The Election of 1824

• Jackson won the most votes (unexpected)

• but, no one had an electoral majority

• decision led to the House of Representatives

  • John Quincy Adams (son of 2nd president) used experience and influence to win the House vote

• Jackson: “a corrupt bargain”

• led to a nasty rematch in 1828

1828 Presidential Campaign

• nasty rematch, both sides went negative

• Adams campaigned on internal improvement (infrastructure)

• Jackson ran mainly on his cult of personality

  • champion of the common man

  • attacked Adams as elitist and Washington DC insider

    • allies made brutal personal attacks

The Campaign of 1828: Adams

• Adams and allies attacked Jackson’s character

  • impulsive

  • irresponsible and immoral

  • violent

• most famously in “The Coffins Handbills”

• attacked Jackson’s marriage to Rachel Donelson

  • lived together before her divorce

• scandal + loss of son in 1828 + poor health

  • Rachel died of heart attack, 1828

  • Jackson blamed Adams and other rivals