Jackson Presidency

Lesson 6.1 - Jackson Wins the Presidency (337-347)

Growing Spirit of Equality

• Andrew Jackson was known as the “Common man” 

  • Represented the working class rather than the wealthy 

• Grew up poor and rose through military service (self made) 

         Alexis de Tocqueville

• French visitor in the US observing the prison system 

• Made observations on democracy while he was there 

• Returned home and wrote Democracy in America

  • Book admiring the American democratic spirit as well as its goals for equality and freedom 

Also observed that equality only went so far… 

        Suffrage - the right to vote 

• Most white men over 21 years old could vote since many states dropped the requirement of owning property 

  • Laborers, artisans, craft workers, etc. could finally vote 

• All women, African Americans, and Native Americans were unable to vote or serve on juries 

  • Only a few Northern states allowed free African Americans to vote for a little while 

The Disputed Election of 1824

Candidates: 

1. Andrew Jackson (TN)

2. John Quincy Adams (MA) 🏅🏆

3. William Crawford (GA) 

4. Henry Clay (KY) 

Outcome

• No one received a majority of the electoral vote 

  • AJ won the popular votes and a plurality (most) of the electoral votes 

• 12th Amd. - HR chooses President from top 3 finishers in the electoral vote count 

• Henry Clay came in last, so he was out 

  • BUT he was the Speaker of the House (had influence) 

Corrupt Bargain 

• Henry Clay convinced the House to vote for Adams

• Adams named Clay his Secretary of State 

  • Important for becoming President 

Jackson’s supporters = 😡 “Clay made a corrupt bargain with JGA!”

John Quincy Adams as President

• Supporters were nicknamed “National Republicans” - - maintained the Federalists’ thinking on the appropriate powers of the federal government

Plans/main goals

1. Government-funded internal improvements for better transportation 

   • Would help economy grow 

2. Federal role in promoting education, arts, and sciences 

• Congress approved some, but disapproved many of Adams’ plans

New Political Parties

Caucus replaced by Nominating Conventions 

• OLD = Caucuses

  • Private meeting with only rich, powerful members of the party chose the Presidential candidates 

• NEW = Nominating Conventions 

  • Delegates from all the states chose the Presidential candidates 

• More democratic - - power to the people 

Election of 1828

• Jackson v. Adams

  • Election passions and tensions grew after the “corrupt bargain” 

• Adams’ supporters - “Jackson will be a military dictator!” 

  • Called him a military chieftain & compared him to Napoleon

• Jackson’s supporters - “Adams is an aristocrat!” 

• Jackson won with the support from the common people

The Background of Andrew Jackson

• Born in a log cabin in South Carolina 

Self-made success: 

• Hero War of 1812 in the Battle of New Orleans

• Helped the US get Florida from Spain 

Jacksonian Democracy

• Was a plainspoken frontiersman 

• Focused on individual freedoms and giving more power to the common people 

The Spoils System

Andrew Jackson fired many government employees and replaced them with his supporters

• Critics called the system corrupt and unethical 

  • Jackson rewarded his supporters instead of choosing qualified men

• Jackson claimed he was only giving government jobs to ordinary men which would prevent aristocrats from controlling the government

“kitchen cabinet” - informal group of advisors to the President who met in the White House kitchen 

Lesson 6.2 - Political Conflict and Economic Crisis (349-355)

States’ rights - the rights of states to excise power independent of the federal government 

The crisis over Tariffs

Tariff of 1828 

• Highest tariff ever – passed before Andrew Jackson took office

Effects: 

• Northerners were protected from foreign competition 

• Southerners opposed it because they sold cotton to Britain and bought British manufactured goods 

  • Also feared Britain would respond with a retaliatory tariff

         Tariff of Abominations 

• Southern planter’s nickname for the Tariff  of 1828 

Arguments:

• Vice President John Calhoun of South Carolina claimed that a state had the right to nullify it, since he deemed it unconstitutional

• Daniel Webster disagreed, attacking nullification in a speech to the Senate 

  • Constitution unifies the nation, and nullification would destroy that 

• President Jackson agreed with Webster and the Supreme Court - - Calhoun resigned 

        Nullification Act 

Passed by South Carolina - - Main Points: 

• Declared the tariff illegal 

• South Carolina threatened to secede from the Union if challenged 

Trying to stop the chaos… 

• Henry Clay from KY proposed a lower, compromise tariff

  • Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun supported it, Daniel Webster opposed it 

  • Congress passed both 

Force Bill

Andrew Jackson asked Congress to pass it 

• Allowed the President to use the army to enforce the tariff

  • Supported by Calhoun and Webster 

  • Congress passed it 

End of Nullification 

• No other state supported South Carolina 

  • Repealed the Nullification act 

• Sectionalism increased… 

Andrew Jackson’s battle with Nicholas Biddle over the U.S. Bank

• Opposed the National Bank - - thought it was undemocratic 

  • Whig Party supported it, believing it was needed to regulate spending and help the debt 

