For first time since 1800, multiple candidates
run for office--including William Crawford, J.Q. Adams (son of John Adams),
Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson
Jackson gets largest percentages of popular
and electoral votes (43% and 38% respectively)
Since Jackson does not have a majority of
electoral votes, election thrown into House of Reps. for decision (Crawford
and Clay drop out)
each state gets one vote in Congress to break
the electoral deadlock
Adams gets 13 of 24 votes (gets some votes
originally meant for Clay
Clay gets appointed secty. of state--Jackson's
supporters cry "corrupt bargain"
Presidency of J.Q. Adams
Adams was a less effective president than
his father
Adams underestimates the dislike of a strong
national government that formed during this period
Continues to push the First American system
forward--banks, RR's and canals, protective ariffs
Election of 1828 and birth of party politics
Election again pits Adams against Jackson
Intensely personal campaign--Jackson blames
death of wife Rachel (question about when divorce from previous husband
took place--bigamy) on abuse poured on him during campaign
With the backing of Martin Van Buren's organized
political machine--the Democratic Party--Jackson ran the first party-based
campaign
Jackson rewards supporters (and reinforces
power of the party with "spoils sytem"--giving government posts (usually
postmaster positions) to key national and local supporters
Jackson's philosophies of government
Democrats differ sharply from idea of strong
national government--such as one Adams and Clay advocated
Followed Jeffersonian concept of an agrarian
society
Democrats believed that a strong central government
was the enemy of individual liberty--a type of tyranny to be feared and
fought
individualism was key principle under Jackson
Jacksonians also feared concentration of economic
power as much as concentrated political power
thus viewed any government aid to economy
as helping special-interest groups
lashed out against privilege and monopoly
favored the artisan and yeoman farmer over
corporations or planters--Republicanism
Jackson's supporters also attacked reform
movement, and its ideology
disliked reformers' calls for government intervention
felt reforms restricted individual freedoms
II. Crises under Jackson
Nullification controversey
Tariff of Abominations (1828)
high protectionist tariff, hurt South
Provoked Calhoun into responed anonymously
with Exposition and Protest--where he argues a state could nullify a federal
law with which it disagrees
Jackson is elected, Calhoun his V.P. (stays
silent about nullification)
By 1830, dispute over tariffs has reached
floor of Senate
Daniel Webster (N.H.) and Robert Hayne (S.C.)
debate the tariff and principle of nullification
Hayne argues that U.S. is a compact of states,
and that states can nullify laws to protect themselves--protection of a
minority against tyranny of majority
Webster argues nation a compact of people,
not between states--therefore state cannot nullify
Webster evokes image of crisis and civil strife
and bloodshed if nullification allowed
Jackson and Calhoun quickly make their positions
known--Jackson for dominant union and Calhoun for states' rights
1832, S.C. nullifies Tariff of 1832--making
it unlawful for officials to collect duties in state after Feb. 1 1833
Jackson gets tough
moved federal troops to forts in S.C.
prepared U.S. marshalls to collect the tariff
duties
asked Congress for the Force act--renewed
Jackson's power to call out troops--also gave him way to use navy to board
ships and collect duties before they reach S.C.
