THE RISE OF A MASS DEMOCRACY

Chapter 13

“Corrupt Bargain” of 1824

1824 John Quincy Adams Henry Clay William H. Crawford Andrew Jackson

Adams wins Clay = Secretary of State

“Corrupt Bargain”

Yankee Misfit

John Quincy Adams Most successful Secretaries of State

Least successful Presidents

Only removed 12 public officials Did not reward party workers

Nationalist Roads/canals National university Astronomical observatory

Public thought waste of public funds = continuation of tariffs Dealt fairly with Native Americans

Cherokees

Jackson

1828 National Republicans = Adams Democratic-Republican = Jackson

“Bargain and Corruption” “All Hail Old Hickory”

Mudslinging Bare-knuckle politics

Gutter tactics

Jackson wins 178 to 83

“Old Hickory”

First President from the West Tennessee Judge / Congress

First nominated at party convention

“Hickoryites” = masses Gave common people a chance to participate in

government Political power for all classes

Spoils System

Rewarding political supporters with public office Bring in new blood = Housecleaning

Administration hires their own people Gave jobs to friends and political allies

Important element in 2-party system Loyalty to party

Tariff

1824 & 1828 Proposed tariff to make Adams look bad = didn’t

think it would pass

“Black Tariff” = Tariff of Abominations

South = Angry Sold crops in world markets unprotected by tariffs Forced to buy manufactured goods in American

markets protected by tariffs The South Caroline Exposition = pamphlet

John C. Calhoun (V.P.)

“Nullies”

Nullification in S. Caroline Could not get enough votes

Tariff of 1832 Congress raised tariffs again South Carolinians declared the tariffs null –

no law Threatened to secede – if duties were collected

Cont.

Compromise Tariff of1833 Henry Clay – Proposed tariff bill

Great Compromiser Gradually lower duties by 10% over 8 year

period By 1842 back to levels of 1816

Jackson urged Congress to pass the Force Bill Use military action if necessary Collect tariff duties

Native Americans

1820’s 125, 000 = East of Mississippi Civilizing / Christianizing Cherokee remarkable efforts

Abandoned there seminomadic life Adopted agriculture Private property

1808 Cherokee National Council

Legal code 1827

Written Constitution

Cont.

5 Civilized tribes Cherokee, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, &

Seminoles

1828 Georgia Legislature declares Cherokee

tribal council illegal Asserted own jurisdiction over Indian affairs

and land

Cherokee

Appealed to Supreme Court

Worcester V. Georgia John Marshall hears the case Could not regulate Cherokee Nation or

invade

Jackson refused “John Marshall has made his decision; now

let him enforce it.”

Indian Removal Act / Trail of Tears

1830 Government provided funds to negotiate treaties

to move Native Americans west Many tribes signed

1838 Drove Cherokee into camps

Groups of 1,000 800 mile journey --- on foot ¼ of their people died

Trail of Tears Georgia to Indian Territory

Bank War

National Bank Very powerful

Acted like a branch of the government

Principle depository for government

Controlled much of nations gold and silver

Notes = stable

Private Institution Moneyed investors

President of Bank Nicholas Biddle Held a lot of

power “Czar Nicolas I”

West = foreclosures

Bank War Cont.

1832 Daniel Webster / Henry Clay

Renew Bank Charter Didn’t expire until 1836 Election issue

Ram bill through Congress If Jackson signs = alienates west If Jackson vetoes = alienates wealthy and influential

Jackson vetoed bill Unconstitutional McCulloch v. Maryland Executive branch over Judicial

Election 1832

Jackson V. Clay

3rd Party Anti-Masonic Party

Opposed the influence and fearsome secrecy of the Masonic order

Secret rituals / societies Political force in N.Y, mid-Atlantic, and New

England Anti-Jackson party Support form Evangelical Protest groups

Election of 1832

National Nominating Conventions Name candidates Platforms

Jackson defeats Clay Electoral Count 219 to 49

Biddle’s Bank

Believed the National Bank was for the wealthy Did not serve common people

Tried to kill the bank = Bleed it dry Withdrew all government deposits

Placed in “Pet Banks” – “Wildcat Banks” Flooded country with paper money

Specie Circular Required all public lands to be purchased

with “hard” metallic money

Whigs

“King Andrew I New political party

emerges = Whigs Opponents of

Jackson

Whig Party Diverse

Supporters of American System

Southern States offended by Jackson

Industrialists/Merchants

Conservatives / Progressives Canals, R.R., Telegraph lines,

prisons, public schools Welcomed market economy

Election of 1836

Martin Van Buren Hand picked by Jackson N.Y. “Yes Man”

Whigs run several candidates

Van Buren Wins 170 - 124

Van Buren

8th President

Born under American Flag

Smuggled into presidency under Jackson’s coattails Resentment by democrats Machine made candidate

Inherited Jackson’s bank mess

Panic 1837

Financial sickness of the times Rampant speculation Get-rich-quickism Shaky currency =

wildcat banks

Grain prices skyrocket

Financial problems abroad British = foreign loans

Banks collapsed by 100’s Pet banks

Government funds

Whigs tried to counter with programs Expansion of credit Higher tariffs

“Divorce Bill” Independent treasury Independent Treasury Bill =

1840

Texas

Mexicans won independence in 1821 1823

Stephen Austin Texas 300

Land grants

1835 Texan Americans = 30,000

G.T.T. Davy Crockett , Jim Bowie Sam Houston

Ex-governor = Tennessee

Cont.

Friction in Texas Slavery, Immigration, Local

rights Emancipated slaves = 1830 No more troublesome

Americans Texans refused

1833 Austin goes to Mexico =

negotiate Santa Anna = President of

Mexico Throws Austin in jail = 8 months

1835 Santa Anna wipes

out all local rights Sends army to

suppress Texans

Rebellion

Alamo 13 Days

Feb. 23 – March 2, 1836 Colonel W.B. Travis 200 Texans 100’s Mexicans

Goliad 6 weeks later 300 Rebels

Cont.

San Jacinto Sam Houston

900 soldiers Killed 630 of Santa Anna’s soldiers

18 minutes “Remember the Alamo”

Captured Santa Anna

Treaty of Velasco Granted Independence to Texas

Sept.1836 Houston elected President of New Republic of Texas

Cont.

U.S. in a sticky mess

Texas wants to be annexed

North does not want Texas Slavery = enlarging slavery

Texas would come with more land

Election 1840

Martin Van Buren = Democrats William Henry Harrison = Whigs

“Old Tippecanoe” John Tyler = Vice President

“Tippecanoe and Tyler too”

Mudslinging Turned the tide

Harrison Wins 234 to 60