Election
of 1824:
Five Republicans (William Crawford, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, Andrew
Jackson, and John C. Calhoun) ran for president in this election.
Jackson was a latecomer to the race, but his
incredibly reputation as a military hero allowed him to secure 43% of the
electoral votes. The election
went to the House of Representatives, and Henry Clay used his influence to
secure John Quincy Adams the presidency.
Election
of 1828:
Popular opinion was vastly in favor of Andrew Jackson, allowing him to gain the
presidency in this election. He
was a Democratic Republican, this was his first term, and the voter turnout was
more than twice that of the election of
1824.
Peggy
Eaton Affair:
Jackson’s
secretary of war, John Henry Eaton, married the beautiful but morally
questionable Peggy Eaton. The
ladies of other political leaders shunned her, but Jacksonurged his cabinet
members to force their wives to befriend her. This caused a scandal, and deepened
tensions between Jackson and his vice president,
Calhoun.
South
Carolina
Exposition and Protest:
A defense of the doctrine of nullification written by John C. Calhoun
anonymously. The nullification doctrine held that a state had the rights to not
enforce a federal law if they deemed it
necessary.
Force
Bill:
Passed by Andrew Jackson, this bill stated that the federal government would use
force against South
Carolina if they continued the practice of nullification
for the tariff. The bill had its
desired effect, and was repealed later.
Maysville
Road
Bill:
This bill was vetoed by President Andrew Jackson, who claimed that internal
improvements such as these should be paid for by the states.
This was one of his most unexpected actions because his supporters
expected him to provide federal funding for internal improvements. The
bill would have created a National
Roadin Kentucky.
Gibbons
vs. Ogden:
Executed
under Chief Justice John Marshall in 1824, this case prevented the state of
New Yorkfrom
allowing Robert Fulton to obtain a monopoly over the steamboat line, arguing
that while he had a federal patent, his invention’s commercial application was
not protected by this patent.
Whigs:
A political party made up of those who opposed President Jackson and were
angered by the National Bank’s calling in of all loans.
They supported a strong central government, the Bank of the United
States, protective tariffs, and internal improvements.
This party’s candidates nearly forced the presidential election of 1836
into the House of Representatives.
Bank
War:
Jacksonentered
into a conflict with Nicholas Biddle, the head of the Second National Bank,
vetoing the congressionally approved application for an early rechartering of
the bank and denouncing it as unconstitutional and harmful to states’
rights. Jackson decided to destroy
the bank by moving $10 million of its funds to state
banks.
William
Henry Harrison:
A presidential candidate in 1840 nominated by the Whigs who was a military hero
like Jackson,
having won the Battle of Tippecanoe.
He was victorious against his opponent, Martin Van Buren, who was
disliked by the general public.
However, Harrisondied of pneumonia one
month after his inauguration, allowing John Tyler to take the
presidency.
James
Fenimore Cooper:
An author from New
York whose novels inspired western expansion and the
conquest of Indians. He established
this sentiment as a distinctive American literary
theme.
Andrew
Jackson:
He served two terms as president, from 1828 to 1836.
He was immensely popular with the people during the time of both of his
elections. He was known for his
harsh treatment of the Indians, advocating a strong executive branch, and
opposing national banks.
“Age
of the Common Man”:
An era in American politics following the election of President Andrew
Jackson.
Henry
Clay:
He held the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1811 to
1825, had an amiable personality, and had astounding ability to make
compromises. He was the primary
advocate of the American system and influenced the election of John Quincy Adams
in 1828.
Tariff
of Abominations:
The 1828 tariff that imposed very high taxes on imported textiles and iron. It was passed by Andrew Jackson’s
supporters in Congress to gain northern support, and was vehemently opposed by
Southerners, who claimed that it was unconstitutional because it violated the
rights of some states.
Black
Hawk War:
The Sauk and Fox Indians, led by Black Hawk, attempted to move back to their
original tribal grounds in Illinois in 1832.
Settlers here demanded military intervention, and federal troops chased
the Indians to Wisconsin, where they killed 300 and captured
Black Hawk.
Dartmouth
College
vs. Woodward:
A case in which the Supreme Court prevented states from interfering in contracts
under Chief Justice John Marshall in
1819.
Nicholas
Biddle:
The director of the Second National Bank of the United
States.
He opposed Jacksonin the Bank War, and
countered Jackson’s withdrawal of the bank’s deposits by
calling in all of the Bank’s commercial
loans.
Specie
Circular:
A proclamation issued by Andrew Jackson that stated that the government would
only accept hard currency, such as gold or silver, as payment for public
lands. The widespread use of paper
money had created inflation.