Jackson and Calhoun compromise
Jackson asks Congress to reduce tariffs
Calhoun, now in Senate and fearful of where
S.C. is headed, helps rewrite tariff law
S.C. rescinds nullification
Jackson removes troops
Rechartering the national bank
In operation since 1816, the 2d Bank of the
U.S. acted as a clearinghouse for state banks
most state banks resent power National Bank
has over their operations--saw it as unresponsive to their local needs
Conservative nature of Nicholas Biddle, president
of the bank, was viewed by many as representing all that was wrong with
the National Bank
Biddle got Congress to renew the charter for
the bank early--in 1832, hoping to create public pressure to force Jackson
to sign the bill
Jackson instead, vetoes bill, presenting a
veto message stating why he did so
first time President has vetoed a bill on
grounds other than it being unconstitutional
attacked the bank as being undemocratic, aiding
special privilege and concentrating economic power in hands of a few
Congress does not override the veto
Jackson then proceeds to kill the bank by
depositing federal funds in his favorite state-chartered banks--without
money the Second National Bank withers
Species Circular
in 1836, worried about speculation on buying
public lands would lead to a craze that could threaten state banks, Jackson
issues Species Circular--providing that only gold or silver would be accepted
as payment for federal lands
significantly reduced purchase of public lands
the circular created a demand for specie,
thus squeezing the state banks which began calling for payment of loans
created a credit crunch which affected the
entire economy, though not until Jackson had left office
III. Birth of Whig Party
Whig party formed in the 1830's as opposition
party to the Democrats
Whigs believed in an activist government
supported government economic measures--national
bank, corporate charters, and paper currency
believed government should help reform movements
Democrats believed that government should
be minimal
Whigs tended to come more from British stock
and be evangelical Protestant in the North, Democrats tended to be more
from non-British Catholics and non-evangelical Protestants---in South,
Whig party gained most of its strength in the backcountry (more centered
on economic issues)
Van Buren elected president
First contest between Whigs and Democrats
came in 1836, when three Whig candidates lost to Democratic power boss
Martin Van Buren (of New York)
Van Buren had a hard time from the beginning
because of economic collapse
Jackson's Specie Circular had caused a severe
tightening of the credit markets
Van Buren's continued insistence on a hard
money policy only made matters worse--causing a depression that lasted
from 1839-1843
Tippecanoe gets you Tyler too
Van Buren's economic woes paved the way for
a Whig victory in the presidential election of 1840
William Henry Harrison runs as Whig candidate
Large voter turnout--due to dissatisfaction
over depression and very colorful campaigning
Harrison defeats Van Buren
Harrison dies of cold after long-winded (over
two hours) inauguration speech
John Tyler steps up and assumes presidency--showed
himself to be more in line with Democrats than Whigs--not very successful
attempts to gain popularity with success in
foreign policy
In 1844, Tyler and Secty. of State John C.
Calhoun sign treating annexing Texas--Calhoun then hampers efforts with
letter defending slavery and its expansion
Senate rejects treaty, northerners fearing
annexation a plot to spread slavery
IV. Westward expansion
Not all participated in growth of industry,
some moved westward to escape it
as population grew, people began to move westward
in search of opportunity--i.e. land
settlers tended to move in groups, not the
isolated pioneers of legend (Some families would sell small tract of expensive
land in East and move westward to find larger tracts at cheaper prices--that
way whole family could be accommodated)
most Americans of European descent from the
eastern part of the country had little regard for those they pushed out
of the way--mention James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohican's
Indian Removal
Assimilation of Native Americans in Euro-American
culture had long been the expressed goal of Indian policy
Native Americans could never quite become
sufficiently assimilated to satisfy majority of whites
Push to remove different Indian groups from
eastern lands began in ernest during 1820s
1826--Georgia took lead in removal of unwanted
Creek Indians from it boundaries--despite threats from President John Quincy
Adams
Georgia continued to push for removal of all
Indians, this time the Cherokee, in late 1820s, 1830s
Despite U.S. Supreme Court rulings in favor
of Cherokee, President Jackson sides with Georgia
Jackson creates a new Indian Territory for
Cherokee and other southeastern nations in what is now Oklahoma (Jackson
challenges Supreme Court to do something about his actions)
Jackson begins by sending Chotaw, Creek, and
Chickasaw tribes to Indian Territory in 1830s
Trail of Tears--1838--20,000 Chreokee marched
to territory, close to 5,000 die during march
Manifest Destiny
Indian removal just one part of westward expansion
in U.S.
Manifest Destiny--concept that American westward
expansion was inevitable, and good for the brown folk that lived there
Republic of Texas
Tejano settlers and conflict with Hispanic
elites in Texas
Conflict arises with Mexican government, Anglos
and insurgent Hispanics rebel in 1836
1836-- Alamo and San Jacinto
Texas not immediately recognized as a free
government by U.S.
Texas not annexed into U.S. until 1845--opposition
before then based on issue of expansion of slavery
The Mexican War
Reasons U.S. goes to war with Mexico
stated reasons
underlying reasons
Wilmot Proviso
David Wilmot
proposal to keep slavery out of newly gained
territories
Calhoun's response--Congress has no right
to regulate slavery in territories
Wilmot Proviso defeated
Henry David Thoreau
protest of the war
Essay on Civil Disobedience
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
cedes California, New Mexico, and Utah territories
to U.S.
Announcement that gold is found in California
comes right after the treaty signed, even though it had been found earlier
Between Texas, the land ceded in the treaty
of Guadulupe Hidalgo, and the Gadsen Purchase, Mexico loses half of its
territory to the U.S. in 15 years