Transcript A Democratic Revolution

A Democratic Revolution
Ch.10
“Democracy in America”
1835- Written by Alexis de Tocqueville
 “The most able men in the United States
are very rarely placed at the head of
affairs.”

◦ “Ordinary” citizens elected to office rather
than “superiors”
Political Change Over Time

Early National
Period◦ Men of great ability
and wealth held
government positions
◦ Republicanism: Rule by
property-owning men

“Democratic
Revolution”◦ Democracy: Rule by
popularly elected
party politicians
◦ Majority should
govern
◦ America’s Second
Party System
Rise of Popular Politics

The Democratic Revolution is exemplified
by the expansion of franchise
◦ By 1810’s some states allowed almost all
white men to vote
 England, in comparison, only allowed 10% of white
male population to vote in 1832.
 When “ordinary” citizens were elected, they
refused to elect those who flaunted their wealth
 By 1820’s only VA, NC, and RI required property
ownership to vote
The Rise of Popular Politics

Democratic Revolution included
corruption
◦ Some newly-elected men demanded gov’t
assistance for their businesses and paid bribes
to get it

1820’s new political parties emerged and
were highly organized (“political
machines”)
Martin Van Buren

Van Buren (NY)- Chief
architect of the political
machine system
◦ Rejected idea that parties
were dangerous and said
that parties were
beneficial because they
checked government’s
“disposition to abuse
power.”
◦ The Albany Regency- first
political machine
◦ Spoils System- giving party
members jobs in
government
Election of 1824
After War of 1812, Federalist Party dissolves
and Republicans divide into competing factions
 1824- Five candidates ran for President, all
claiming to be Republicans

◦ J.Q. Adams, Calhoun, Crawford, Clay, and Jackson
◦ Caucus chose Crawford, others refused to
withdraw
Election of 1824
Adams ran on successes as Secretary of State
 Clay ran on American System

◦ 2nd BUS to regulate state banks
◦ Advocated use of tariff revenue for internal
improvements
Crawford was Old Jeffersonian Republican
 Calhoun withdrew and supported Jackson
 Jackson was War of 1812 hero

Election of 1824
Jackson received the most votes, but since no
one received the majority, the vote went to
the House of Representatives
 12th Amendment- president could only be
chosen from top 3 contenders
 Clay created coalition against Jackson,
supported Adams
 Adams appointed Clay Secretary of State

◦ “Corrupt Bargain”
Election of 1824
John Quincy Adams

Supported Clay’s American System
◦ Protective tariffs to stimulate manufacturing
◦ Federally subsidized roads/canals to stimulate
commerce
◦ National Bank to control credit/ uniform
currency

Resistance to the American System
◦ Northeast/Midwest supported, South did not
 Van Buren and others argued that internal
improvements were state issues (per constitution).
Tariff Battle
Tariff of 1816- high duties on cheap English cloth
 Tariff of 1824- Adams/Clay put high tariff on iron
goods, wool/cotton textiles
 Tariff of 1826- Jackson/Van Buren increased tariff on
wool, hemp, and other imported raw materials to win
support for election
 Tariff of 1828- Jacksonians joined with Adams/Clay
supporters to create tariff, which significantly raised
duties on raw materials, textiles, and iron goods

◦ Enraged South
◦ “Tariff of Abominations”
◦ Blamed Adams
Last Notable President
Southerners angered
by J.Q. Adams’ Indian
policy
 Acted the part of a
“notable” man

◦ Snobby, condescending

1828 Election –
“stood”, didn’t “run”
“The Democracy” and the Election
of 1828

Van Buren’s “machine” had no qualms
about Jackson running for office
◦ Appealed to Northern farmers/artisans and
Southern slave owners/ small holders
◦ Calhoun (Jackson’s VP running mate) brought
SC allies
◦ Massive publicity campaign for “Old Hickory”
◦ “Democrats”- promoted egalitarian principles
◦ More than half of eligible voters voted in 1828
election- chose Jackson
Andrew Jackson

Transformed presidency
and policies of national
government
◦ Enhanced the authority of
the president over Congress
◦ Destroyed American System
◦ Ordained new ideology for
democracy


Had formal cabinet, but
relied on informal group
(“Kitchen Cabinet”)
Spoils System
◦ Rotation of Office
Jackson Destroys American System
Rejected national support of transportation
projects
 Rejected protective tariffs