• Bank was also run by private bankers 

  • Jackson believed these men used public funds to grow rich

• Nicholas Biddle, the President of the bank, made loans to friends while turning down loans to Jackson’s supporters 

  • Jackson thought Biddle unfairly used the bank to benefit the rich, even though the economy was stable and prosperous

Whig strategy for 1832 election involving the Bank

• Biddle and other Whigs worried Jackson might destroy the Bank 

• Banks charter was not due for renewal until 1836 

  • Clay and Webster wanted to make the Bank an issue in the 1832 election 

• Biddle was persuaded to apply for early renewal 

  • If Jackson vetoed the bill to renew the charter, he would anger voters and lose the election 

• Clay pushed the charter renewal bill through Congress in 1832, while Jackson was sick in bed 🤢

The Bank battle

• Jackson vetoed the bill 

  • Believed the bank helped aristocrats at the expense of the common people 

  • Believed the Bank was unconstitutional - - federal government could not charter a bank 

    • (this argument had been lost already in Mcculloch v. Maryland) 

Election Results & Actions 

• Jackson still beat Clay 

• Ordered the Secretary of Treasury to stop putting money in the Bank, and instead deposited it into state banks 

  • Known as ‘pet banks’ since Roger Taney (treasurer) and his friends controlled many of them 

  • “Jackson is a hypocrite! Look what he did with the ‘pet banks!’”

Lesson 6.3 - Conflict with American Indians (360-367)

Native Americans in the Southeast

• Frontier = the edge of a settlement 

• Native Americans had experienced numerous conflicts with American settlers in the past…

  • Ex: Proclamation of 1763, Northwest Ordinance, Battle of Tippecanoe, Louisiana Purchase 

  • Always either lost battles or signed unfair treaties that were broken 

Cherokee 

• Thought they could keep their land since they sided with the US in the War of 1812 

Choctaw 

• Believed they could keep their land if they adopted European customs 

  • Farmed, ran businesses, created a government system, built toll roads and ferries, had a written alphabet, published a newspaper, converted to Christianity, and owned slaves 

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)

• Georgia passed laws forcing Native Americans to give up most of their land 

• Native Americans weren’t independent nations and couldn’t sue Georgia in court 

  • Cherokee couldn’t stop Georgia from enforcing its law

Worcester v. Georgia (1832)

Background info 

• Worcester = missionary spreading religion to Native Americans 

• Georgia passed a new law stating that Americans living on Native land needed a permit 

  • Worcester was imprisoned because he didn’t have one

Decision📜

• Supreme Court ruled that no state could enforce its laws within Indian territory, only the federal government could 

• SO… Georgia citizens could not enter Cherokee land without permission from the cherokee nation 

• Georgia could not remove the Cherokee ❌

⭐️Andrew Jackson refused to enforce the decision⭐️

Indian Removal Act of 1830

Federal law approved by Andrew Jackson 

• Native Americans were offered land west of the Mississippi in exchange for their eastern land

  • Got $$$ for it 

  • Thousands of Native Americans were moved West into Oklahoma and Kansas 

Experiences of Native Americans

Choctaw 

• Signed their first removal treaty in 1830 to give American eastern land in exchange for land west of the Mississippi 

  • Treaty of Dancing Rabbit creek 

• Were allowed to stay if they gave up their tribal organization and agreed to be government as citizens of Mississippi 

• Journey West under difficult conditions 

Chickasaw 

• US agreed to pay Chickasaw $3 million 

• Government failed to pay the agreed amount for 30 years

Cherokee 

• A small group agreed to become citizens of North Carolina 

  • Others hid in remote mountain camps 

Seminole 

• Resisted removal in Florida 

• Seminole Wars - series of conflicts over the years 

Trail of Tears

• Van Buren forced American Indians who were not hiding or who had not made agreements from their homes in the winter of 1838-1839

• U.S. Army marched about 15,000 Cherokee westward during this winter

  • ”Trail of Tears” - difficult conditions and death 

Lesson 6.2 - Political Conflict and Economic Crisis (356-358)

Presidency of Martin Van Buren

• Martin Van Buren was elected President after Jackson stepped down 

The Panic of 1837

President Andrew Jackson got rid of the National Bank 

• State banks began printing and lending money freely

• Speculators borrowed large amounts of money to buy land, raising land prices 

  • Jackson ordered land purchases to be made with gold or silver 

• People rushed to state banks to exchange paper money for gold and silver 

  • Banks didn’t have enough - - failed and were forced to close

Economic depression

• Panic of 1837 was the largest depression in American history

  • Economy shrunk, people lost jobs 

  • 90% of factories closed 

• People blamed Van Buren, since he was President, but it was really Jackson who caused it 

  • Van Buren only worsened it by believing in “laissez-faire” 

Election of 1840

• William Henry Harrison beat Van Buren 

  • Van Buren was widely unpopular 

Candidates:

• Whigs - William Henry Harrison (OH) & John Tyler (VA)

• Democrats - Van Buren 

Campaign

• Used the slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler too!” 

