Transcript Ch. 9 Jacksonian America - Reynolds School District

Ch. 9
Jacksonian America
Missouri Compromise
• Brought issue of slavery to forefront, whether to end
the spread altogether or place parameters on it
– began the true regional divide between north and south.
• Missouri applied for statehood, but wanted slavery.
– Northern states apposed this since it would throw off
balance of slave vs. free states.
• Compromise – Maine admitted as free state, Missouri
as slave state. Henceforth, 36-30 line would serve as
divide between future slave and free states.
Monroe Doctrine
• In 1815 the U.S. declared neutrality in conflicts
between European powers and colonies of Central and
South America.
– However, the U.S. became the first to formally recognize
them as separate nations
– Did so mainly to protect their status as trade partners.
• Monroe Doctrine formally declared the U.S. neutral in
all European affairs, but stated any attack in the
Western Hemisphere would be viewed as an act of war.
• Significance – established U.S. as predominant power
of Western Hemisphere.
Election of 1824 and Corrupt Bargain
• Three Major Candidates:
– Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay
– After Election Jackson had 99 votes, Adams 84, Crawford
was third and Clay was out.
– None obtained a majority of votes so the House of
Representatives would have to decide.
• Clay used his influence to sway support towards
Adams and he won
– Once in office, Adams selected Clay as Secretary of State.
– Led Jackson supporters to suspect fowl play in the
elections and thus calling the ordeal a “corrupt bargain”.
Jackson as the People’s President
• Jackson had made his name in the military,
especially fighting indians on the frontier.
– While technically belonging to a frontier aristocrat
society, he and his followers had emerged from humble
beginnings.
– Their primary objective was to fight the traditionally
powerful northeastern merchant class and protect
opportunities for people like themselves.
• Jacksonian followers did little to extend the rights of
minority groups like slaves and women, and
aggressively dealt with natives.
Extension of Rights
• Until now only white males that owned
property and paid taxes could vote.
• Many new states included provisions in their
constitutions granted all adult males suffrage.
• Many northern aristocratic groups fought
these measures, but eventually most adopted
some form of democratization.
– Dorr Rebellion: issue actually caused a heated
debate in Rhode Island where a group called the
Dorrites tried to seize control of the government.
The Two Party System
• Began primarily in New York with Martin Van Buren
forming alternative political party to rival control
held by Governor De Witt Clinton.
• Was decided two political parties were essential to
ensure that politicians carried out the will of
people.
• Followers of Jackson eventually became known as
the Democrats (the modern day Democratic Party).
• Anti-Jackson group took the name of Whigs, in
reference to revolutionary group that stood against
tyranny.
Spoils System & National Conventions
• Many leaders in Federal government had been in
office for decades
– Jackson and his followers set out to remove what he
considered an aristocratic elite.
– He removed roughly 1/5 of all federal officials and
replaced them with people he approved (similar to
Jefferson’s removal of Federalists when he took office)
– Spoils system is short for the saying “to the victor goes the
spoils” – the President has the right to select his own aids.
• Also, Democratic Party held the first national
conventions to select party candidates for election
– Intended to give more power back to the people in
selection.
Calhoun & Nullification
• Calhoun was from South Carolina and had
strongly favored tariffs under John Adams to
protect American interests.
– Unfortunately, the economy of his home state was
impacted more adversely than any other.
• To save face with his constituent Calhoun
proposed an idea first designed by Jefferson and
Madison
– Nullification would allow states to vote and declare an
act of Congress unconstitutional without Judicial
approval.
Nullification and Westward Expansion
• Webster – Hayne Debate
– Robert Hayne, Senator from S. Carolina: challenged
northern authority when they tried to slow the spread
of American territory through new lands.
• Hayne believed these new lands would help combat the
authority of established northern elite class.
– Daniel Webster, Senator from Massachusetts: attacked
Hayne and Calhoun regarding nullification and their
outright defense of state rights over federal gov’t.
• The heated debate raged on for days and created
stronger regional divide within Congress.
Nullification Showdown
• S. Carolina selected Hayne as governor, Calhoun
stepped down as Vice President and took his spot in
Senate.
– S. Carolina then immediately voted to nullify the high
tariffs.
• Jackson proclaimed this as treason and proposed a
force bill that would allow him to meet any
resistance with military might.
• Henry Clay proposed a compromise to steadily bring
down tariffs and appease people of S. Carolina
– With no other state coming to their aide they backed off
and proved they could not secede or fight gov’t alone.
Indian Removal
• Jackson’s feelings toward Native Americans was no
secret.
– He wanted to remove all eastern tribes west of the
Mississippi.
– Unfortunately, this was also popular view of many.