◦ Nullification Crisis (1832-1833): When Tariff of
Abominations was extended, SC legislature
adopted Ordinance of Nullification
 Argument found in “The South Carolina Exposition and
Protest”
◦ Force Bill (1833): President could use force in SC
to compel them to obey laws
◦ Passed act to gradually reduce tariff rates
Bank War
 2nd
BUS- job was to stabilize U.S. money
supply and close reckless banks
 Many didn’t understand it’s regulatory role
and didn’t like the ability to close banks
 Some didn’t like Nicholas Biddle, BUS
President
Jackson Vetoes the Rechartering Bill
BUS’ friends, not enemies brought it
down
 Clay/Webster got Biddle to seek early recharter hoping to lure Jackson to veto,
splitting Democrats before 1832 election
 Jackson did veto, but constitutional
argument and patriotic fervor received
great support
 Jackson re-elected in 1832, Calhoun
resigned, and Van Buren became VP

Bank Destroyed

Jackson appoints Roger B. Taney to
Secretary of the Treasury
◦ Withdrew government’s gold and silver specie
from BUS and deposited in state banks (“pet
banks”)
◦ Jackson claimed to have received a mandate
from the people to destroy BUS in election
◦ 1834 Senate censures Jackson but Jackson
didn’t care- “The Bank is trying to kill me but I
will kill it.”
 He did in 1836
Indian Removal

(1802) Georgia gave up federal land claims in
return for Indian lands in the state and by
1830 wanted fulfillment of that promise
◦ Jackson supported GA
◦ Indian Removal Act of 1830
◦ Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)- Cherokees
denied their claim due to being a “domestic
dependent nation”
◦ Worcester v. Georgia (1832)- State laws don’t
apply to Cherokees because they are a separate
political community
Trail of Tears
Natives still forced to
move West
 When only 2,000 out
of 7,000 had moved
by the deadline,
President Van Buren
sent in the army to
force them out

◦ Trail of Tears: 1,200
mile march, 3,000 died
Roger B. Taney and the Court
Marshall’s successor
 Partially reversed
many of Marshall’s
decisions

◦ Charles River Bridge
Co. v. Warren Bridge
Co. (1837)
◦ Mayor of New York v.
Miln (1837)
◦ Briscoe v. Bank of
Kentucky (1837)
Whig Party
Mostly evangelical Protestants
 Began in 1834 as opposition to Jackson’s
policies
 Political world of men of ability and
wealth chosen by talents, not birth
 Celebrated entrepreneurs and
enterprising individuals (self-made man)
 Return of the American System

Anti-Masonic Influence

Short-lived party in
1820’s
◦ Opposed Freemason’s
◦ Whigs brought in AntiMason’s through
support in
temperance, equality
of opportunity, and
evangelical moralism
Election of 1836
Whigs vs. Democrats
 Whigs ran 4 candidates in hopes of taking it
to the House of Representatives
 Whigs won 49% of the popular vote, but
only 124 electoral votes (vs. 170 for
Democrats)
 Van Buren ran on motto the “government
that governs best, governs least.”

Labor Politics
Mechanics’ Union of Trade Association
 Working Men’s Party

◦ Wanted independence for workers and joined
Democrats in attack against American system
◦ Liked Democrats’ message of equality
◦ Union backlash: blacklists and lawsuits
Panic of 1837 and the Depression
Caused by Bank of England curtailing credit
to U.S.
 Set off a panic:

◦ Dry Dock Bank of NY closed and worried
people withdrew money from other banks
◦ Caused banks to halt specie payments
◦ Many businesses had to stop production
◦ State governments made situation worse by
issuing too many transportation bonds and
defaulting to European creditors
◦ Unemployment reached 20%
Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!
Jackson,Van Buren blamed for depression
 Van Buren refused to take actions that
might have reversed downturn
 Van Buren’s Treasury Act of 1840 delayed
recovery
 Election of 1840- William Henry Harrison
(Whig) defeated Van Buren

◦ Died a month after inauguration, John Tyler
became president
John Tyler
Had only joined Whigs in protest of
Jackson’s stance on nullification
 Against the BUS and American System,
vetoed Whig bills

◦ Most cabinet members resigned and Tyler was
expelled from Whig Party
 Allowed Democrats time to regroup