President Andrew Jackson

and “Jacksonian Democracy”

President for the “Common Man”During his campaign for president Andrew

Jackson claimed that he represented the “common

man”.

He promised to look out for the interests of

average people, not just the rich and well-

educated. Jackson was determined to have the

majority rule, regardless of one’s education or

wealth. This idea of the majority rule has become

known as “Jacksonian Democracy”.

I’m voting for Andrew

Jackson

Yeah he

supports us

“common

men”

Andrew Jackson Wins Election!

Large numbers of Western farmers and workers

in the nations cities turned out to vote for Andrew

Jackson. With an overwhelming number of

votes, Andrew Jackson won the 1828 race for

president making him the 7th president of the

United States.

Clean my

shoes boy!!!

Scars on Andrew

Jackson’s face

Revenge!!

After his experience being held prisoner by the

British when he was 13 he developed a strong

hatred for anything British. At the age of 35,

Andrew Jackson was given the chance to fight

the British during the War of 1812.

“Old Hickory”Jackson was appointed to be a general in the

American Army. At the Battle of New Orleans in

1815, Jackson crushed the British army even

though his troops were greatly outnumbered. He

became a national war hero. He earned the

nickname “Old Hickory,” after a solider said he

was as “tough as a hickory tree.”

“Old Hickory”

Hero of the Battle

of New Orleans

Jackson Becomes President

Shortly after Jackson won the election of 1828

his wife Rachel died of a heart attack. Andrew

Jackson looked thin, pale and sad during his

inauguration on March 4, 1829.

Jackson’s InaugurationThousands of people were there to celebrate Jackson becoming president. One person wrote, “all sorts of people, from the highest and most polished, down to the most vulgar and gross in the nation were there.”

The crowd got so rowdy people broke glasses and grabbed for food and drink. The pushing and shoving of the crowd forced the new president to flee from the White House.

Spoils SystemWhen Andrew Jackson became president he fired

many of the government officials and replaced

them with his friends and supporters. This

practice of giving government jobs to his political

backers became known as the “spoils system.” In

many ways Andrew Jackson was spoiling his

friends by giving them jobs in government.

I spoil my friends

by giving them

jobs

Native Americans in the Southeast

Since the 1600s, white settlers pushed Native

Americans westward as they took more and more

land. However, by 1820 there were still about

100,000 Native Americans living east of the

Mississippi River.

Native Americans

Some whites hoped that these Native Americans

could adapt to the white people’s way of life.

Others believed the Native Americans were

“uncivilized” and refused to live near them.

Cherokee NationMore than any other Southeastern tribe, the

Cherokee Indians had adopted white culture. The

Cherokee had their own Constitution, they spoke

English, they sent their kids to missionary school,

and some even owned slaves!!!

Jackson’s Removal Policy

However, gold was discovered on Cherokee land

in 1828. The discovery of gold made the

Cherokee land very desirable and whites wanted

it!!! In 1830, Andrew Jackson passed the Indian

Removal Act that required Native Americans to

give up their land and relocate west. Andrew

Jackson gave them one year to leave.

The Trail of TearsIn 1838, federal troops rounded up over 16,000

Cherokee men, women and children and forced

them into camps. Soldiers then gave the people a

hour to pack up everything from their homes and

get ready to leave. Most people ended up with

nothing more than the clothes on their backs.

The Trail of Tears

Over the fall and winter of 1838-1839, these Cherokees

set out on the long journey west. Forced to march in the

cold, rain and snow without proper clothing or food many

grew weak and died. It is estimated that ¼ of the 16,000

Cherokee people who were forced to march west died

(that’s 1 out of every 4). This harsh journey of the

Cherokee from their homeland to Indian Territory in

Oklahoma has become known as the Trail of Tears.

Modern state

of Oklahoma

Rising Sectional DifferencesWhen Andrew Jackson took office the nation was

divided into 3 main sections. The Northeast,

South and West. Legislators from these regions

were arguing over 3 major economic issues: the

sale of land, national improvement such as canals

and railroads, and tariffs (taxes).

North Vs. SouthPeople in the north supported the idea of high tariffs (taxes on imported goods) because the tariffs meant that people would want to buy the cheaper American made goods rather than imported products with the higher taxes.

The South however didn’t like the high tariffs. The South made their money by growing cotton and other crops and selling them to foreign countries for credit rather than money. The tariffs would make the foreign goods cost more.

The tariff helps us in the North!!!

Because of the tariff, the stuff we

make here in the factory is always

cheaper than the stuff made

overseas. Therefore, people want

to by the stuff we make here in

America.

We in the South hate these stinking

tariffs!! We trade our cotton for stuff

with Europe but because of the

tariff we always have to pay more

on the stuff we get from overseas.

I want to be able to trade my cotton

for stuff made in Europe without

have to pay a tariff!!

Tariff of AbominationIn 1828 Congress passed a bill that greatly raised

tariffs (taxes) on raw materials and manufactured

goods. People in the South were outraged!!!

Southerners felt that the economic interests of the

Northeast were determining national policy and

the South was being ignored by the national

government. They hated the tariff and called it the

Tariff of Abominations.

(An abomination=

a hated/horrible thing)

This is an

abomination!!!

Nullification Crisis

John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson’s vice-

president understood the frustration of the

Southern farmers over the tariffs. Calhoun

developed a plan called the Doctrine of

Nullification. The Doctrine of Nullification said that

a state had the right to nullify (reject) a federal law

that it considers unconstitutional.

South Carolina Threatens to Secede

President Jackson was against the Doctrine of

Nullification but didn’t want the South to remain upset.

He asked Congress to lower the taxes and Congress

agreed however South Carolina was still not happy.

Congress please

lower the tariffs!!

South Carolina Threats to Secede

South Carolina threatened that if the tariffs weren’t

lowered even more they would secede (break away)

from the United States and start their own country.

Jackson was furious and said he would hang the first

person he got his hands on!!!!!!!!!

We still aren’t

happy!

Ugh….

This is so

frustrating!!!

Andrew Jackson and the BankIn 1832 when Andrew Jackson was elected for

this 2nd term as president he vowed to destroy the

Second Bank of the United States run by Nicholas

Biddle. Jackson believed that the Second Bank

was evil and only helped the rich, not the average

man. Jackson vetoed (rejected) bill after bill that

would renew the bank’s charter. (The charter

would that allowed the bank to stay open.)I will destroy

you Bank!!

King AndrewOpponents (people who were against) Andrew

Jackson called him a “King Andrew”. They said he

wanted too much power as a president and was

more like a tyrant.

Martin Van Buren Becomes

President

When Andrew Jackson’s second term as

president was over Martin Van Buren took over

as the 8th president of the United States. During

Martin Van Buren’s presidency the US was going

through a deep depression.

The Rise of Whig Party

During the election of 1840, a new political party

called the Whigs was created. They were given

their name after a British party that opposed

power of the king. The leader of the Whigs

thought that the name would fit since he disliked

Andrew Jackson and often called him “ King

Andrew”.