Martin
Van Buren:
A senator from New York, he established the
Bucktail faction opposing Clinton. He served as secretary of state
under Andrew Jackson during his first term, was a member of the Kitchen Cabinet,
and served as Andrew Jackson’s vice president during his second term. He was elected president in 1836, and
presided over the Panic of 1837 and an era of economic
crisis.
John
Tyler:
The vice president for William Henry Harrison, he assumed the presidency after
Harrison’s untimely death in 1840.
Nicknamed “His Accidency”, was a former Democrat that was nominated by
the Whig party, but turned out to be against the Whigs.
He vetoed a series of bills similar to the American System and appointed
a Democratic cabinet.
Ralph
Waldo Emerson:
An immensely popular author and speaker.
His most famous speech was “The American Scholar”, which carried the
message of cultural self-sufficiency.
He encouraged American writers to find inspiration in ordinary
life.
John
Quincy Adams:
Elected president in 1824 by the House of Representatives, he accomplished
little during his presidency.
However, he did succeed in funding an extension of the National Road.
He served one term, as the general public greatly favored Andrew Jackson,
even during his presidency.
Kitchen
Cabinet:
An informal gathering of leaders led by President Andrew Jackson, including
Martin Van Buren. He tended to
ignore most of his cabinet (except for Van Buren), and instead used the Kitchen
Cabinet for much of his discussion and
advice.
Daniel
Webster:
A man from New
York, he was one of the best orators of his time. He became the lead spokesman for
northern commercial interests, advocating a strong federal government, a
national bank, and high protective
tariffs.
John
C. Calhoun:
An uncompromising advocate of southern interests (expansion and preservation of
slavery). He was nicknamed the
“Cast-Iron Man” for his rigid support of the south, despite its minority in
Congress. He was the anonymous
author of the South Carolina Exposition and
Protest.
Indian
Removal Act:
Passed under President Jackson, this act set aside funds for the relocation (by
force, if necessary) of Indians.
Trail
of Tears:
The march of the last of the resisting Cherokees from George to Oklahomain 1836.
They were escorted by a 7,000-man army, and one quarter of the 16,000
Indians perished along the way.
“Pet
Banks”:
State banks that President Jackson transferred money to in an attempt to destroy
the Second National Bank of the United
States.
Nullification
Crisis:
Southern planters opposed the implementation of protective tariffs because it
raised the price of luxury goods they imported, they believed in principles of
free trade, and they feared other countries would retaliate with tariffs on
their cotton. This led to South Carolina declaring it had the right to nullify these
tariffs. Jackson threatened South
Carolina with the Force Bill, and they eventually gave
in.
Samuel
F.B. Morse:
Inventor of the telegraph, which revolutionized communication.
After seeking private funding in vain, he received federal funding in
1844.
Washington Irving: Author of the Sketch
Book (1819), which immortalized Rip Van Winkle and the Headless Horseman in
American literature.
Questions
1. What does it mean to say that America in
the early 1800s was becoming a democratic society?
Democratic in what sense, and for whom?
The right to vote was extended to a much larger percentage of the
population beginning in the early 1800s.
Most states moved toward universal white male suffrage, yet blacks and
women received nothing in the way of increased
democracy.
2. Jackson is spoken of as being the first
“modern” president. What does this
mean? In what way did he transform
the office of president?
Jackson promoted strong national leadership over sectional
compromises. He increased the
power of the office of the president, asserting that he represented the popular
will of the people and using his veto power a record 12
times.
3. The issue of government support for
internal improvements was among the most divisive of the era.
Why was this so? Who
benefited from the transportation revolution? Who lost ground?
Some people, such as Andrew Jackson, believed that it was the
responsibility of the states to fund internal improvements, while others
believed the federal government should take on this responsibility.
Migrants travelling west greatly benefited from the transportation
revolution, while Indians and existing states (declining population) lost
ground as a result of it.
4. What were the key differences between
Whigs and Democrats? What did each
party stand for? Who were their
supporters? What is the link between the party’s programs and party
supporters?
The Democrats kept the interests of the small yeoman farmer above all
else, while the Whigs were receptive to and the beneficiaries of economic
change. Most Democrats were small
farmers who were opposed to economic monopolies such as the Bank of the United
States, while Whigs tended to be merchants; therefore, they supported a strong
governmental role in the economy such as the Bank of the United States. Whigs believed in the perfectibility of
all Americans, and embarked on many reform movements.
5. Which geographic areas gave Jackson his
greatest support? Why did he get
support in these places?
Andrew Jackson’s support was greatest in the South and West.
He gained much support in the places firstly because he himself was from
the South and because he had been a war hero in this area.
6. In what ways did American arts and
letters reflect the democratic spirit of the age?
American arts and letters portrayed the themes of westward expansion
(James Fenimore Cooper) and cultural independence from Europe (Ralph Waldo
Emerson). These themes united
differing regions under a common interest.
of 1824:
Five Republicans (William Crawford, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, Andrew
Jackson, and John C. Calhoun) ran for president in this election.