  • Harrison was famous for his win at Battle of Tippecanoe 

• Also known as the ‘log cabin campaign’ because the Whigs presented Harrison as a small farmer that lived in a log cabin 

  • Appeared more ordinary and relatable 

    • In reality, he was a wealthy and educated man 

Mudslinging = Campaigning by attacking/criticizing the other candidate with false info to damage their reputation and get more votes

“Manifest Destiny”

• The American mindset in the 1800s that it was America’s certain future to expand west to the Pacific Ocean 

  • White Americans believed they were better than Mexicans and Native Americans 

  • Monroe Doctrine and expansion 

  • New farmland, resources, and ports 

• “American Progress” by John Gast (1872) - - painting depicting westward expansion and Manifest Destiny, America bringing technology to the West 

Oregon Country

• Fertile land, fur 

• Northwest = the Rocky Mountains -> Pacific Ocean 

  • Spain, Russia, Britain, and the US claimed Oregon Country 

• In 1818, the US and UK agreed to jointly occupy it 

Oregon Trail = route to Oregon Country followed by Settlers 

• Timing was crucial - - too late and it’d be winter, too early and there wasn’t any grass to use for farming 

• Settlers left from Missouri in early spring after forming wagon trains 

  • WHY?? - Panic of 1837 forced people West 

Santa Fe Trail

New Mexico Territory

• Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, & Colorado

• Dry and arid, not good for farming 

• William Becknell, merchant and adventurer, was the first to head for Santa Fe 

  • Led traders from Missouri to New Mexico 

• Americans soon followed his route, which would become known as the “Santa Fe Trail” 

Topic 6.6 - Independence for Texas - pgs. 386 - 391

Stephen Austin and the settlers

• Mexico opened some of its Northern territory to American immigrants 

  • Wanted them to protect it from falling under Native American control 

• Moses Austin got a land grant to establish a colony & encourage settlement 

  • Died and Spain lost Mexico 

• Mexico honored it with his son, Stephen Austin, who led the initial American settlers into Texas 

Conditions 

1. Speak Spanish

2. Convert to Catholicism 

3. Become Mexican citizens 

4. No slavery 

What led to tensions between Mexico and the Texans?

• In 1835 Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna repealed the Mexican Constitution, trying to centralize Mexican politics

  • Stripped Tejas and other mexican states of their rights 

• Settlers saw this attack on their rights as the final straw 

  • Wanted to get rid of “dictator” Santa Anna 

The Alamo

• Mexican troops led by General Santa Anna laid siege to an old mission in San Antonio 

  • About 185 Texans and Tejanos were held up 

• After 12 days, the Mexican army stormed the compound and killed the defendants of the Alamo 

• Settlers called in reinforcements from the US, promising land and free passage 

• “Remember The Alamo!” = Battle cry honoring the bravery of those who were killed while fighting for Texas’ independence

Sam Houston

• Launched a surprise attack at San Jacinto 

  • Santa Anna was forced to sign a treaty recognizing Texas’ independence 

• Referred to as the George Washington of Texas

  • Commander of Texan army fighting for independence, first President of the Lone Star Republic of Texas 

What problems did the “Lone Star” Republic face?

• Mexico refused to accept Santa Anna’s treaty 

• In debt from the War 

• American Indian groups and Mexicans attacked them 

Why did Texas remain an independent country for years after it obtained independence?

• North was against the annexation of Texas 

  • If Texas joined the Union as a slave state, they would popularize slavery, and the North was trying to propel Abolitionism 

• Texas was in debt, which meant if it joined the Union, that debt would become the federal government’s debt

• Jackson believed it would lead to a Mexican War 

What happened??

• Texas remained independent for almost 10 years before Congress made them part of the US in 1845 

• “Six Flags” = six flags have flown over Texas

  • Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, US, Confederate States of America 

Topic 6.7 Manifest Destiny in California and the Southwest

Election of 1844 - Main Issue

• James K. Polk favored the annexation of Texas & embraced american territorial expansion (Manifest Destiny) 

  • “54’40” or fight” = campaign slogan for getting Oregon

• Democrats tied the Oregon dispute to the Texas debate 

  • Brought together Oregon V/S Texas expansionists

Candidates & Result  

James K. Polk (Democrat)🏅🏆 

Henry Clay (Whig)

How did we get Oregon?

