Democracy In America (1815-1840)

DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA (1815-1840)

PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION

  • George Washington (1789-1797) - Independent, Virginia

  • John Adams (1797-1801) - Federalist, Massachusetts

  • Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) - Republican, Virginia

  • James Madison (1809-1817) - Republican, Virginia

  • James Monroe (1817-1825) - Republican, Virginia

JAMES MONROE

  • Fifth President of the United States

  • Elected by a landslide in Electoral College; re-elected unopposed in 1820.

  • Oversaw Henry Clay’s “American System” and growth of American nationalism.

  • Retired after two terms.

ADAMS-ONIS TREATY (1819)

  • Negotiated by John Quincy Adams

  • United States acquired Florida.

  • United States renounced claims to Texas.

  • Stabilized Louisiana Territory and Spanish colonial territory boundary.

MONROE DOCTRINE

  • Established during Monroe’s presidency at John Quincy Adams's urging.

  • Directed European nations to stay out of new American Republics.

  • U.S. would reciprocate by staying out of European affairs.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1824

  • Republican Party dominance with no Founding Fathers for presidency after Monroe.

  • Party elders nominated William H. Crawford (Virginia-born, Georgia Senator), but health concerns arose.

  • Regional candidates emerged: Henry Clay (West), John Quincy Adams (North), Andrew Jackson (People’s Candidate).

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES (1824)

  • William H. Crawford

  • Henry Clay

  • John Quincy Adams

  • Andrew Jackson

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS (1824)

  • All ran as Republicans; none received a majority in popular or Electoral College votes.

  • Andrew Jackson won a plurality but not a majority.

  • Election went to the House of Representatives; Henry Clay (Speaker) eliminated.

  • John C. Calhoun was the vice-presidential candidate for both Jackson and Adams.

ELECTORAL VOTES:

  1. Andrew Jackson & John C. Calhoun: 99

  2. John Quincy Adams & John C. Calhoun: 88

  3. William H. Crawford & Nathanial Macon: 41

  4. Henry Clay & Nathan Sanford: 37

ELECTION STRATEGY AND OUTCOMES

  • Clay supported Adams over Jackson, believing Adams more qualified.

  • Adams was elected President; Jackson’s supporters alleged a “corrupt bargain” when Adams appointed Clay as Secretary of State.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS AS PRESIDENT

  • Highly qualified: son of John Adams, ambassador, Secretary of State.

  • Adopted a Neo-Hamiltonian approach: favored the Bank, federal internal improvements, protective tariffs.

  • Perceived as indifferent to common people.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1828

  • NATIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTY: Nominated John Quincy Adams. Engaged in negative campaigning against Rachel Jackson.

  • DEMOCRAT-REPUBLICAN PARTY: Nominated Andrew Jackson, John C. Calhoun. Assembled by Martin Van Buren. Engaged in negative campaigning against Louisa Adams. Dropped "Republican" after winning.

JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY

  • NATIONAL GOALS:

    • Increase popular participation in electoral process.

    • Greater equality of economic opportunity.

    • Reduction of class distinction.

  • POLITICAL BASIS: Expand voter base, encourage active participation, make government responsive.

STRATEGIES TO CREATE GREATER POLITICAL PARTICIPATION:

  • Eliminate property qualifications for voting.

  • Increase voter engagement through rallies (76% voter participation by 1840).

  • Make more offices elected and shorten terms.

THE SPOILS SYSTEM

  • Jefferson initiated “rotation in office”; Jackson termed it “The Spoils System” (rewarding supporters).

  • Both limited political firings: Jefferson 10%, Jackson 20% of federal employees.

  • Jackson appointed Roger B. Taney as Chief Justice.

ROGER B. TANEY

  • Fifth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1836-1864), appointed by Jackson.

  • Significant for business legal reforms.

  • Authored the controversial Dred Scott Decision.

ELECTION CHANGES
CANDIDATE SELECTION

  • Prior to Jackson: Party leaders chose candidates. Post-Jackson: Delegates selected candidates at nominating conventions.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE

  • Prior to Jackson: Electors chosen by state legislatures. Post-Jackson: Electors selected by voters (federal law doesn't require electors to follow popular vote).

SECOND PARTY SYSTEM
DEMOCRAT PARTY:

  • Former Republicans, farmers, urban laborers, immigrants; embraced common folk.

  • Jeffersonian philosophy: favored state authority, opposed monopolies (Bank of the U.S.).

WHIG PARTY:

  • Former Federalists, National Republicans, upper-class merchants, Southern planters.

  • Distrusted Jackson’s populism.

  • Advocated for strong national government, supported Bank of the U.S., favored internal improvements.

WHIG PARTY LEADERSHIP

  • Prominent figures: John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster.

WHIG PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES:

  • Henry Clay (1832)

  • William Henry Harrison (1836 & 1840)

MINORITIES IN JACKSONIAN AMERICA
AFRICAN AMERICANS:

  • Cotton Gin (1793) revived slavery, expanding cotton culture in the South by 1830.

NATIVE AMERICANS:

  • By 1830, most removed from territories north of Ohio River.

  • White settlers sought lands of Choctaw, Cherokee, Seminole, Creek, Chickasaw.

  • By 1840, all tribes removed; some Seminoles in Florida resisted.

TRAIL OF TEARS

  • Indian Removal Act of 1830 (Jackson) led to forced Cherokee removal.

  • Treaty of New Echota (signed by a portion of Cherokee) did not represent the whole tribe.

  • Forced Cherokee removal resulted in ~4,000 deaths.

THE SUPREME COURT AND INDIAN REMOVAL
CHEROKEE NATION V. GEORGIA

  • Georgia denied Cherokee rights; Chief Justice John C. Marshall ruled court lacked jurisdiction.

WORCESTER V. GEORGIA

  • Samuel Worcester arrested for residing in Cherokee Reservation without state permit.

  • Chief Justice Marshall ruled state had no authority; tribe’s relationship was with Federal government.

INDIAN REMOVAL AND EXECUTIVE POWER

  • Jackson: "Mr. Marshall has made his decisions, now let him enforce them."

  • Jackson refused to enforce Supreme Court’s opinions; Georgia proceeded with removal.

  • Civil strife erupted within Cherokee in Oklahoma over leadership disputes.

JACKSON AND THE BANK

  • Jackson distrusted banks (Panic of 1819, viewed Bank as monopoly), misunderstood its role.

  • Vetoed Bank's charter renewal in 1832 (scheduled for 1836), despite Clay and Biddle's attempt to renew early.

SECOND BANK OF THE UNITED STATES

  • Chartered 1816 for 20 years.

  • Contributed to Panic of 1819.

  • Led by Nicholas Biddle (prudent banking practices); essential to economy, associated with Whigs.

BANK WAR

  • Jackson diverted federal funds to state ('Pet') banks after veto.

  • Biddle restricted credit, causing a modest recession.

  • Western banks printed unsecured debt without audit.

  • Contributed to Panic of 1837 (worst economic depression up to that time).

  • Panic of 1837 severely impacted Martin Van Buren's 1840 re-election prospects