Jackson was a latecomer to the race, but his
incredibly reputation as a military hero allowed him to secure 43% of the
electoral votes. The election
went to the House of Representatives, and Henry Clay used his influence to
secure John Quincy Adams the presidency.
Election
of 1828:
Popular opinion was vastly in favor of Andrew Jackson, allowing him to gain the
presidency in this election. He
was a Democratic Republican, this was his first term, and the voter turnout was
more than twice that of the election of
1824.
Peggy
Eaton Affair:
Jackson’s
secretary of war, John Henry Eaton, married the beautiful but morally
questionable Peggy Eaton. The
ladies of other political leaders shunned her, but Jacksonurged his cabinet
members to force their wives to befriend her. This caused a scandal, and deepened
tensions between Jackson and his vice president,
Calhoun.
South
Carolina
Exposition and Protest:
A defense of the doctrine of nullification written by John C. Calhoun
anonymously. The nullification doctrine held that a state had the rights to not
enforce a federal law if they deemed it
necessary.
Force
Bill:
Passed by Andrew Jackson, this bill stated that the federal government would use
force against South
Carolina if they continued the practice of nullification
for the tariff. The bill had its
desired effect, and was repealed later.
Maysville
Road
Bill:
This bill was vetoed by President Andrew Jackson, who claimed that internal
improvements such as these should be paid for by the states.
This was one of his most unexpected actions because his supporters
expected him to provide federal funding for internal improvements. The
bill would have created a National
Roadin Kentucky.
Gibbons
vs. Ogden:
Executed
under Chief Justice John Marshall in 1824, this case prevented the state of
New Yorkfrom
allowing Robert Fulton to obtain a monopoly over the steamboat line, arguing
that while he had a federal patent, his invention’s commercial application was
not protected by this patent.
Whigs:
A political party made up of those who opposed President Jackson and were
angered by the National Bank’s calling in of all loans.
They supported a strong central government, the Bank of the United
States, protective tariffs, and internal improvements.
This party’s candidates nearly forced the presidential election of 1836
into the House of Representatives.
Bank
War:
Jacksonentered
into a conflict with Nicholas Biddle, the head of the Second National Bank,
vetoing the congressionally approved application for an early rechartering of
the bank and denouncing it as unconstitutional and harmful to states’
rights. Jackson decided to destroy
the bank by moving $10 million of its funds to state
banks.
William
Henry Harrison:
A presidential candidate in 1840 nominated by the Whigs who was a military hero
like Jackson,
having won the Battle of Tippecanoe.
He was victorious against his opponent, Martin Van Buren, who was
disliked by the general public.
However, Harrisondied of pneumonia one
month after his inauguration, allowing John Tyler to take the
presidency.
James
Fenimore Cooper:
An author from New
York whose novels inspired western expansion and the
conquest of Indians. He established
this sentiment as a distinctive American literary
theme.
Andrew
Jackson:
He served two terms as president, from 1828 to 1836.
He was immensely popular with the people during the time of both of his
elections. He was known for his
harsh treatment of the Indians, advocating a strong executive branch, and
opposing national banks.
“Age
of the Common Man”:
An era in American politics following the election of President Andrew
Jackson.
Henry
Clay:
He held the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1811 to
1825, had an amiable personality, and had astounding ability to make
compromises. He was the primary
advocate of the American system and influenced the election of John Quincy Adams
in 1828.
Tariff
of Abominations:
The 1828 tariff that imposed very high taxes on imported textiles and iron. It was passed by Andrew Jackson’s
supporters in Congress to gain northern support, and was vehemently opposed by
Southerners, who claimed that it was unconstitutional because it violated the
rights of some states.
Black
Hawk War:
The Sauk and Fox Indians, led by Black Hawk, attempted to move back to their
original tribal grounds in Illinois in 1832.
Settlers here demanded military intervention, and federal troops chased
the Indians to Wisconsin, where they killed 300 and captured
Black Hawk.
Dartmouth
College
vs. Woodward:
A case in which the Supreme Court prevented states from interfering in contracts
under Chief Justice John Marshall in
1819.
Nicholas
Biddle:
The director of the Second National Bank of the United
States.
He opposed Jacksonin the Bank War, and
countered Jackson’s withdrawal of the bank’s deposits by
calling in all of the Bank’s commercial
loans.
Specie
Circular:
A proclamation issued by Andrew Jackson that stated that the government would
only accept hard currency, such as gold or silver, as payment for public
lands. The widespread use of paper
money had created inflation.
