Andrew Jackson McNuggetuhhhhh

Born: Son of Scots-Irish immigrants in the Carolinas
Career: Lawyer, land speculator, politician, and plantation owner
Personality: Known for strong conviction and determination; bulldozed through challenges.
Nickname: "Old Hickory" – symbolizes his toughness, like the strong hickory tree.
Education: Second president without a college education.

Revolutionary War: Jackson was scarred by a British officer during the Revolution for refusing to shine the officer’s boots.
Personal Life: He killed Charles Dickinson in a duel to defend his wife’s honor.
Indian Fighter: Led the Seminole Campaign in Florida, violating international boundaries.
Battle of New Orleans: Jackson became a national hero.

Expansion of Voting Rights: Before the 1820s, voting was restricted to white male property owners or taxpayers. After the 1820s, it was extended to all white males.
Election of 1828:
- Jackson defeated John Quincy Adams.
- Popular Vote: Jackson 56% to Adams 44%
- Electoral Vote: Jackson 68% to Adams 32%
- Symbolized the rise of the "common man."

Spoils System: Jackson rewarded his political supporters with government positions, leading to incompetent individuals in office.
Kitchen Cabinet: Jackson’s group of trusted friends who influenced decisions more than his official advisors.

“Tariff of Abominations”:
- Aimed to protect American industries from European competition.
- Led to higher prices for Americans, causing unrest, especially in the South.
Southern Anxiety:
- Fear of interference with slavery and the growing influence of abolitionists.
- South Carolina Exposition: Written by John C. Calhoun, it denounced tariffs as unconstitutional and proposed nullification.

South Carolina protested the Tariff of Abominations and threatened to nullify it.
Jackson opposed nullification, threatening military force to ensure compliance.
Force Bill: Authorized Jackson to use the military to collect tariffs.
Compromise: Henry Clay helped craft a compromise that lowered tariffs and ended the crisis.

Jackson aimed to open up Indian lands for white settlement.
Indian Removal Act (1830): Forced relocation of tribes to present-day Oklahoma, leading to the Trail of Tears, where thousands of Cherokee died.
Supreme Court Ruling: The Court ruled in favor of the Cherokee, but Jackson ignored the ruling.

Jackson distrusted monopolies and the Bank of the United States (BUS), seeing it as a corrupt institution with too much power.
Bank War of 1832: Jackson vetoed a bill to renew the BUS charter, causing a rift between him and the wealthy elites.
McCulloch v. Maryland: Confirmed that monopolistic banks were constitutional.
Jackson’s victory over the Bank led to its demise in 1836. He removed federal deposits, and the Bank died out, creating a financial vacuum.

Pet Banks: State banks that received federal funds after Jackson dismantled the Bank of the United States.
Specie Circular: Required that public land be purchased with gold or silver, which led to an economic recession.

Opponents of Jackson formed the Whig Party, led by Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John C. Calhoun.
Whigs: Advocated for internal improvements (canals, railroads, telegraph lines), public institutions, and a stronger federal government.

Whigs accused Jackson of becoming a tyrant, especially during the Nullification Crisis and his battle with the Bank of the US.

Panic of 1837: Caused by the Specie Circular, leading to bank failures, high unemployment, and a depression lasting until 1843.

Mexico offered land grants to Americans in Texas, but settlers had to obey Mexican laws and become Catholic.
By the 1830s, American settlers outnumbered Mexicans 10 to 1, leading to tensions over control of Texas.
Mexico restricted immigration in 1830, but the American settlers continued to challenge Mexican authority.

Jacksonian Democracy: Expansion of voting rights, the rise of the common man, and the reshaping of American political institutions.
Conflict with the Bank: Jackson’s war against the Bank of the United States significantly altered America’s financial system.
Indian Removal: The forced relocation of Native American tribes remains one of the most controversial aspects of Jackson’s presidency.
Nullification Crisis: A critical moment in U.S. history, where state vs. federal power was tested.