
  of political leaders in an increasingly
  democratic political culture and society.

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The Election of 1824

• During the second term of James Monroe, the fight
  for succession displayed great rifts in the
  Republican party.
• Three members of Monroes cabinet showed
  presidential ambition John Quincy Adams (state),
  William Crawford (treasury), and John C. Calhoun
  (war).
• Also entering the race were Henry Clay (speaker
  of the House) and Andrew Jackson (western war
  hero).
• Jackson received most votes, but no absolute
  majority. Therefore, Congress elected the
  president.
• In the congressional vote, Clay sided with Adams,
  who became president.
• Jackson felt cheated and became opposition leader.

Election results, 1824
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The John Quincy Adams Presidency

• The election of 1824 shattered Republican unity.
• As president Adams tried to implement Clays
  American System under which high import tariffs
  would generate federal revenue which then would
  be used for internal improvements in
  infrastructure.
• Jackson spent the years between 1824 and 28
  organizing his followers into a new party the
  Democrats.
• Democrats included Jacksons stronghold in the
  West, Calhouns constituency in South Carolina,
  Martin VanBurens New York constituency, many
  urban immigrants and many Western farmers who
  admired Jacksons anti-Indian stance.

John Quincy Adams
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John Quincy Adams

• One of the ablest men, hardest workers, and
  finest intellectuals ever in the White House.
• Tried to promote not only manufacturing and
  agriculture, but also the arts, literature, and
  science.
• But he lacked the common touch and refused to
  play the game of politics.
• Most found him cold and tactless.
• Could not build any popular support for his
  programs.

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Election of 1828

• Jackson wins by a comfortable margin.
• Electoral vote 178 to 83
• The election of Andrew Jackson signaled a new era
  in American History.
• The maturing republic now included 24 states and
  13 million people.
• Many of these people were on the move during the
  19th century, heading West.

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The Andrew Jackson Presidency

• Democrats won 1828 in a landslide.
• Andrew Jackson dominated U.S. politics between
  1828 and 1836.
• One of the strongest presidents in US history, he
  successfully managed to consolidate the disparate
  factions of his power base, turning the Democrats
  into a national majority party.
• Adopting an earthy, common-people style he
  portrayed himself as a democratic Washington and
  the standard-bearer of Jeffersons agrarian ideal.

Andrew Jackson
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Jacksonin Office

• President of the People Inauguration
• Jacksons character
• Jackson was the first president from west of the
  Appalachians. He was a man of action, and though
  he had a quick mind, he had little use for
  learning.
• His troops named him Old Hickory out of respect
  for his toughness, but that strength sometimes
  became arrogance, and he could be vindictive and
  a bully. He was not a man to provoke, and indeed
  had a reputation for fighting and dueling.
• Jackson was a shrewd politician. He knew how to
  manipulate men and could be affable or abusive as
  the occasion demanded. He also displayed a keen
  sense of public opinion, reading the shifting
  national mood better than any of his
  contemporaries.

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Jackson in Office

• The Spoils system
• Rotation in federal office holders.
• Introduced as a way of rewarding political
  supporters.
• Political rivalry between Martin Van Buren and
  John C. Calhoun
• Peggy Eaton Affair
• Jackson is drawn closer to Martin Van Buren
• Racial Prejudice in the Jacksonian Era
• Attitude toward blacks
• Planter who owned nearly 100 slaves
• Attorney General Robert Taney
• Blacks were a separate and degraded people.

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Jackson American Indians

• Indian Removal Act of 1830
• Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole
• Trail of Tears (1838)
• Thousand-mile trip
• 12,000 Cherokees
• Only 8,000 reached Oklahoma

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Indian Removal

• Championing the interests of Western farmers,
  Jackson supported plans to remove all Indians to
  present-day Oklahoma.
• Indian Removal Act, 1830
• Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831), Worcester v.
  Georgia (1832)
• Forced removal of the Five Civilized Tribes
  1831-38 Cherokee Trail of Tears

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The Nullification Crisis

• Despite Jacksons low-tariff tendencies, Northern
  and Western Democrats passed high protective
  tariffs in 1828 and 1832.
• John C. Calhoun, Jacksons vice-president from
  South Carolina criticized this tariff as the
  Tariff of Abominations because it was against
  Southern interests.
• Calhoun claimed the right of Nullification
  declaring a law unconstitutional for the
  states. South Carolina nullified the tariff in
  1832. There was even talk of secession.
• Jackson, despite some sympathies for state
  rights, threatened to dispatch federal troops to
  South Carolina. Congress supported this option
  through the Force Bill.
• Conflict was averted through a Compromise Tariff
  engineered by Henry Clay in 1833 which gradually
  lowered the tariff.

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The Nullification Crisis

• Compromise of 1833
• Tariffs were gradually lowered.
• South Carolina dropped nullification.
• South lost its dominance to North and West.
• The controversy convinced many southerners that
  they were becoming a permanent minority.
• As that feeling of isolation grew, it was not
  nullification but the threat of secession that
  ultimately became the Souths primary weapon.

