🗽US History Unit 10 – Jacksonian Democracy, 1820–1840

Key Figures and Political Players

• Andrew Jackson served as the 7th President of the United States from 1829 to 1837 and was the central figure of the Jacksonian Era
  • Known as "Old Hickory" due to his toughness and leadership style
  • Gained national fame as a general in the War of 1812, particularly for his victory in the Battle of New Orleans
• Martin Van Buren was a key political ally of Jackson and served as his Secretary of State and Vice President before becoming the 8th President
• John C. Calhoun, initially a supporter of Jackson, later became a prominent opponent due to disagreements over tariffs and states' rights
  • Served as Jackson's first Vice President before resigning to lead the Nullification Crisis in South Carolina
• Henry Clay, a leading politician from Kentucky, was a major rival of Jackson and a proponent of the American System
  • Ran against Jackson in the 1832 presidential election as the nominee of the National Republican Party
• Daniel Webster, a prominent senator from Massachusetts, opposed many of Jackson's policies and was a key figure in the Whig Party
• Thomas Hart Benton, a senator from Missouri, was a staunch supporter and advocate of Jacksonian policies in Congress

Origins of Jacksonian Democracy

• Jacksonian Democracy emerged as a political movement in the 1820s that emphasized the importance of the common man and expanded suffrage
• The Election of 1824, known as the "Corrupt Bargain," saw John Quincy Adams become president despite Andrew Jackson winning the popular vote
  • This controversial outcome fueled Jackson's popularity and the rise of the Democratic Party
• The Jacksonian Era saw a shift towards greater public participation in politics and a rejection of the elitism of the previous era
• The expansion of voting rights to most white men, regardless of property ownership, was a key tenet of Jacksonian Democracy
  • This led to a significant increase in voter turnout and political engagement
• The rise of the Second Party System, with the Democrats and Whigs as the main parties, was a defining feature of the Jacksonian Era
• Jacksonian Democrats advocated for a limited federal government, states' rights, and a strict interpretation of the Constitution
  • They opposed the concentration of power in the hands of a wealthy elite and favored policies that benefited the common man

Major Political Events and Elections

• The Election of 1828 saw Andrew Jackson defeat incumbent John Quincy Adams in a landslide victory, marking the beginning of the Jacksonian Era
• The Nullification Crisis of 1832-1833 was a major confrontation between the federal government and South Carolina over tariffs and states' rights
  • Jackson threatened to use military force to enforce federal law, while South Carolina threatened to secede from the Union
  • The crisis was eventually resolved through a compromise tariff and the Force Bill, which authorized the president to use military force to enforce federal law
• The Bank War was a major political battle between Jackson and supporters of the Second Bank of the United States
  • Jackson vetoed the renewal of the bank's charter in 1832, arguing that it concentrated too much power in the hands of a wealthy elite
  • The bank's charter expired in 1836, and Jackson's victory in this battle was seen as a triumph of the common man over powerful financial interests
• The Election of 1836 saw Martin Van Buren, Jackson's chosen successor, defeat multiple Whig candidates to become the 8th President
  • The Whig Party, formed in opposition to Jackson's policies, ran multiple regional candidates in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Van Buren
• The Panic of 1837, a major financial crisis, occurred shortly after Van Buren took office and led to a severe economic downturn
  • The crisis was blamed on Jackson's economic policies, particularly the Specie Circular, which required payment for public lands in gold or silver

Economic Policies and Controversies

• The Tariff of Abominations, enacted in 1828, was a high protective tariff that sparked outrage in the South and led to the Nullification Crisis
  • Southern states, particularly South Carolina, argued that the tariff favored Northern manufacturing interests at the expense of Southern agriculture
• The Maysville Road Veto in 1830 was Jackson's rejection of federal funding for a road project in Kentucky, setting a precedent for limiting federal spending on internal improvements
• The Specie Circular, issued by Jackson in 1836, required payment for public lands in gold or silver rather than paper currency
  • This policy aimed to curb speculation and stabilize the currency but contributed to the Panic of 1837
• The Deposit Act of 1836 distributed the federal budget surplus to state banks, leading to a surge in speculative lending and inflation
• The Independent Treasury System, established under Van Buren, aimed to separate government funds from private banks and stabilize the economy
  • This system remained in place until the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913
• The Panic of 1837 and subsequent economic depression led to widespread unemployment, business failures, and deflation
  • The crisis was seen as a failure of Jacksonian economic policies and contributed to Van Buren's defeat in the 1840 election

