Unit 6: Jacksonian Democracy

• Candidates in the Election of 1824

  • John Quincy Adams
  • Andrew Jackson
  • Henry Clay
  • William Crawford
  • John C. Calhoun
• John Quincy Adams


  Secretary of State, Long political career, Interests of northeast
• Andrew Jackson


  Senator TN, Military hero, Western support
• Henry Clay


  Speaker of House, Shared political views with Adams
• William Crawford


  Secretary of Treasury, Suffered a stroke, Limited central government
• John C. Calhoun


  Backed out to get VP
• The presidential vote of 1824 was clearly sectional
• No candidate had a majority in the electoral college, so the election was thrown into the House of Representatives, which chose Adams
• Election of 1824: "Corrupt Bargain"


  1. Adams invited Clay to his residence and spoke for several hours

  2. Suspicions widespread about a deal

  3. House of Representatives held delegation

  4. Clay made it known he supported Adams

  5. Adams won and named Clay as Secretary of State

  6. Jackson furious
• John Quincy Adams' Presidency


  • Wanted to use federal power to strengthen economy
  • Pushed legislation authorizing federal building of roads, canals, bridges, lighthouses, universities (Clay's American System)
  • Backed protective tariffs
  • Jackson's supporters in Congress blocked plans
• Parties in the Election of 1828


  • National Republicans (aka Adams Party; later Whig Party)
  • Jacksonian Democrats
• National Republicans


  • Federal government should take leadership role
  • Federal government should support internal improvements such as roads and bridges
  • Support national bank
  • Middle-class; well-established Protestants
• Jacksonian Democrats


  • Federal government should remain as inactive as possible
  • Individual states should be responsible for internal improvements
  • Against national bank
  • Slaveholders; small farmers; non-Protestants; working class
• Andrew Jackson's victory in 1828 was the first success of the new national party system
• Topics for Crash Course document analysis activity and quiz review

  • corrupt bargain
  • spoils system
  • Bank of the United States
  • Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
  • Worcester v. Georgia
  • Indian Removal Act
  • Trail of Tears
  • Nullification Crisis
  • Specie Circular
  • Panic of 1837
• In the next two sections you will be studying politics. Before you move on read the following, Connecting the Era of Good Feelings to the Age of Jackson
• The War of 1812 ended many of the problems that had plagued the United States since the Revolution. The nation's industry was strengthened, and the Federalist Party withered away and became essentially extinct outside of New England.
• Self-made man


  Considered himself a protector of the common man
• Presidential Power


  • Opposed increasing federal spending and the national debt
  • Vetoed more bills than previous 6 presidents combined
• Jackson defended Peggy Eaton


  Against gossip from other cabinet members' wives
• Most of the cabinet resigned, probably because their wives forced them to
• Frontier settlers tended to champion expansion efforts, while American Indian resistance led to a sequence of wars and federal efforts to control and relocate American Indian populations
• Indian Removal Act (1830)


  1. Jackson's concept of democracy didn't extend to Native Americans

  2. Most humane way was to compel them to leave their homelands
• Indian removal act signed, forcing resettlement
• Most Native Americans moved by 1835
• Trail of Tears


  1. US army forced 15,000 Cherokees to leave Georgia

  2. 4,000 died on the trip
• South Carolina said the Tariff of 1828 was unconstitutional


  This affirmed John C. Calhoun's nullification theory
• Nullification


  States can decide to disobey federal laws or not
• Jackson got the Force Bill passed


  To say he could use force on South Carolina
• Jackson said South Carolina was being treasonous

  Compromise was made by recinding the tariff
• Jackson presented anti-slavery literature through the mail
• The National Bank needed rechartering


  Jackson thought it was unconstitutional so he vetoed the rechartering bill
• Nicholas Biddle


  Managed the National Bank well
• Biddle's arrogance made people suspect he only helped the wealthy
• Democrats


  Jackson supporters, similar to Democratic Republicans
• Whigs


  Clay supporters, similar to Federalists
• Jackson moved to destroy the bank
• Pet Banks


  Jackson transferred funds to various state banks
• Federal lands must be purchased with specie (gold/silver)


  This led to the Panic of 1837
• Van Buren succeeds Jackson as a Democrat