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The War on the Bank

• Due to a rampant distrust of central monetary
  power, Jackson vetoed the re-charter of the 2nd
  Bank of the U.S. in 1832.
• Henry Clay and Nicholas Biddle lobbied
  desperately, claiming the need for prudent,
  stable banking.
• By 1836 the Bank was defunct.
• Lack of proper regulation led to chaotic credit
  and Panic of 1837.

Andrew Jackson, fighting against the hydra of
the 2nd bank of the US and Nicholas Biddle
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The Whig Opposition

• Between 1828 and 1836, the opponents of Jackson
  organized into a full-scale political party the
  Whigs.
• Important constituencies included Henry Clays
  supporters, Calhouns pro-nullification South
  Carolinians, and various groups opposed to
  Democratic policies and leaders.

Henry Clay campaign poster
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Whigs and Democrats Compared

• Whigs
• Leaders Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C.
  Calhoun (after 1833).
• Regional Strength North
• Voters monied elite, native-born middle-class
  nativists and reformers, merchants,
  manufacturers, highly commercial farmers.
• Policies American System, central banking,
  government regulation.

• Democrats
• Leaders Andrew Jackson, Martin van Buren
• Regional Strength South and West
• Voters small Southern and Western farmers,
  immigrants, those fearing concentrated banks and
  commercial power.
• Policies Laissez-faire economics, anti-bank,
  Indian removal, states rights, agrarian
  expansion.

Things in Common nation-wide presence, weak
doctrine, domestic focus, centered around
strong-willed leaders, appeal to the common
man, democratic.
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Elections after Jackson

• By 1836, Whigs and Democrats campaign vigorously
  for votes.
• Voter turnouts up to 80 percent.
• 1836 Jacksons hand-picked successor, Martin van
  Buren wins.
• Van Burens presidency crippled by Panic of 1837.
• In 1840, Whig war hero of 1812 John Harrison
  wins, but dies after one month in office.

William Harrison campaign poster
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Election of 1828Age of the Common Man?

• Democratization
• The ending of property qualifications had greatly
  increased the number of men qualified to vote.
• 4 times as many men voted in 1828 than in 1824
• Individuals should have an equal opportunity to
  better themselves and should be granted political
  rights and privileges.
• All adult white males could vote (no blacks,
  women, Indians). Jackson did not stress social
  equality. Wanted everyone to have an opportunity
  to succeed or fail. Not equality of results.

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Election of 1828Acceptance of Parties

• Professional politicians
• Politics no longer just for the wealthy.
• Enough jobs in government to support full-time
  careers in politics.
• Politics became mass entertainment
• Campaign hoopla frequently overshadowed issues.
• Parades, massive rallies, and barbecues were used
  to stir voters, and providing free alcohol became
  an almost universal campaign tactic.
• The election marked the beginning of politics as
  Americans have practiced it ever since, with two
  disciplined national parties actively competing
  for votes, emphasizing personalities over issues.

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JacksonLeaves Office

• Accomplishments
• Enlarged the power of the presidency
• The President is the direct representative of
  the American people only responsible to the
  people, not Congress.
• Converted the veto into an effective presidential
  power.
• The veto would help presidents shape legislation
  in Congress.
• Political parties seen as a positive good

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JacksonLeaves Office

• Failures
• Growing social stratification
• Gap between rich and poor visibly widened
• Jacksons financial policies and lack of a
  national bank helped lead to the Panic of 1837,
  which was a serious depression that lasted until
  1843.

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Van Buren

• V.P. Martin Van Buren wins in 1836
• Panic of 1837
• Blamed on the Democrats
• Van Ruins Depression
• Election of 1840 Log Cabin and Hard Cider
• William Henry Harrison (Whig)
• Tippecanoe and Tyler too
• Van! Van! Is a Used-up Man!
• The Whigs Triumph

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The Whigs Triumph (Second Party System)
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Significant Events
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? 1824 Jackson finishes first in presidential race
? 1825 House elects John Quincy Adams president
? 1827 Cherokee adopt written constitution
? 1828 Tariff of Abominations Jackson elected
? 1830 Webster-Hayne debates
? 1830-1838 Indian removal
? 1832 Jacksons Proclamation on Nullification
? 1833 Jackson removes deposits from Bank of US
? 1834 Whig Party organized
? 1838 Trail of Tears
? 1840 Harrison elected president
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Conclusion

• Between 1800 and 1860, the Northeast and Midwest
  of the United states grew into an integrated,
  specialized, and expanding market economy.
• Commercial farming, growing industrialization,
  improved infrastructure, increasing urbanization,
  and massive immigration all were facets of this
  burgeoning Northern economy.
• Between 1824 and 1840, the American political
  system changed radically. High voter turnouts and
  universal white male suffrage created a new,
  participatory democracy.
• The one-party system of Jeffersonian Republicans
  split up into Democrats and Whigs, dominated by
  strong political personalities.

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Thesis Drill

• Analyze the extent to which TWO of the following
  influenced the development of democracy between
  1820 and 1840. (1996)
• Jacksonian economic policy
• Changes in electoral politics
• Second Great Awakening
• Westward movement