• Five Peaceful Tribes of South Eastern America
– Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw
– Cherokee in particular had assimilated quite well to
white society and had even re-established their own
customs much like white farmers.
– However, white settlers of the region pushed for
legislation to remove many of the tribes to open lands.
Indian Removal Cont.
• Jackson aggressively supported the removal acts
personally sent representatives to hastily force
through hundreds of treaties with several nations.
• Cherokee Nation v. Georgia & Worcester v. Georgia
– Cherokee nation filed law suits through the Supreme
Court for defense against Jackson’s onslaught.
– Courts ruled in favor of Cherokees, but Jackson
challenged the case.
• Signed an agreement with minority of Cherokees
and then forced them all to leave at bayonet point.
– The treaty ceded all of the tribes lands for $5 Million.
Trail of Tears
• A small group of Cherokees fled to North Carolina
where they found refuge in reservations.
• Most were forced on a winter March to the Indian
Territory (later Oklahoma) where thousands would
die of starvation, exhaustion, or froze to death.
• They removed them to this area because it was the
edge of the “Great American Desert” and they felt
whites would never want to settle there anyway.
– Eventually, only the Seminoles of Florida were able to
resist the Indian Removal Acts.
– A significant minority under Osceola managed to use
guerrilla tactics in Everglades to resist military actions.
Meaning
• In the end the Natives ceded over 100 million
acres of land for $68 Million.
• They received 32 million acres of land that
was deemed uninhabitable by most
– Nothing like their homeland.
Jackson vs. the Bank
• When it came to economic issues, Jackson was
strongly opposed to Federal gov’t. control
– Believed Federal gov’t gave too much power to
“aristocrats”.
• Bank of U.S. – luxurious headquarters in
Philadelphia, branches in 29 separate cities,
federal government owned 1/5 of stock in the
bank.
– In short, it was the largest financial institution in the
U.S. by far.
Opposition to the Banks
• “Soft Money” Group – wanted more money in
circulation, even bank notes unsupported by gold or
silver.
– Predominantly bankers of smaller state banks.
• “Hard Money” Group – more traditional bankers
who felt all money should be founded on a gold or
silver standard.
– Suspicious of expansion and speculation that took place.
– Jackson was a Hard Money advocate.
– Had lost his business and fell to debt because of Panic of
1797 and had negative view of large banks.
Bank Undone
• Jackson had made it well known he intended to let
the bank expire when charter ran out in 1836.
• Nicholas Biddle, President of the bank, began using
financial influence to gain support from Congress to
renew charters.
– Biddle’s friends convinced him to place issue before
Congress in 1832 instead, so that it would be topic of
debate for the national elections that year.
– Vote, passed, Jackson vetoed it, and it became a primary
issue for 1832 elections.
Election of 1832 and Banks
• Henry Clay ran with the bank as his major
plank and lost overwhelmingly to Jackson.
• With new found support Jackson sought to
diminish power of the Bank by removing gov’t
funds and placing them in selected state
banks “pet banks”.
– When Secretaries of Treasury refused he fired
them until he hired a friend that would comply.
Biddle’s Response
• Began calling in government loans and raising
interest rates, causing economic crisis.
• Citizens and politicians begged Jackson to
repeal his stance, but became personal battle
between him and Biddle.
• Eventually Biddle raised the rates so far that it
hurt even his allies, and he lost support.
• Jackson won his war with the bank, but had
diminished the nation’s economic stability
drastically.
Jackson’s Kitchen Cabinet
• Jackson was well known to have a select “inner
circle” that influenced much of the decision
making.
• This close group of friends and supporters
became known as his “Kitchen Cabinet”
Examples of the Kitchen Cabinet
• Rise of Martin Van Buren
– Former Governor of N.Y and Secretary of State under
Jackson.
– Rumors circulated regarding marital issues and infidelity
of Jackson’s friend John Eaton and a prominent
Washington woman.
– When they finally married, Jackson made him Sec. of
War and they were an official “Cabinet Couple”.
– Calhoun renounced the couple, infuriating Jackson,
meanwhile Van Buren embraced them and endeared
himself to Jackson
• Thus Jackson selected Van Buren as his successor, not Calhoun
Kitchen Cabinet Examples
• Roger B. Taney
– Initially Jackson’s Attorney General, was selected Sec. of
Treasury after previous two refused to follow Jackson’s
orders regarding the Bank of U.S.
– When John Marshall died in 1835, he was selected as
Supreme Court Chief Justice, by Jackson.
• From the bench his rulings reflected the wishes of Jackson and
the Democratic Party.
• Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge – interesting court case
where Taney sided with a smaller company to revoke a state
charter in Massachusetts and set precedent to help open
competition to smaller companies.