Martin
Van Buren:
A senator from New York, he established the
Bucktail faction opposing Clinton. He served as secretary of state
under Andrew Jackson during his first term, was a member of the Kitchen Cabinet,
and served as Andrew Jackson’s vice president during his second term. He was elected president in 1836, and
presided over the Panic of 1837 and an era of economic
crisis.
John
Tyler:
The vice president for William Henry Harrison, he assumed the presidency after
Harrison’s untimely death in 1840.
Nicknamed “His Accidency”, was a former Democrat that was nominated by
the Whig party, but turned out to be against the Whigs.
He vetoed a series of bills similar to the American System and appointed
a Democratic cabinet.
Ralph
Waldo Emerson:
An immensely popular author and speaker.
His most famous speech was “The American Scholar”, which carried the
message of cultural self-sufficiency.
He encouraged American writers to find inspiration in ordinary
life.
John
Quincy Adams:
Elected president in 1824 by the House of Representatives, he accomplished
little during his presidency.
However, he did succeed in funding an extension of the National Road.
He served one term, as the general public greatly favored Andrew Jackson,
even during his presidency.
Kitchen
Cabinet:
An informal gathering of leaders led by President Andrew Jackson, including
Martin Van Buren. He tended to
ignore most of his cabinet (except for Van Buren), and instead used the Kitchen
Cabinet for much of his discussion and
advice.
Daniel
Webster:
A man from New
York, he was one of the best orators of his time. He became the lead spokesman for
northern commercial interests, advocating a strong federal government, a
national bank, and high protective
tariffs.
John
C. Calhoun:
An uncompromising advocate of southern interests (expansion and preservation of
slavery). He was nicknamed the
“Cast-Iron Man” for his rigid support of the south, despite its minority in
Congress. He was the anonymous
author of the South Carolina Exposition and
Protest.
Indian
Removal Act:
Passed under President Jackson, this act set aside funds for the relocation (by
force, if necessary) of Indians.
Trail
of Tears:
The march of the last of the resisting Cherokees from George to Oklahomain 1836.
They were escorted by a 7,000-man army, and one quarter of the 16,000
Indians perished along the way.
“Pet
Banks”:
State banks that President Jackson transferred money to in an attempt to destroy
the Second National Bank of the United
States.
Nullification
Crisis:
Southern planters opposed the implementation of protective tariffs because it
raised the price of luxury goods they imported, they believed in principles of
free trade, and they feared other countries would retaliate with tariffs on
their cotton. This led to South Carolina declaring it had the right to nullify these
tariffs. Jackson threatened South
Carolina with the Force Bill, and they eventually gave
in.
Samuel
F.B. Morse:
Inventor of the telegraph, which revolutionized communication.
After seeking private funding in vain, he received federal funding in
1844.
Washington Irving: Author of the Sketch
Book (1819), which immortalized Rip Van Winkle and the Headless Horseman in
American literature.
Questions
1. What does it mean to say that America in
the early 1800s was becoming a democratic society?
Democratic in what sense, and for whom?
The right to vote was extended to a much larger percentage of the
population beginning in the early 1800s.
Most states moved toward universal white male suffrage, yet blacks and
women received nothing in the way of increased
democracy.
2. Jackson is spoken of as being the first
“modern” president. What does this
mean? In what way did he transform
the office of president?
Jackson promoted strong national leadership over sectional
compromises. He increased the
power of the office of the president, asserting that he represented the popular
will of the people and using his veto power a record 12
times.
3. The issue of government support for
internal improvements was among the most divisive of the era.
Why was this so? Who
benefited from the transportation revolution? Who lost ground?
Some people, such as Andrew Jackson, believed that it was the
responsibility of the states to fund internal improvements, while others
believed the federal government should take on this responsibility.
Migrants travelling west greatly benefited from the transportation
revolution, while Indians and existing states (declining population) lost
ground as a result of it.
4. What were the key differences between
Whigs and Democrats? What did each
party stand for? Who were their
supporters? What is the link between the party’s programs and party
supporters?
The Democrats kept the interests of the small yeoman farmer above all
else, while the Whigs were receptive to and the beneficiaries of economic
change. Most Democrats were small
farmers who were opposed to economic monopolies such as the Bank of the United
States, while Whigs tended to be merchants; therefore, they supported a strong
governmental role in the economy such as the Bank of the United States. Whigs believed in the perfectibility of
all Americans, and embarked on many reform movements.
5. Which geographic areas gave Jackson his
greatest support? Why did he get
support in these places?
Andrew Jackson’s support was greatest in the South and West.
He gained much support in the places firstly because he himself was from
the South and because he had been a war hero in this area.
6. In what ways did American arts and
letters reflect the democratic spirit of the age?
American arts and letters portrayed the themes of westward expansion
(James Fenimore Cooper) and cultural independence from Europe (Ralph Waldo
Emerson). These themes united
differing regions under a common interest.