US1H - Unit 9

Corrupt Bargain

Election of 1824 went to house, and Clay was the speaker, tried to support JQA, and he won. Pissed Jackson off.

Cumberland Road Project

JQA created National Road, pissed southerners off because it mainly benefited North.

Tariff of 1824

Hurt the south and its trade.

Tariff of Abominations (1828)

JQA wanted to place protective tariffs to help economy, however, the South wouldn’t get behind it. Therefore, he went from district to district asking people what they wanted in the tariff to get passed, and the result was it had so many protections that it wrecked southern economy.

SC Exposition & Protest

Written “anonymously” by Calhoun, he stated that the tariffs were unconsitutional and each state should have the right to nullify any law it deemed unconsitutional. Context for the nullification crisis.

Election of 1828

After JQA blew it up, Jackson won easily.

Age of Jackson, Age of the “Common Man”

Jackson represented the common man, and had built himself up from the ground. He opposed the elite, and tried to fight the bank because he believed in favored the wealthy.

King Caucus

Under Jackson, the old caucus system was gone, and now candidates would be nominated, where the people chose delegates who would then choose a candidate. Gave ordinary people a voice.

American Tract Society

Started using steam engines for printing, which allowed political info to spread rapidly. Allowed more to get involved with politics.

Kitchen Cabinet

Jackson’s informal group of advisors and friends during his presidency not apart of his cabinet. He preferred advice from them rather than political elites.

Spoils System

Jackson removed a lot of federal worked, and replaced them with his own loyal supporters, even if they weren’t as qualified. Critics called it unconstitutional, but Jackson said it was necessary to ruling class from taking over.

Why was Land Reform a Sectionalist issue?

North: Needed workers, but cheap land would allow worked to leave.

South: Wanted Congress to be balanced in the slavery issue, but more land West with individual farmers may sway this.

West: Wanted more land to grow population and economy, and as more states were admitted, more power in congress.

Webster - Hayne Debates

Debate between Daniel Webster (MA) and Robert Hayne (South). Started off questioning land reform, but soon turned to the topic of nullification. Webster urged for national unity and a strong federal government, and Hayne argued for the necessity of state rights. Webster’s “Second Reply to Hayne” is very famous, and accuses southerners of treason. Eventually, squatters get to buy land on survey. Starts nullification crisis.

Jefferson Dinner

Nullifiers plan to link Jefferson to Nullification. 24 toasts are given, and Jackson eventually stands up and says “Federal union must be preserved”. Calhoun responds with “The union, next to our liberty, most dear”. Opens rife between VP and P.

Maysville Road Bill

Opposes internal improvement. Clay had convinced congress to make new roads for bummy kentucky, yet Jackson opposed. Says it is beyond what framers gave.

Indian Removal Act

In 1828, GA declared Cherokee laws null and void. The Act moves them West of the Mississippi.

Cherokee vs. GA

The Case is thrown because they are not foreign nation.

Worcester vs. GA

Marshall rules that they were a distinct state, and that GA laws didn’t apply, and GA had interfered between federal government and Cherokee.

Corntassle

He is accused of murdering another Cherokee, and GA arrests, tries, and convicts. Marshall says you can’t do that, however, Jackson responds by saying “Marshall has made the decision, let him enforce it”. Therefore, Corntassle is impeached, and Jackson technically could’ve been impeached, but nobody did anything because they agreed with him. Shows his support for state rights.

Trail of Tears

15k Cherokee moved to Oklahoma. 4k died, and they were made to shoot their own who resisted.

Rachel Donaldson

Jackson’s wife who he married, however, was questioned because her husband who was an alcholic and a madman never actually got a divorce despite leaving her. Basically she comitted adultury, and eventually, the rumors spread about her cause her to die from the emotional toll.

Peggy Eaton Affair

Jackson’s cabinet begins supporting Calhoun, and then, John Eaton, one of Jackson’s Cabinet, fell in love w/ Peggy Timberlake, who’s husband apparently died at sea. However, her husband’s death is questionable, and Eaton is not invited to cabinet parties with wives. Becomes a huge scandal, and Jackson naturally defends Eaton. However, he can’t get rid of his cabinet because it’s a bad look, so Van Buren, Sec. of State, resigns, and everyone else leaves with him.

