APUSH Notes unit 4: Madison - Jackson: Age of Jacksonian Democracy

War of 1812 recap 

1. Started due to impressment of us merchants and British supplying Native Americans with weapons 

2. In the grand scheme of things, not much changed in terms of boundaries

   1. Washington D.C burned 

   2. Battle of New orleans 

3. Impacted the war reality defined in its ability to rally the nation together, A “second” war of independence

American System  

1. Henry Clay “The great compromiser”

   1. He developed American systems

   2. Had three steps for his plan 

      1. Establish a strong banking system that would provide loans easily 

      2. Instituted a tariff to help eastern manufacturing grow 

      3. Use the money form tariff to build networks of roads and canals 

Monroe Takes

• Napoleonic Wars end in 1815 (No more pesky European issues) 

• National unity (at least politically) instead of sectionalism

Nicknamed the “Era of Good Feelings” as, at least initially, there is national unity and a one-party system.

• Economic instability during the Panic of 1819

• Sectionalism of slavery 

The issue of Missouri

• Missouri wants to be a slave sate

• Each decade wealth and population in northern states make them more and more powerful in congress especially in House of rep (population is growing)

• North attempts the tallmadge amendment sneak attack

  • Allows missouri as a slave state, enslaved people could no longer be imported and slaves must be free at 25 years of age  

  • Missouri compromise

  • Led by Henry Clay

  •  Missorui  comes in as a slave state and Maine is created as a free state 

  • Everything north of Missouri is free 

• The Monroe doctrine 

  • US saying western Hemisphere is their and Europe should back of but US did not have military capability to actually back it up

• John Quincy Adams is Gifted the Presidency

  • Known as corrupt as Clay was rewarded with Secretary of State position after Adams was given presidency 

• Andrew Jackson

  • Champ:Seemed to symbolize ascendancy of  the masses was port grew up to be wealthy and brings the spoils systems (when president is elected they have a to pick who control political systems)

  • Chump:Tariff of abominations-issues with south and created bank of US and trail of tears. Making indians and natives walk all the way west killing most of them

1. Origins of Nullification: Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

The XYZ Affair and Quasi-War

• Tensions grew between the United States and France after the XYZ Affair.

• The U.S. fought an undeclared naval war with France, called the Quasi-War.

Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

• President John Adams and the Federalists passed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798.

• These laws punished people who criticized the federal government.

• People could face fines, imprisonment, or deportation.

• The laws limited freedom of speech, protected by the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights (ratified in 1791).

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions (1798)

• Thomas Jefferson and James Madison secretly wrote resolutions in 1798 opposing the acts.

• Kentucky and Virginia supported the Democratic-Republican Party, which opposed the Federalists.

• Jefferson supported France, while the Federalists generally supported Britain.

• The resolutions argued that states could reject federal laws they believed were unconstitutional.

Nullification: The idea that states can reject federal laws they believe violate the Constitution.

• Jefferson wrote the Kentucky Resolution while serving as Vice President under John Adams.

2. The Nullification Crisis and Force Bill (1832–1833)

The Tariff of Abominations

• In 1828, tariffs on imported goods increased to about 38%.

• Southern states disliked the tariffs because they hurt their agricultural economies.

• The tariffs became known as the Tariff of Abominations.

South Carolina's Defiance

• In 1832, South Carolina declared the federal tariffs invalid within its borders.

• Vice President John C. Calhoun supported the idea that states could nullify federal laws.

• President Andrew Jackson viewed South Carolina's actions as a threat to federal authority.

• Jackson threatened to use force to stop the rebellion.

The Force Bill and Compromise Tariff of 1833

• Congress passed the Force Bill in 1833.

• It allowed Jackson to use the military to collect federal tariffs.

• Henry Clay helped broker the Compromise Tariff of 1833, which gradually lowered tariffs over a decade, allowing South Carolina to repeal its nullification ordinance without military conflict.

• The crisis showed the growing conflict between state and federal power.

• It also foreshadowed future conflicts between the North and South before the Civil War.

3. Native American Removal Policy

Jackson's State of the Union Address

• The State of the Union is delivered during a president's term to update Congress on the country.

• Andrew Jackson supported removing Native Americans from their lands.

• He claimed removal would protect Native Americans from destruction.

• The government promised land in the West and to pay relocation costs.

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 and Why Removal Happened

• In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, granting Jackson authority to negotiate land exchanges with tribes.

• Many white Americans wanted Native American land for farming and settlement.

• The government had signed treaties promising tribes the right to their lands.

• Despite these treaties, the government pushed Native Americans off their land to make room for white settlers.

• Jackson's removal policy remains highly controversial.

