Chapter 1-7 Review: Nationalism, Jacksonian Democracy, and the Market Revolution

1815–1828: Nationalism and Sectionalism

• Era after the War of 1812 marked by market changes, transportation tech, and a shift toward economic nationalism.

• Nationalism vs. sectionalism: rising sense of national identity alongside growing regional tensions that foreshadowed later conflict.

• Rise of the American System (Henry Clay):

  • A national bank (renewed charter proposal), tariffs to protect manufacturing, and federal funding for internal improvements (roads, canals) to knit the country together.

• Economic wiring: roads, canals, and early rail developments begin interconnecting states; helps unify markets.

• Judicial nationalism: Marbury v. Madison strengthens the power of the Supreme Court to review and check presidential actions.

• Monroe Doctrine (brief note): warning to European powers to stay out of Western Hemisphere affairs; asserts U.S. influence here.

• Florida ceded by Spain (Adams-Onís Treaty, 1821) and becomes U.S. territory/state; reflects westward and diplomatic expansion.

• Nationalism also interacts with slavery debates and westward expansion; balance of free vs. slave states becomes a central political concern.

The American System and Henry Clay

• Core plan to foster a self-sustaining national economy:

  • Create a national bank (
    ext{Second Bank chartered in 1816 for 20 years}).

  • Tariffs to protect emerging manufacturing.

  • Federal funding for internal improvements (infrastructure) to link regions.

• Goal: produce a integrated national market where goods can move from producer to consumer across regions (e.g., Illinois to the East).

• Early railroads begin in the North and gradually extend west; not yet prominent in the South.

Judicial Power and Marbury v. Madison

• Marbury v. Madison establishes judicial review, strengthening the role of the Supreme Court in checking executive actions.

• Debate about the constitutional role and scope of the judiciary remains a murky area, but the Court gains power over constitutional questions.

Monroe Doctrine and Monroe Era

• Monroe Doctrine (early 1820s): oppose European interference in the Western Hemisphere; U.S. asserts regional influence.

• Not yet a fully proven power on the world stage, but signals the U.S. role in hemispheric affairs.

Westward Expansion, Slavery, and the Missouri Compromise

• Westward expansion raises sectional balance concerns between free and slave states.

• Missouri Compromise (1820), brokered by Henry Clay, preserves balance in the Senate by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state; draws the 36°30′ line to limit slavery north of the line in new territories.

• The compromise delays but does not end the sectional conflict over slavery in new territories.

Florida and Adams–Onís Treaty

• 1819–1821: U.S. gains Florida from Spain under the Adams–Onís Treaty (effective 1821).

• Florida becomes a state within this period, reflecting U.S. territorial expansion.

Andrew Jackson and the Rise of Democracy

• Democracy expands in the Jacksonian era: broadening of the electorate to include more white men (non-landowners gain voting rights).

• The 1824 election: no clear victor; the House decides; accused “corrupt bargain” as Adams wins and Clay becomes Secretary of State.

• The 1828 election: dramatic rise of mass campaigning and mudslinging; Jackson’s inauguration signals the era of the common man (large inauguration crowds, e.g., ~20{,}000).

• Emergence of the Democratic Party; Jackson as a symbol of populist appeal and executive power.

• Trail of Tears era: harsh policies toward Indigenous peoples accompany expansionism (Indian Removal Act of 1830; forced relocations to Oklahoma).

Jacksonian Democracy: Expanded Suffrage and Party Politics

• Expanding political participation shifts power away from traditional elites (landowners) toward a broader white male electorate.

• Early two-party dynamics evolve: Democratic Party rises under Jackson; Whigs emerge later as a response to Jacksonian policies.

• Campaigns become highly partisan with songs, rallies, and mass mobilization; illiteracy makes mass persuasion through public events essential.

• Spoils system emerges as a political practice tied to Jackson’s approach to governance and patronage.

Elections and Political Controversies in the Jackson Era

• 1824 election: no majority in the Electoral College; House decision leads to charges of a corrupt bargain involving Henry Clay.

• 1828 election: intense mudslinging; Jackson wins decisively despite political attacks on his personal background and character.

Jackson Presidency: Veto Power, Federal vs. State Power

• Jackson uses the presidential veto more aggressively than predecessors; asserts strong executive leadership.

• Veto is a tool to block Congressional initiatives (e.g., internal improvements) when he believes they overstep federal power or infringe upon states’ rights.

• Jackson argues for limited federal scope in some areas (e.g., Maysville Road veto, favoring state funding for internal improvements).

• Spoils system and party organization reshape federal appointments and political culture.

Indian Removal Act and Trail of Tears

• Indian Removal Act (1830): forcibly relocates Eastern tribes to the Indian Territory west of the Mississippi.

• Cherokees and other tribes resist; Trail of Tears becomes emblematic of forced relocation and hardship.

• Indian policy marks a brutal, violent aspect of westward expansion and federal Indian relations.

Nullification Crisis and the Calhoun–Jackson Rift

• Tariffs in 1828 and 1832 trigger Southern backlash: South Carolina threatens to nullify federal law, arguing states could void federal tariffs they oppose.

• John C. Calhoun champions nullification; Jackson opposes states’ rights to nullify federal law.

• Henry Clay brokers a compromise to resolve the crisis, but tensions over federal authority vs. states’ rights persist.

Long-Term Consequences and Legacy

• Jackson vastly strengthens the executive branch and solidifies a pattern of presidential veto use.

• Emergence of coherent two-party competition (Democrats vs. Whigs) shaping American politics through the 1850s.

• Heightened sectional tensions over slavery and westward expansion set the stage for future conflict and constitutional crises.

• The market revolution, transportation networks, and national policies reshape the economy and political power structures, even as violence toward Indigenous peoples and marginalized groups intensifies.