Result of Peggy Eaton

Isolates Calhoun, and boosts Van Buren’s position.

1832 Tariff Changes

Congress lowers tariffs, but not enough for SC. They argue that it is unconstitutional.

Tyranny of the Majority

The majority takes hold in Congress, makes stuff to detriment the majority.

Order of Nullification

SC declares tariffs to be null/void, and after Feb. 1st, no longer enforced. Gives Congress 1 Month to fix it.

Proclamation of SC

Jackson sends troops to Charleston and the border of NC to enforce it. Says that nullification leads to disunion and will use force. SC says he can’t do it, he says that it is treason and can be punished.

Force Bill

Asks congress for permission to use force on SC.

Conclusion to SC nullficiation

Hane, who is governor of SC, appoints recently resigned Calhoun to Senate, and w/ Henry Clay they reduce the tariff and SC no longer threatens to suceed. Jackson wins, and nullification question still not answered.

Bank War

Clay knows Jackson hates bank, which expires in 1836. Clay brings it up in the election of 1832, with Bittle, but is shot down. J

Thomas Benton

Argued in favor of squatters rights and western expansion.

Samuel Foote

Was against squatters rights, said that federal land was getting sold too quickly.

Robert Hayne

Said it was an abuse of federal power to cut off land sales, and this would only benefit East, plus the gov. had surplus land so it didn’t need high price.

“Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseperable”

Ending to Webster’s Second Reply to Hayne.

Maysville Road Bill

Proposal by Kentucky to fix their roads, but was vetoed by Jackson because it was not interstate, it was intrastate, and Jackson said federal funds could only be used to fund interstate commerce.

Indian Removal Act 1830

Allowed for Indians to be moved from east to west of the Mississippi.

Why move the natives at all?

The natives sat on prime cotton land during a period of King Cotton, so southerners wanted them off the land so they could use it for farming.

Cherokee vs Georgia 1831

Georgia had passed laws that stripped the Cherokee of their rights, saying their laws were null/void and that they weren’t soverign. They went to the Supreme Court for original jurisdiction (since they were foreign nation), but it was thrown out by Marshall because he said they weren’t a foreign nation and therefore didn’t have original jurisdiction.

Worcester vs. GA 1832

Samuel Worcester was a white missionary living in Cherokee lands. Georgia laws said any white person on native lands needed a liscense, he refused, and so was arrested. Marshall decides that Georgia has no right to enforce their laws because it was seperate from the states. However, Georgia and Jackson refused the ruling.

“John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it”

Jackson’s response to Marshall’s decision in Worcester vs. Georgia.

Ordance of Nullification

SC declared the tariffs null/void with this, and argued that they had the power to nullify and that the tariffs were unconstitutional. Furthermore, they declared they would sucede if the Fed. gov used force.

Proclamation to the People of SC

Rejected nullification, saying it would divide the union. Tried to appeal and urge the people of SC to reconsider their action, and said no state could unilateraly leave the union.

“The laws of the United States must be executed. I have no discretionary power on the subject; my duty is emphatically pronounced in the Constitution”

Jackson in Proclamation to the people of SC.

Nicolas Biddle

President of the Bank. Nicknamed “Tsar Nicolas” by Jackson who believed he held too much power in the country’s economy, and he was calling in more money from the public than necessary, and then putting and flooding it back in.

Why was the bank an issue in 1832?

Since 1832 was an election year, Henry Clay wanted to bring it up to become relevant to run for president. He proposed a renewal, expecting to get vetoed, in order to cause controversy. However, Jackson gave such a clear and strong response to the bank, people aren’t so sure about the bank, and it hurts Clay.

“The Bank is trying to kill me, I will kill it!”

Jackson’s view of the bank.

Roger B. Taney

He was the Sec. of Treasury. Instructed to put money from National Bank into state Pet Banks. In order to do that, he had to call in hella loans, which angered Biddle. So, Biddle in an attempt to preserve the National Bank, called in all of his loans and tightened the credit. Biddle called in more than needed, and the result was when Jackson tried to withdraw funds into Pet Banks, who lent out hella, it caused insane inflation, and now land owners sat on their lands hoping to sell high.

Distribution Act of 1836

Was Jackson’s way of putting surplus funds into states for internal improvements rather than keep them in Pet Banks.