Native American Perspectives

• Not all Native American leaders agreed on what to do.

• Cherokee leader Elias Boudinot believed moving west might be the only way for his people to survive.

• He argued that the Cherokee were suffering in Georgia and hoped relocation would lead to better conditions.

4. Supreme Court and the Cherokee Land Dispute

The Cherokee Take Their Case to Court

• The Cherokee Nation challenged Georgia's attempt to take its land.

• They argued that treaties with the federal government protected their territory.

• The Cherokee had not broken these treaties.

The Supreme Court's Decision

• In Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the Supreme Court ruled against Georgia.

• Chief Justice John Marshall said states could not ignore federal treaties.

• The ruling supported Cherokee rights and tribal sovereignty.

Tribal Sovereignty

• Native American tribes were recognized as distinct political communities.

• They had the right to govern themselves.

• States did not have the same authority over tribal lands as they did over other areas.

Jackson's Response

• Jackson did not effectively enforce the Court's decision.

• A famous quote attributed to him is: "John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it."

• The quote may be a legend, but it reflects Jackson's refusal to properly enforce the ruling.

5. Separation of Powers

The Constitution divides the federal government into three branches.

• Article I — Legislative: Congress makes laws.

• Article II — Executive: The president and federal agencies enforce laws.

• Article III — Judicial: The Supreme Court and federal courts interpret laws and decide whether laws are constitutional.

Executive Power

• The president is responsible for enforcing federal laws.

• Federal agencies, such as the FBI and CIA, work under the executive branch.

• The president does not personally enforce every law.

Jackson and the Supreme Court

• The Supreme Court could make a ruling, but it depended on the executive branch to enforce it.

• Jackson's failure to enforce the Cherokee ruling weakened the Court's decision.

• This showed how conflict between branches could threaten the Constitution.

6. The Trail of Tears

Jackson's Justification

• Jackson's government claimed that removing Native Americans west of the Mississippi River would protect them.

• The government knew that some western lands were dry and difficult to farm.

• Native Americans were forced to move despite promises and treaties protecting their lands.

The Trail of Tears (1838)

• Thousands of Native Americans were forced from their homes by the U.S. government.

• More than 60,000 Native Americans were displaced through removal policies.

• Although Andrew Jackson initiated the removal policy, the actual military round-up and Cherokee forced march occurred in 1838 under President Martin Van Buren.

• Thousands died from disease, hunger, and exposure during forced relocations.

• The Cherokee were among the tribes that suffered greatly.

• The Trail of Tears remains a major example of the harm caused by U.S. removal policies.

7. The Bank War, Election of 1832, and Panic of 1837

The Corrupt Bargain

• In the election of 1824, Andrew Jackson received the most popular votes and electoral votes, but not a majority.

• The House of Representatives chose John Quincy Adams as president.

• Henry Clay supported Adams, and Jackson accused them of making a "Corrupt Bargain."

• Jackson later helped form the modern Democratic Party.

• He won the presidency in 1828.

The Bank Recharter in 1832

• Henry Clay challenged Jackson in the 1832 election.

• Clay supported renewing the charter of the Second Bank of the United States for another 20 years.

• He hoped Jackson would lose support by vetoing the bill.

• Jackson won reelection and viewed his victory as support for his opposition to the bank.

Jackson Destroys the National Bank`Jackson vetoed the bill to renew the bank's charter.

• He then removed federal money from the national bank.

• The money was transferred to selected state banks called pet banks.

• This weakened the national bank and increased Jackson's control over federal funds.

Pet Banks and the Panic of 1837

• Pet banks increased lending, sometimes without enough money to back their loans.

• Risky lending and financial instability contributed to economic problems.

• In 1837, the country experienced a major economic crisis called the Panic of 1837.

• Businesses failed, banks collapsed, and many people lost jobs and money.

8. Important Classroom Questions and Answers

1. When is the State of the Union delivered?

During the president's term, to update Congress on national affairs.

2. What did Elias Boudinot believe about Cherokee removal?

He believed moving west might be the only practical way for the Cherokee to survive their suffering in Georgia.

3. What do SCOTUS and POTUS stand for?

• SCOTUS: Supreme Court of the United States

• POTUS: President of the United States

4. Did the Supreme Court support Georgia or the Cherokee?

The Court ruled against Georgia in Worcester v. Georgia, supporting Cherokee sovereignty.

5. Who was John Marshall?

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

6. What are the three branches of government and what do they do?

• Legislative: Makes laws.

• Executive: Enforces laws.

• Judicial: Interprets laws.

7. How did Jackson weaken the national bank?

He withdrew federal deposits and moved the money into selected state banks.

Key Terms to Remember