Age of Jackson
"Rise of a Common Man"The "rise of a common man" was part of the era with an increase of middle and lower classes becoming involved in political processes by voting, campaigning, and running for office. By 1820, the property owning requirement for voting was eliminated.
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Election of 1824- John Quincy AdamsThe election of 1824 pitted John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, William Crawford, and Andrew Jackson against each other. Although Andrew Andrew Jackson won the popularity contest the the constitution requires to candidate to receive at least half the votes to win the presidency. Henry Clay, an opponent of Andrew Jackson, used his influences to make John Quincy Adams president. The Jackson camp cried, "Foul!" when Adams then appointed Henry Clay as his secretary of state. Calling the deal a "corrupt bargain."
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Running For Presidency Again
In 1828, Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams ran for president again. This led to the rebirth of the two party system. Jackson was supported by democrats while supporters of Henry Clay were called National Republicans or also know as "Whigs". Once again mudslinging ensued with Jackson calling Adam's wife a bastard child and Adam accusing Jackson's wife of bigamy.
Andrew Jackson's Presidency (1829-1837)
Andrew Jackson's presidency simplified.
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Andrew Jackson's presidency detailed.
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Challenges to Federal Authority
The state of Maryland tries to tax the second B.U.S.. The McCulloch vs. Maryland case ruled that the federal government had an implied power to establish the Bank and the state had no right to tax a federal institution. This meant that federal laws were the supreme law of the land and above state laws.
Death of the Bank of the U.S.The Bank of the United States (BUS) was set to expire in 1832. Jackson sought to separate government from the economy. He had all federal funds removed and deposited into various state banks. His opponents called them "pet banks".
Domestic prices for goods and land changed dramatically and threatened to the destroy the economy. Jackson issued the Specie Circular. All purchases for federal lands had to be payed in hard coin or "specie" instead of banknotes. This eventually led paper money to plummet and to the Panic of 1837. Jackson Uses "Veto" PowerJackson was a champion of states' rights as long as the nation was not in peril believing that the president should exercise all due power. Jackson vetoed more bills than the previous six presidents combined. He increased the power of the presidency sometimes seeking to expand democracy but only when it served his best interests.
Jackson Expands Democracy |
South's Anger About Tariffs"The Southern Carolina Exposition", penned by John C. Calhoun from South Carolina, expressed the anger of the South in the face of the "Tariffs of Abominations". Calhoun called it unconstitutional and accused it of altering trade with Europe that many Southern farmers depended on.
Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts argued that the Constitution was a compact between the people and the government, not to be broken by the states acting on their own behalf making nullification and secession equal to treason. South Carolina nullified the Tariff of 1832 and threatened to secede from the Union if Jackson attempted to collect the tax by force. Jackson made military preparations but instead encouraged Congress to pass the Force Bill. It gave the president the power to use military force to collect tariffs if the need arose. However, Henry Clay proposed a compromise that ended up being successful. In 1832 a new tariff was passed that slowly reduced the tariff. |
Jackson and his followers, called Jacksonians, expanded democracy in the middle and lower classes of America.
Jackson vs. Native AmericansJackson understood that the great impact westward expansion had on the nation but large groups of Native Americans already lived on the land.
The Indian Removal Actin of 1830 provided for the immediate resettlement of Native Americans living in Mississippi Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and present-day Illinois. In 1831 the Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia case had the court rule that the tribe was not a sovereign nation, and, therefore, had no right to sue for jurisdiction over its homeland. In 1832 the Worcester vs. Georgia case had John Marshall rule that Georgia could not infringe on the tribe's sovereignty. This nullified Georgia state laws within the Cherokee territory. By 1835, thousands of Native Americans had been forcibly removed. The Native Americans were from the tribes Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. |
Trail of TearsBy 1838, all the Cherokees had been forcibly removed from the state of Georgia. The trek, known as the Trail of Tears, as some 4000 Cherokee died en route to Oklahoma.
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