Specie Circular

Executive order from Jackson which made it so you could only buy land using gold and silver. Meant to regulate land speculation and inflation. However, since many people didn’t have gold or silver, they went in to trade their banknotes for it, but the Banks didn’t have enough gold and silver, which lead to bank failure and the economy crumbling.

Panic of 1837

Result of Specie Circular, failure to renew National Bank, and inflation which made people hold onto land expecting increasing prices.

The Whigs

A party who opposed Jackson made up of large plantation owners, buisnessmen, elites, and other people who didn’t like Jackson.

King Andrew

A play on words based off King Charles, since the Whigs were the people who opposed Charles in England, and they believed Jackson was acting like a monarch.

Election of 1836

Jackson finishes 2 terms, Van Buren is up and wins over the Whigs. Van Buren had already proved his worth when he stepped down for Jackson.

Favorite Son strategy

Trying to run against Van Buren, the Whigs offer up regional candidates in hopes to win by plurarity in the House since they know they don’t have the popular vote. They use Daniel Webster in the Northeast and Clay in Kentucky to try, but they ultimatly fail.

Van Buren’s Presidency

Many are unemployed, 1/3 of factories close, but no protests because people didn’t blame these faults on the government. Under Jackson’s presidency, there had been a surplus of money, and the Whigs wanted that money to go to the states, but Van Buren refused.

Divorce Bill

Led to the Independant Treasury System. Van Buren felt that Jackson’s pet banks were lending out too much money, and blamed the Panic of 1837 on land speculation and easy credit. So, he wanted to “divorce” the federal government from private banking and take funds out of them to let them grow on their own.

Independant Treasury System (Treasury Act of 1840)

Withdrew federal money from private banks and put them into vaults. Money couldn’t be lent to the public, and all federal payments and collections were to be made in gold or silver. Meant to prevent another financial crisis caused by bad banking.

Why does the Credit Crisis ease?

Came as a result of the Independant Treasure System, with banks being more careful with lending practices. Additionally, British stabalized their own financial system, which resumed trade.

Caroline Affair

Border between US and Canada, Canadian began to revolt against some Britsh forces stationed there, and US citizen began crossing border to help them. Due to escalating tensions, Canadian Loyalists burnt a US ship “Caroline” and sent that jon down the falls. Later, a drunk Canadian claims to have helped destroy the ship and kill Americans, so he is arrested and charged for murder in US courts. Britain says they will go to war over this, and eventually things ease. Many start supporting Whigs after this.

Election of 1840

Van Buren is criticized by Whigs for the Panic of 1837, called “Van Ruin”, blamed for buisness and unemployment failures. Whigs try to “out Jackson” Jackson, using WHH who is a common man war hero, which brought in Western votes. John Tyler as VP brought in votes from South.

“Tippacanoe and Tyler Too”

Slogan used by Whigs in 1840 election to promote Harrison.

Why Harrison?

Seen as a common man and war hero, “out Jackson” Jackson.

“Log Cabin and Hard Cider Campaign”

Whigs portrayed Harrison as someone who was born and raised in a log cabin, and they gave out hard cider at parades to appeal to frontiersmen and commoners.

“Van Buren was washed out of Washington on a wave of apple juice”

Refers to how Harrison defeated Van Buren with the image of being a regular person.

His ascendency / accidency

WHH dies shortly after he wins, and John Tyler take over as VP, but he wasn’t really ever meant to be pres.

John Tyler - “A man without a party”

After taking over as Pres, he had many similar ideas to democrats rather than Whigs. Clay was in the House and proposed a bill to remove treasury, which Tyler approved. However, since Tyler was a state’s righter, he rejected Clay’s National Bank. Then he also vetoed a bill for internal improvements, which pissed of the Whigs. Eventually his whole cabinet stepped down, and Clay tried banning him from Whigs. Once Webster steps down as Sec. of State, Calhoun comes back.

Distribution Act 1841

A bill which allowed proceed from Federal Gov. to be distrubuted to states. Similar to Jackson’s earlier bill.

Pre-emption Act of 1841

Allowed settlers (squatters) to buy land before it went to auction.

Tariff of 1841

Whigs wanted a protective tariff and revenue distributiong; vetoed by Tyler.

Tariff of 1842

A revised tariff that removed the distribution clause set by the 1841 Tariff bill, and Tyler passes this one.