Social and Cultural Impacts

• Jacksonian Democracy coincided with the Second Great Awakening, a period of religious revival that emphasized individual salvation and moral reform
  • This religious fervor contributed to the growth of reform movements, such as temperance and abolitionism
• The Jacksonian Era saw the rise of the "common man" and a celebration of the frontier spirit and rugged individualism
  • This was exemplified by the popularity of Andrew Jackson, who was seen as a champion of the common people against the elites
• The expansion of white male suffrage led to increased political participation and the growth of mass politics
  • Political campaigns became more organized and focused on appealing to a wider electorate through rallies, parades, and partisan newspapers
• The Jacksonian Era also saw the beginnings of the women's rights movement, with activists such as Sarah and Angelina Grimké advocating for women's equality
• The abolitionist movement gained momentum during this period, with the formation of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833 and the rise of prominent abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison
  • However, the Jacksonian Democrats were generally hostile to abolitionism, seeing it as a threat to the Union and the rights of white Southerners
• The Jacksonian Era was marked by a growing sense of nationalism and pride in American identity
  • This was reflected in the popularity of patriotic symbols like the American flag and the bald eagle, as well as the celebration of American heroes like Andrew Jackson and Davy Crockett

Native American Relations and Policies

• The Jacksonian Era saw a significant deterioration in relations between the United States government and Native American tribes
• The Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed by Andrew Jackson, authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes from the Southeast to lands west of the Mississippi River
  • This policy was justified by the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, which held that it was the destiny of white Americans to expand across the continent
• The Cherokee Nation, one of the "Five Civilized Tribes," resisted removal and took their case to the Supreme Court
  • In the case of Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the Court ruled that the Cherokee Nation was a sovereign entity and that Georgia laws had no force within its boundaries
  • However, Jackson refused to enforce the Court's decision, reportedly saying, "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it!"
• The forced removal of the Cherokee Nation, known as the Trail of Tears, resulted in the deaths of thousands of Cherokees from disease, starvation, and exposure
  • Other tribes, such as the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole, were also forcibly removed from their lands during this period
• The Black Hawk War of 1832, fought between the United States and Native American tribes in the Midwest, resulted in the forced cession of Native American lands and the opening of the region to white settlement
• The Second Seminole War (1835-1842), fought in Florida, was the longest and most costly Native American conflict in U.S. history
  • The war resulted in the forced removal of most of the Seminole tribe to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma)

Opposition and Criticisms

• The Whig Party emerged as the primary opposition to the Jacksonian Democrats during the 1830s
  • The Whigs advocated for a stronger federal government, support for internal improvements and the Second Bank of the United States, and a protective tariff
• Henry Clay, a prominent Whig leader, criticized Jackson's use of the veto power and his opposition to the Second Bank of the United States
  • Clay argued that Jackson's policies were unconstitutional and threatened the balance of power between the branches of government
• Daniel Webster, another Whig leader, opposed Jackson's tariff policies and his handling of the Nullification Crisis
  • Webster argued that Jackson's actions threatened the unity of the nation and the authority of the federal government
• John C. Calhoun, once a supporter of Jackson, became a leading critic of his policies and a proponent of states' rights and nullification
  • Calhoun argued that states had the right to nullify federal laws that they deemed unconstitutional and that the federal government had no authority to coerce states into compliance
• The Anti-Masonic Party, which opposed the influence of Freemasonry in politics, emerged as a short-lived but significant third party during the Jacksonian Era
  • The party's success in the 1832 presidential election, where it won the state of Vermont, demonstrated the growing importance of single-issue politics and grassroots organizing
• Critics of Jacksonian Democracy argued that it promoted demagoguery, mob rule, and the tyranny of the majority
  • They believed that Jackson's appeal to the common man and his attacks on elites and institutions threatened the stability and order of American society
• Opponents also criticized Jackson's handling of the Nullification Crisis and the Bank War, arguing that he had overstepped his constitutional authority and undermined the rule of law

Legacy and Long-term Effects

• The Jacksonian Era marked a significant shift towards greater democracy and popular participation in American politics
  • The expansion of white male suffrage and the rise of mass politics set the stage for future democratic reforms, such as the abolition of property qualifications for voting and the direct election of senators
• Jacksonian Democracy also contributed to the growth of the two-party system and the development of modern political campaigns and tactics
  • The use of nominating conventions, party platforms, and campaign rallies became widespread during this period and remain a central feature of American politics today
• The Jacksonian Era saw the emergence of a distinctly American culture and identity, centered around the ideal of the self-made man and the frontier spirit
  • This cultural ideal would continue to shape American society and politics throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries
• However, Jacksonian Democracy also had negative long-term effects, particularly in regards to the treatment of Native Americans and the issue of slavery
  • The Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears set a precedent for the forced relocation and cultural destruction of Native American tribes that would continue throughout the 19th century
  • The Jacksonian Democrats' opposition to abolitionism and their support for states' rights contributed to the growing sectional divide over slavery that would ultimately lead to the Civil War
• The economic policies of the Jacksonian Era, particularly the destruction of the Second Bank of the United States and the Specie Circular, contributed to the Panic of 1837 and subsequent economic instability
  • This instability would continue to plague the American economy throughout the 19th century, with periodic panics and depressions that disproportionately affected the working class and small farmers
• The legacy of Andrew Jackson himself remains controversial, with some viewing him as a champion of democracy and the common man, while others criticize his treatment of Native Americans and his support for slavery
  • In recent years, there have been calls to remove Jackson's image from the $20 bill and to rename places and monuments that bear his name, reflecting a growing recognition of the darker aspects of his legacy