The Presidency of Andrew Jackson

Tempest and Turmoil in a New Political Order, 1829-1837

Mythology of the Age of Common Man

• Jackson, and most of his supporters, were uncommon men

• But Jackson and the political culture in general railed against “artificial distinctions,” especially those created by governmental policy

Jackson’s Stated Principles

• Small government• Retirement of the

national debt• “rotation in office”• “just” policy toward

indians• States rights—but he’d

decide what that meant

• Judicious tariff• Jackson’s election and

values was anathema to the old political order: “the reign of King Mob seemed triumphant”—Joseph Story

Jackson’s administration

• Cabinet was ordinary—designed to give sectional balance

• Jackson relied on unofficial advisor’s too: the Kitchen Cabinet

• Cabinet rivalry between Martin Van Buren and John Caldwell Calhoun dominated politics

Van Buren & Calhoun

Eaton Affair

• Suggests a great deal about Andrew Jackson’s state of mind following Rachel’s death

• Became a proxy for the Calhoun-Van Buren Feud

• Suggests a great deal about how polite society viewed gender roles and how these roles were policed

Jackson and Internal Improvements

• AJ tended to be a strict constructionist—unless he needed to be a loose constructionist

• Vetoed the Maysville Road Bill—largely to get at Henry Clay

• Supported other “pork barrel” internal improvements

Nullification Crisis

• Both a constitutional and sectional debate: protective tariff wasn’t mentioned in Constitution and South and New England are both attempting to build alliances with Western states

• Almost led to armed conflict• Webster-Hayne Debate• Jefferson Day Dinner/Florida debacle• Final Break with Calhoun• Real meaning of failure of SC to nullify Tariff

South Carolina

Indian Removal

• Most criticized part of AJ’s presidency

• 1830 Indian Removal Act (land in the “west” in exchange for ancestral lands in the east)

• Failed to support John Marshall’s ruling that Cherokees had right to land in Georgia

• Trail of Tears

Indian Removal Map

John Ross

Bank Recharter Controversy• AJ didn’t believe Bank was Constitutional and

thought it facilitated “Artificial Distinctions”• Clay’s supporters made Bank the election issue of

1832—pushed through recharter bill which AJ vetoed

• AJ won 1832 election• AJ removed government money from 2dBUS and

placed it in “pet banks”• Coupled with distribution scheme and the “specie

circular”, AJ’s fiscal policies brought on the Panic of 1837

2dBUS—420 Chestnut St., Philadelphia

Political Legacy of Andrew Jackson

• 2d Party system emerged by 1836—Jacksonians were “Democrats” and his opponents were “Whigs”

• Until mid-1840s, Whigs only agreed that they opposed Jacksonians

• Politicians afterwards got right with Andrew Jackson by portraying themselves as just plain folks

• Martin Van Buren created national strategy of focusing on local issues and ignoring national issues like slavery

Jackson’s Immediate Legacy: President Martin Van Buren

• Panic of 1837

• Independent Treasury

• Gag Rule debates

• 1840 Election—Log Cabins and Hard Cider

William Henry Harrison