US got the land south of latitude 49^N 

Britain got the land north of latitude 49^N 

• Split in half 

The annexation of Texas

• Many refused to annex Texas as they feared it would trigger a war with Mexico 

  • Also, Abolitionists feared adding another slave state would give the South more political influence 

• Congress voted “yes” on annexing Texas because Texas hinted that it may become aligned with Britain 

The Mexican American War - Triggering events

• US and Mexico both claimed the same land between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River 

  • Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to the area 

• Mexican troops fought with the Americans 

• Polk asked Congress to declare war 

  Support/opposition

• South and West generally supported the war 

• Some people in the North were against it since it might mean more pro-slavery states 

“The Spot Resolution” 

• Illinois Representative Lincoln’s protest to the war 

  • Polk stated that Mexico had invaded American territory and “shed American blood on American soil”

  • Lincoln asked if the spot where the blood of our citizens was shed was or wasn’t our own soil 

 Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

• Mexico ceded Utah, California, Nevada, and Arizona for $15 million from the US

• Mexico recognized Texas as part of the US that would end at the Rio Grande 

  • Was called “The Mexican Cession” 

Gadsden Purchase

• In 1853, the US paid Mexico $10 million for a strip of land in Arizona and New Mexico 

  • Needed it to complete a railroad 

• Manifest destiny = accomplished! 

Who were the Mormons?

• AKA “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints” 

• Founder = Joseph Smith in upstate NY in the 1830s

• Mormons were often persecuted and harassed; forced to relocate several times - - WHY?

  • Controversial beliefs in common property and polygamy

Why did they settle Utah?

• Moved from NY to Illinois - - Joseph Smith (Prophet) was killed

  • Brigham Young took over leadership, looking west for refuge 

• Mormons found land in the dry Mexican desert and prospered

  • Conflict w/ US followed and it became federal land 

• Utah became a state in 1896 after polygamy was dropped 

What was the California Gold Rush?

• 1848 - Sutter’s Mill in Northern California found Gold

• 1849 - Word quickly spread and thousands flock to CA

  • Known as the “Forty-Niners” 

•  Unsuccessful miners became farmers and argued over water 

What impact did the Gold Rush have?

• Diversity almost overnight - - Mexicans, Native Americans, people from the East, South America, even Asians! 

  • Mixing of cultures

• Hardships for Native Americans in the area 

• Chaos (murder & robbery) & vigilante justice (lynching) - - GOLD!!!

• California became a FREE state in 1850 after a state constitution was drafted because of the lawlessness 

Lesson 7.4 - Abolitionism

Abolition

• American Colonization Society wanted to end slavery by setting up an independent colony in Africa for free African Americans

  • This became the nation of Liberia

  • Most stayed in the US because they were born there

• John Quincy Adams proposed an amendment that declared all newborn children free (would end slavery)

  • Unsuccessful - - Gag Rule = nothing related to slavery could be discussed in Congress

William Loyd Garrison

White abolitionist

• Believed that slavery should end immediately

• Launched an anti slavery newspaper, The Liberator, in 1831 

• Established the New England Anti-Slavery Society that tried to convince Americans that slavery was morally wrong

  • Tried to point out the contradiction between American values of liberty and equality in the Declaration and the practice of slavery 

Frederick Douglass

Educated abolitionist born into slavery

• Spoke often at anti slavery meetings, and performed lectures across the US and in Britain

  • Argued that political action and moral suasion was needed to end slavery 

• Published the North Star, an anti slavery newspaper starting in 1847

• Supported the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention for women’s rights

Harriet Tubman

• A major conductor, or guide, in the Underground Railroad

  • She escaped from a plantation herself

• She helped over 300 African Americans, which is why she was known as “Black Moses”

  • Moses was a leader that led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery

Underground Railroad - Secretive network of people and places that helped many enslaved people escape

• Slaves that were caught would be severely punished or even killed

• Escaped to the north where they could find freedom

• Guides (conductors) were ordinary people that brought slaves to “stations” such as abolitionist homes, churches, caves and other spots

Lesson 8.1 – Conflicts and Compromises

         11

         __ =  1819                        22 states - - 11 slave & 11 free in 1819

         11

Missouri Compromise

1. MO enters the union as a slave state

2. ME enters the union as a free state

3. Anything northern or southern border of MO (36,60) except for MO itself would be a free state and anything south would be a slave state

Wilmot Proviso

It was a proposition by Wilmot Proviso during the Mexican- American War to ban slavery in any state acquired from Mexico, reflecting the growing tensions over the expansion of slavery in the United States.