Chapter 10: Democracy in America

Jacksonian Democracy

A policy of spreading more political power to more people. It was a "Common Man" theme.

Tocqueville's Democracy in America

When Tocqueville came to America and wrote his observations in a popular novel

Henry Clay

Distinguished senator from Kentucky, who ran for president five times until his death in 1852. He was a strong supporter of the American System, a war hawk for the War of 1812, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and known as "The Great Compromiser." Outlined the Compromise of 1850 with five main points.

The American System

an economic regime pioneered by Henry Clay which created a high tariff to support internal improvements such as road-building. This approach was intended to allow the United States to grow and prosper by themselves This would eventually help America industrialize and become an economic power.

Tariff of 1816

This protective tariff helped American industry by raising the prices of British manufactured goods, which were often cheaper and of higher quality than those produced in the U.S.

Panic of 1819

Economic panic caused by extensive speculation and a decline of Europena demand for American goods along with mismanagement within the Second Bank of the United States. Often cited as the end of the Era of Good Feelings.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Maryland was trying to tax the national bank and Supreme Court ruled that federal law was stronger than the state law

Era of Good Feelings

A name for President Monroe's two terms, a period of strong nationalism, economic growth, and territorial expansion. Since the Federalist party dissolved after the War of 1812, there was only one political party and no partisan conflicts.

Missouri Compromise

"Compromise of 1820" over the issue of slavery in Missouri. It was decided Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine entered as a free state and all states North of the 36th parallel were free states and all South were slave states.

Monroe Doctrine

an American foreign policy opposing interference in the Western hemisphere from outside powers

National Republicans

supporters of a strong central government who favored road building and supported the Bank of the United States to shape the nation's economy; many were farmers or merchants

Democrats and Whigs

developed before the Civil War, based on disagreements about various issues such as slavery

Andrew Jackson

(1829-1833) and (1833-1837), Indian removal act, nullification crisis, Old Hickory," first southern/ western president," President for the common man," pet banks, spoils system, specie circular, trail of tears, Henry Clay Flectural Process.

Election of 1824

John Quincy Adams elected President on February 9, 1825, after the election was decided by the House of Representatives in what was termed the Corrupt Bargain.

Corrupt Bargain

Refers to the claim from the supporters of Andrew Jackson that John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay had worked out a deal to ensure that Adams was elected president by the House of Representatives in 1824.

Election of 1828 and 1832

Andrew Jackson
-Served 2 terms

Extension of Franchise

the broadening of the credentials to be able to vote, from certain white male land owners, to the majority of white males, regardless of land ownership

Spoils System

the practice of a successful political party giving public office to its supporters.

Conventions of 1832 and 1833

*meetings held by settlers in which they drafted resolutions which called for: immigration from the US, tax exemptions for settlers, establishment of primary schools, government protection from Native Texan raids, and for Texas to be an independent Mexican state.*

John C. Calhoun

In 1828, he lead the fight against protective tariffs which hurt the south economically. Created the doctrine of nullification which said that a state could decide if a law was constitutional. This situation became known as the Nullification Crisis.

Tariff of Abominations

A tariff enacted in 1828 that raised duties significantly on raw materials, textiles, and iron goods. Nw York senator Van Buren hoped to win the support of farmers in New York, Ohio, and Kentucky with the tariff, but it enraged the South, which had no industries that needed tariff protection and resented the higher cost of imported dutied goods,

Nullification

The doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state's opinion, violates the Constitution.

SC Exposition and Protest

A document written by John Calhoun that protested the Tariff of 1828 and threatened that SC would secede if it wasn't repealed.

Webster-Hayne Debate

Hayne first responded to Daniel Webster's argument of states' rights versus national power, with the idea of nullification. Webster then spent 2 full afternoons delivering his response which he concluded by saying that "Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable"

Compromise Tariff of 1833

A new tariff proposed by Henry Clay & John Calhoun that gradually lowered the tariff to the level of the tariff of 1816; avoided civil war & prolonged the union for another 30 years.

Force Act

1833 legislation, sparked by the nullification crisis in South Carolina, that authorized the president's use of the army to compel states to comply with federal law.

Indian Removal Act

(1830) a congressional act that authorized the removal of Native Americans who lived east of the Mississippi River

Worcester v. Georgia

The court ruled that the Cherokee nation was a distinct community in which the laws of Georgia had no force

Martin Van Buren

(1837-1841) Advocated lower tariffs and free trade, and by doing so maintained support of the south for the Democratic party. He succeeded in setting up a system of bonds for the national debt.

Nicholas Biddle

President of the Second Bank of the United States; he struggled to keep the bank functioning when President Jackson tried to destroy it.

Second Bank of United States

a national bank overseen by the federal government. Congress had established the bank in 1816, giving it a 20 year charter. The purpose of the bank was to regulate state banks, which had grown rapidly since the First Bank of the US went out of existence in 1811. Went out of existence during Jackson's presidency.

Jackson's Veto Message

He interprets his victory in election as what they people want; he fires 2/3 (Secretary's of state) because they won't redistribute government money to local banks - Taney says YES

Pet Banks

A term used by Jackson's opponents to describe the state banks that the federal government used for new revenue deposits in an attempt to destroy the Second Bank of the United States; the practice continued after the charter for the Second Bank expired in 1836.

Panic of 1837

When Jackson was president, many state banks received government money that had been withdrawn from the Bank of the U.S. These banks issued paper money and financed wild speculation, especially in federal lands. Jackson issued the Specie Circular to force the payment for federal lands with gold or silver. Many state banks collapsed as a result. A panic ensued (1837). Bank of the U.S. failed, cotton prices fell, businesses went bankrupt, and there was widespread unemployment and distress.

Specie Circular

issued by President Jackson July 11, 1836, was meant to stop land speculation caused by states printing paper money without proper specie (gold or silver) backing it. It required that the purchase of public lands be paid for in specie. It stopped the land speculation and the sale of public lands went down sharply. The panic of 1837 followed.

Log Cabin Campaign of 1840

Harrison was the first president to campaign actively for office. He did so with the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler too." Tippecanoe referred to Harrison's military victory over a group of Shawnee Indians at a river in Indiana called Tippecanoe in 1811. Democrats laughed at Harrison for being too old for the presidency, and referred to him as "Granny," hinting that he was senile. Whigs, eager to deliver what the public wanted, took advantage of this and declared that Harrison was "the log cabin and hard cider candidate," a man of the common people from the rough-and-tumble West. They depicted Harrison's opponent, President Martin Van Buren, as a wealthy snob who was out of touch with the people

William Henry Harrison

was an American military leader, politician, the ninth President of the United States, and the first President to die in office. His death created a brief constitutional crisis, but ultimately resolved many questions about presidential succession left unanswered by the Constitution until passage of the 25th Amendment. Led US forces in the Battle of Tippecanoe.

John Tyler

elected Vice President and became the 10th President of the United States when Harrison died 1841-1845, President responsible for annexation of Mexico after receiving mandate from Polk, opposed many parts of the Whig program for economic recovery